Howard County, MD Public Health Rules: Calorie Labeling (2026)
Key Facts
- Beverage cap
- 40 calories per package
- Food cap
- 200 calories per package
- Healthy vending share
- At least 75% of options
- Youth programs
- 100% healthy options required
- Enforcer
- Dept. of County Administration
- Non-compliance result
- Vendor contract can be terminated
Summary
Howard County doesn't require restaurants to post calorie counts. Instead, Code Section 12.1801 caps calories in food and drinks sold from vending machines on County property: beverages at 40 calories a package with narrow exceptions, and food at 200 calories a package, with limits on fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium.
(a)Healthy beverage options shall contain no more than 40 calories per package except:(1)Milk, including non-fat, or low-fat milk, soy milk, rice milk or other similar dairy or nondairy milk with no more than 130 calories per eight ounces packaged in containers no larger than 12 ounces;(2)Packages of eight ounces or less of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice or fruit juice combined with water, with no added caloric sweeteners, and no more than 140 mg of sodium per package.(b)Water with no added caloric or non-caloric sweeteners must be sold as part of the total beverage offerings in any beverage vending machine on County property.(d)Healthy food options shall meet the following standards:(1)Contain no trans-fat (0.5 g or less per serving);(2)Contain no more than 200 calories per package;(3)Contain less than 35 percent of calories from fat, except for food containing 100 percent nuts or seeds...(6)Contain no more than 200 mg of sodium per package.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 91 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
The 40-calorie beverage cap doesn't apply to milk, soy milk, rice milk, or similar dairy and nondairy milk capped at 130 calories per eight ounces in containers no larger than 12 ounces, or to eight-ounce or smaller packages of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice with no added caloric sweeteners and no more than 140 milligrams of sodium. Every vending machine on County property must offer water with no added sweeteners, and diet drinks with non-caloric sweeteners can make up no more than one-third of a machine's beverage offerings.
A qualifying healthy food option has to skip trans fat, stay under 200 calories a package, keep fat under 35 percent of calories except for 100 percent nuts or seeds, keep saturated fat under ten percent of calories, keep total sugar under 35 percent of calories except for low-fat or nonfat milk products and fruits or vegetables, and hold sodium to 200 milligrams or less. 1802, packaged food and drinks served at youth-oriented County programs must be entirely healthy options, and at least 75 percent of vending machine offerings anywhere on County property must meet the standard.
1804. The rule exempts property run by the Howard County Public School System, County-sponsored events held on private property such as the July 4th Festival and Fireworks and Wine in the Woods, packaged items nonprofits sell for fundraising on County property, and food or drink County employees provide for their own or coworkers' consumption. 1807.
Violations & Fines
There's no civil fine for a vending machine that misses the calorie caps. The Department of County Administration enforces the standard through complaint-based inspections, works with a noncompliant vendor through ongoing training and support, and can terminate that vendor's County contract if the non-compliance continues under Section 12.1807.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Howard County require restaurants to list calorie counts on menus?
What's the calorie limit for a vending machine drink on Howard County property?
Do all vending machines on Howard County property have to sell healthy food?
What happens if a vendor doesn't meet Howard County's healthy vending standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Howard County
Compare Howard County to another location·View the Maryland public health rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.