← All States

Maine's Cottage Food Law

Maine's cottage food law allows individuals to produce and sell certain low-risk homemade foods from a residential kitchen without operating a licensed food facility. The law covers non-potentially hazardous foods, meaning products that don't require refrigeration to stay safe. Home bakers, jam makers, and candy producers are the primary beneficiaries. You must register with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry before you begin selling.

Maine gives you several ways to reach customers. You can sell directly at farmers markets, farm stands, roadside stands, and other in-person venues. Online orders are permitted, and Maine also allows you to ship products to customers, which gives your business a broader reach than many other states allow. Sales must remain direct-to-consumer, so wholesale to retail stores is not a permitted channel under cottage food rules.

Maine has no annual revenue cap, so there's no ceiling limiting how much your cottage food business can earn. You do need to register with the state before selling, which is a straightforward process. One standout advantage is the combination of no revenue limit plus shipping rights, which is relatively uncommon nationally. With that flexibility in place, your business has room to grow well beyond your local community.

Quick Summary

Maine cottage food law allows:

  • •Baked goods (breads, cookies, cakes, muffins, pastries)
  • •Jams, jellies, and preserves
  • •Candies and confections
  • •Honey and maple products
  • •Dry herbs and herb blends
  • •Roasted nuts and nut mixes

Not allowed:

  • •Meat and poultry products
  • •Seafood products
  • •Foods requiring refrigeration for safety
  • •Acidified or low-acid canned goods
  • •Dairy-based products requiring temperature control
  • •Sprouts and fresh-cut produce

Sales limit: $1,000 per year

Annual Limit

$1,000/year

Permit Required

No

Online Orders

Not Allowed

Shipping

Not Allowed

Permitted Foods

  • ✓Baked goods (breads, cookies, cakes, muffins, pastries)
  • ✓Jams, jellies, and preserves
  • ✓Candies and confections
  • ✓Honey and maple products
  • ✓Dry herbs and herb blends
  • ✓Roasted nuts and nut mixes
  • ✓Granola and cereals
  • ✓Dried fruit and vegetables
  • ✓Vinegars and fruit butters

Prohibited Foods

  • ✗Meat and poultry products
  • ✗Seafood products
  • ✗Foods requiring refrigeration for safety
  • ✗Acidified or low-acid canned goods
  • ✗Dairy-based products requiring temperature control
  • ✗Sprouts and fresh-cut produce
  • ✗Foods with cream or custard fillings

Labeling Requirements

  • ✓Producer's name and home address
  • ✓Product name or description
  • ✓Complete ingredient list in descending order by weight
  • ✓Major food allergen disclosure
  • ✓Net weight or net volume
  • ✓Statement that the product was made in a home kitchen not inspected by the state

Starting a Home Bakery in Maine

Once you understand the cottage food rules, most Maine home bakers focus on three things:

  • →Pricing recipes so they are profitable
  • →Creating compliant labels
  • →Managing orders and preorders

endvr helps Maine bakers do all three in one place.

Tools for Maine Cottage Food Bakers

Create compliant labels in seconds

endvr's label maker automatically includes the Maine required disclaimer and allergen labeling — so your labels are always inspection-ready.

Download on the App StoreOr sign up on web →

Common Questions Maine Bakers Ask

Can I sell baked goods from home in Maine?+
Yes. Maine's cottage food law permits individuals to produce and sell certain non-potentially-hazardous foods from their home kitchen directly to consumers without a commercial kitchen license.
Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in Maine?+
No permit is required in Maine to sell cottage food products, though you must still comply with labeling requirements and sales restrictions.
How much can I earn selling cottage food in Maine?+
Maine cottage food producers may earn up to $1,000 per year from direct sales. Sales above this limit may require a commercial food license.
Can I take orders online in Maine?+
Maine does not permit online sales of cottage food products under the cottage food law. Sales must be conducted in person through direct transactions.
Can I ship cottage food products in Maine?+
No. Maine does not allow shipping of cottage food products. Sales must be completed through direct, in-person transactions with the consumer.
What foods can I sell from home in Maine?+
Under Maine's cottage food law, permitted products include Baked goods (breads, cookies, cakes, muffins, pastries), Jams, jellies, and preserves, Candies and confections, Honey and maple products, Dry herbs and herb blends, Roasted nuts and nut mixes and others. Generally, any food that does not require refrigeration for safety qualifies. Foods with cream, custard, or meat fillings are typically not allowed.
What labeling is required to sell cottage food in Maine?+
Maine requires cottage food labels to include: Producer's name and home address; Product name or description; Complete ingredient list in descending order by weight; Major food allergen disclosure.

Common Maine cottage food questions

→ Can I sell cottage food online in Maine?→ Can I ship cottage food in Maine?→ What is Maine's cottage food sales limit?→ What are Maine's labeling requirements?→ Can I use cream cheese frosting in Maine?

Bill tracking data provided by LegiScan