How to label cottage food in District of Columbia (2026 guide)

If you sell baked goods from your home in District of Columbia, every item you sell has to be labeled correctly. District of Columbia's cottage food law — D.C. Code §7-742.02 — is a workable but more limited law, but the labeling rules are specific, and getting them wrong means you lose the protection the law gives you.

This guide walks through exactly what goes on a District of Columbia cottage food label, gives you a copy-paste template, and covers the edge cases that trip people up. It mirrors our most popular label walkthrough — how to label cottage food in Texas — adapted to District of Columbia's rules.

Not legal advice. We're a small apparel brand that cares about home bakers. For anything serious, read the law directly or call DC Department of Health.

What every label must include

Per District of Columbia's cottage food labeling rules, every product label must include:

1. The common or usual name of the product (e.g. “Classic Sourdough Loaf” — a brand name alone is not enough).
2. Your business name and home address — or a state-issued ID / registration / permit number in place of your address (most home bakers use the ID to keep their home address off every package).
3. An ingredient list in descending order by weight (major allergens called out).
4. Net weight or volume.
5. Allergen disclosure for any of the 9 federal major allergens present.
6. The state's required disclaimer statement, verbatim (exact wording below).

What District of Columbia law actually says

Labels must include the cottage food business identification number, product name, ingredients in descending order by weight, net weight/volume, allergen information per federal requirements, and the statement 'Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations' in at least 10-point contrasting type.

The 9 federal major allergens you must disclose

• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Tree nuts
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soy
• Sesame (added federally in 2023 — frequently missed)

You don't have to list every ingredient in most states, but you must explicitly name any of these allergens that are present. “May contain” hedging isn't a substitute — if it's in there, name it. Sesame became the 9th federal major allergen in 2023 and is the one most older label templates miss.

The required disclaimer

District of Columbia requires this statement, word for word, on the label: It must appear in at least 10-point type.

Made by a cottage food business that is not subject to the District of Columbia's food safety regulations

Copy-paste label template

Print it on a sticker, put it on the bag. Adjust the ingredient and allergen lines for each product.

Common labeling mistakes to avoid

1. Forgetting sesame as a major allergen (added federally in 2023 — many older templates list only 8).
2. Using “may contain” when the product actually contains the allergen. Name it if it's present.
3. Leaving off the required disclaimer because you printed small business-card-style labels. The disclaimer is non-negotiable.
4. Handing out unlabeled samples. If you're giving a free taste at a market, the rules still apply.
5. Using a P.O. Box where District of Columbia requires a physical address (or use your state-issued ID number instead where allowed).

Quick checklist before you print

• Product common name (not just a brand name)
• Business name on label
• Address or state ID number on label
• All 9 major allergens disclosed if present (including sesame)
• Required disclaimer statement, verbatim
• Disclaimer in at least 10-point type
• Ingredients in descending order by weight
• Packaging prevents contamination

Official sources

• DC Department of Health
• Statute: D.C. Code §7-742.02
• Forrager — District of Columbia
• Crosodo District of Columbia state guide

For the full breakdown of District of Columbia's rules — sales cap, registration, county zoning — see the Crosodo District of Columbia state guide. If your District of Columbia county is missing from our directory, tell us and we'll add it next.