Maine Cottage Food Laws

Maine does not have a cottage food exemption. Instead, a person who makes shelf-stable foods at home needs a Home Food License from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, or DACF. The license costs $20 a year and requires an initial home kitchen inspection, but no annual inspections. Licensed home food producers may sell from home and at retail stores. Canned, shelf-stable products such as pickles must have a process review before licensing. Maine sets no sales cap. Separately, the Maine Food Sovereignty Act lets towns adopt ordinances that exempt direct producer-to-consumer sales from state food licensing. This guide covers what you can sell, how you can sell, labeling and when you need a commercial license instead.

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, and local zoning, HOA and tax rules vary. Confirm current requirements with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, your town or an attorney before you start selling.

Quick facts

• A Home Food Manufacturing license from DACF is required to make and sell food from home. 22 M.R.S. 2167; 01-001 CMR ch. 345; DACF Home Food License 101
• The fee is $20 a year. 01-001 CMR ch. 330, 2(G); DACF Home Food License 101
• DACF's rule says the department inspects the premises before a license is issued or renewed. DACF's Home Food License 101 guide says annual inspections are not required. Ask DACF what applies at renewal. 01-001 CMR ch. 345, 8(B); DACF Home Food License 101
• Licensed home food producers may sell from home and at retail stores. DACF Home Food License 101
• DACF's guidance does not set a sales cap. DACF Home Food License 101

What the law calls it

• Maine uses "Home Food License" and "home kitchen." DACF also calls it a Home Kitchen License. The general license requirement for food establishments is in 22 M.R.S. 2167. DACF Home Food License 101; 22 M.R.S. 2167

Foods you can sell

• Shelf-stable foods that do not need refrigeration or freezing to control microbial growth. DACF Home Food License 101
• Canned, shelf-stable products such as pickles, relishes and barbecue sauces, after a process review by University of Maine Food Testing Services or another acidified food process authority. DACF Home Food License 101

Foods you cannot sell

• Products that must be refrigerated or frozen to control microbial growth. These require a commercial food processing license. DACF Home Food License 101

Sales limit

• DACF's guidance does not set a dollar limit. DACF Home Food License 101

License, fees and inspection

• Apply to DACF with the license application form. DACF Home Food License 101; DACF application forms
• The Home Food License fee is $20 a year. State law allows licenses for one, two or three years, and fees are not refundable. DACF Home Food License 101; 22 M.R.S. 2168
• No license is needed to sell only fresh produce, fresh eggs from a farm with fewer than 3,000 birds or poultry under the 1,000-bird exemption. DACF Home Food License 101
• Private wells need an annual test for coliform and nitrates. DACF Home Food License 101

Where and how you can sell

• From home and at retail stores. DACF Home Food License 101
• Online sales, mail and shipping: Ask DACF.
• Food sovereignty towns: a municipality may adopt an ordinance on direct producer-to-consumer transactions, and the state will not enforce its food licensing laws for transactions the ordinance covers. Check whether your town has one. 7 M.R.S. 284 (Maine Food Sovereignty Act)

Labeling rules

• Foods sold outside the home must show the common name; ingredients in order of predominance; net weight, volume or count; and the producer's name, address and ZIP code. No label is needed for sales directly to the consumer from the home. DACF Home Food License 101

Kitchen rules

• Food contact surfaces must be nonabsorbent and easy to clean, and the kitchen needs a two-bay sink or a one-bay sink and dishwasher with hot and cold water. DACF Home Food License 101
• A thermometer must show the refrigerator at 41 degrees or less. DACF Home Food License 101
• Pets must be removed from the processing area during production, and surfaces washed, rinsed and sanitized first. DACF Home Food License 101

Zoning, HOAs and local rules

• Check town zoning and any local food sovereignty ordinance. 7 M.R.S. 284 (Maine Food Sovereignty Act)
• Check your HOA documents, since the state does not review private covenants.

When you need a commercial license instead

• Foods that need refrigeration or freezing for safety require a commercial food processing license. DACF Home Food License 101

Timeline

• 2017: P.L. 2017, c. 314 gave municipalities authority to adopt local food ordinances under the Maine Food Sovereignty Act. 7 M.R.S. 284 (Maine Food Sovereignty Act)
• 2025: P.L. 2025, c. 309 amended the Food Sovereignty Act, including county ordinances for unorganized territories. 7 M.R.S. 284 (Maine Food Sovereignty Act)
• Oct. 13, 2026: this page was last reviewed against DACF guidance and the Maine Revised Statutes.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a license to sell homemade food in Maine?

Yes. DACF requires a Home Food License for shelf-stable foods made at home. Source: DACF Home Food License 101.

How much is a Maine Home Food License?

$20 a year. Sources: 01-001 CMR ch. 330, 2(G); DACF Home Food License 101.

Is my kitchen inspected in Maine?

DACF's rule says the premises are inspected before a license is issued or renewed. DACF's guide says annual inspections are not required. Ask DACF. Sources: 01-001 CMR ch. 345, 8(B); DACF Home Food License 101.

Can I sell home food in stores in Maine?

Yes. A Home Food License allows sales from home and at retail stores. Source: DACF Home Food License 101.

Can I sell pickles with a Maine Home Food License?

Yes, after a process review by University of Maine Food Testing Services or another process authority. Source: DACF Home Food License 101.

Do I need a label in Maine?

Yes, for food sold outside the home. No label is needed for sales directly from your home. Source: DACF Home Food License 101.

Is there a sales cap in Maine?

DACF's guidance does not set one. Source: DACF Home Food License 101.

What is food sovereignty in Maine?

Towns may adopt ordinances that exempt direct producer-to-consumer sales from state food licensing. Source: 7 M.R.S. 284 (Maine Food Sovereignty Act).

Can I sell cheesecake with a Maine Home Food License?

No. Foods that need refrigeration require a commercial license. Source: DACF Home Food License 101.

Official sources

• 01-001 CMR ch. 345: Home Food Manufacturing (Word, maine.gov)
• 01-001 CMR ch. 330: License Fees to Manufacture and Sell Food & Beverages (Word, maine.gov)
• DACF: Home Food License 101 (PDF)
• DACF: Permits and Licenses
• DACF: Application forms
• 22 M.R.S. 2167: License required
• 22 M.R.S. 2168: Fees
• 7 M.R.S. 284: Maine Food Sovereignty Act authority

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, and local zoning, HOA and tax rules vary. Confirm current requirements with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, your town or an attorney before you start selling.