Cottage food rules
New Maryland Cottage Food Laws: What Home Bakers Need
What Maryland changed in 2025, what your county still decides, and who to call.
On this page
What to remember
- No state food license is required to run a cottage food business from a residential kitchen in Maryland.
- The Maryland Department of Health 2025 cottage food guidance is the main document to read.
- SB0701 from the 2025 session changed the definition of cottage food product to include nonpotentially hazardous foods.
- You still have to follow applicable county and municipal laws on preparing, processing, storing, and selling.
- A phone call to the state Office of Food Protection can save you a wasted batch of labels.
If you are baking from your kitchen in Maryland and selling to neighbors, the rules are easier to work through than most people expect. Start with the state guidance, then check your county. The order matters, because the state tells you what a cottage food product is, and your county tells you how it can be handled where you live.
What the 2025 law changed
SB0701, passed in the 2025 session, alters the definition of cottage food product to include nonpotentially hazardous foods. That is the sentence to hold onto when you read older posts and forum threads. Anything written before that change may describe a narrower list than the one that applies to you now. Read the current Maryland Department of Health guidance rather than a summary of it.
The Maryland Department of Health guidance document from 2025 covers the allowable foods that may be produced and sold by a Maryland cottage food business. The Maryland Department of Agriculture also publishes a memo giving guidance on allowable foods that may be produced and sold from a cottage food business located in Maryland. Read both, because they answer slightly different questions, and keep them on your phone so you can check before you add a new item to your menu.
A simple order for checking your own baking
Read the state guidance first
Open the Maryland Department of Health 2025 cottage food guidance and find where your product fits before you price anything or print a single label.
Compare the agriculture memo
The Maryland Department of Agriculture memo also covers allowable foods. Read it next to the health department list so nothing gets missed.
Call your county
Under COMAR 10.15.03.27, a cottage food business owner must comply with all applicable county and municipal laws and ordinances regulating preparation, processing, storage, and sale. Ask your county what that means for your kitchen and your pickup spot.
Write down what you were told
Note the date you checked and who you spoke with. Rules move, and a dated note tells you when to look again.
What you can sell without a food license
The University of Maryland Extension puts it plainly: by law, a cottage food business owner may sell only cottage food products stored on the premises of the business without needing a food license. So the question is not only what you bake, it is also where those bakes sit before they reach a customer. If you are planning to hold stock somewhere else, ask before you do it.
Laws differ from state to state, and it is easy to pick up a rule that belongs somewhere else. If you read advice from a baker in another state, check that state’s guide too, like New Kentucky Cottage Food Laws or New Louisiana Cottage Food Laws. For a west coast comparison, see New California Cottage Food Laws.
Who to call when the answer is not clear
The Maryland Department of Health Office of Food Protection handles cottage foods. It is at 6 St. Paul Street, Suite 1301, Baltimore, MD 21202, and the phone number is (410) 767-8400. One short call before you launch beats guessing and rebuilding your menu later.
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Once you know what you are allowed to sell, the next job is making sure the price covers your ingredients and your time. Work that out before your first order so you are not learning on the job.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell baked goods from my home in Maryland?
Maryland allows a cottage food business to be run from a residential kitchen without a Department of Health license. You still have to comply with applicable county and municipal laws on preparing, processing, storing, and selling your products.
What did SB0701 change?
The 2025 legislation alters the definition of cottage food product to include nonpotentially hazardous foods. Check the current state guidance rather than an older summary.
Where is the list of foods I am allowed to sell?
In the Maryland Department of Health 2025 cottage food guidance document, and in the Maryland Department of Agriculture memo on allowable foods for a cottage food business in Maryland.
Can I store my products somewhere other than my home?
The University of Maryland Extension notes that a cottage food business owner may sell only cottage food products stored on the premises of the business without needing a food license. Ask before you plan to hold stock anywhere else.
Who do I contact with a question about my kitchen?
The Maryland Department of Health Office of Food Protection, at (410) 767-8400. It is at 6 St. Paul Street, Suite 1301, Baltimore, MD 21202.
Sources
- Maryland Department of Health, Updated Cottage Food Guidelines 2025
- Maryland Department of Agriculture, Cottage Food Guidelines
- Maryland General Assembly, SB0701 (2025 session)
- COMAR 10.15.03.27
- Cottage Food Law Library, Maryland
- University of Maryland Extension, Cottage Food Business Law
- Maryland Department of Health, Cottage Foods
General information, not legal advice. Read the current Maryland cottage food guidance and check your county rules before you sell.