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Cottage food laws

Maine Cottage Food Law

Can you sell homemade food from your home kitchen in Maine? Here are the sales cap, allowed foods, where you can sell, and the point where you must move into a licensed commercial kitchen.
Educational summary, not legal advice — cottage food rules change; confirm with the state before you sell.
Program
Home Food Processor License / Food Sovereignty ordinances
Annual sales cap
Home Food Processor License: No cap
Where you can sell
Home Food Processor: any venue incl. retail/wholesaleFood Sovereignty (adopting towns): direct-to-consumer only
Registration / to start
Home Food Processor License with state application + home inspection; Food Sovereignty towns require no license
Allowed foods
Shelf-stable baked goods, jams/jellies/fruit butters, candies, honey; pickles/relishes/salsas/BBQ sauces require Process Authority review + pH testing
Not allowed
Home meat/poultry processing; TCS foods outside license scope
When you need a commercial / commissary kitchen
Selling outside your license scope or (in food-sovereignty towns) beyond direct-to-consumer requires state licensing / commercial kitchen
Administered by
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry (DACF) · Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 7 (food sovereignty); Home Food Processor rules

Source: Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry (DACF). Cottage food laws change often — confirm current rules before selling.

Good to know

Two routes: state Home Food Processor License (inspection, no cap, any venue) or local Food Sovereignty ordinance (113+ towns as of 2025; direct-to-consumer only, no license).

Outgrowing cottage food? When you need a licensed kitchen, see Maine food-business requirements, estimate the build with the cost-to-open calculator, and check whether you need a hood.

Frequently asked

Can I sell homemade food in Maine?
Yes. Maine has a cottage food framework (Home Food Processor License / Food Sovereignty ordinances) that lets individuals make and sell certain non-hazardous foods from a home kitchen. Annual sales are capped at Home Food Processor License: No cap. You still must follow the state's rules on allowed foods, labeling, and where you can sell. Administered by Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry (DACF).
What foods can I sell under Maine's cottage food law?
Shelf-stable baked goods, jams/jellies/fruit butters, candies, honey; pickles/relishes/salsas/BBQ sauces require Process Authority review + pH testing Not allowed: Home meat/poultry processing; TCS foods outside license scope
When do I need a commercial or commissary kitchen in Maine?
Selling outside your license scope or (in food-sovereignty towns) beyond direct-to-consumer requires state licensing / commercial kitchen At that point, see the requirements and permit fees for your area.
Do I need a license or registration for cottage food in Maine?
Home Food Processor License with state application + home inspection; Food Sovereignty towns require no license
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