Home Business in District of Columbia (2026)
8 rules on the books across District of Columbia, 1 city or county. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Zoning & Home Occupation Permits
Which businesses you can run from home, the home-occupation permit or registration most cities require, and the conditions attached, floor area caps, signage bans, and prohibited uses.
Signage Rules
Whether you can put up a sign for your home business, including size limits, placement rules, and which types of signs are allowed.
Customer Traffic Restrictions
Limits on customers and clients visiting a home business, daily visit caps, one-at-a-time rules, employee restrictions, and parking conditions that keep a home occupation from becoming a storefront.
Cottage Food Operations
Rules for selling homemade food products from your kitchen, including what foods are allowed, labeling requirements, and annual sales limits.
District of Columbia: statewide
StatewideLight RestrictionsThe District of Columbia has no cottage food revenue cap. Subparagraph (C) of D.C. Code § 7-742.01(a)(2), which once…
Read full rule →Washington
Some RestrictionsDC lets residents sell non-potentially-hazardous food made in a home kitchen, but only after registering with the…
Read full rule →Home Kitchen Operations
Permits for selling meals cooked to order in a home kitchen, which is a separate legal category from shelf-stable cottage food. Covers daily meal and gross revenue caps, health department inspection, and whether the county has to opt in before residents may apply at all.
Home Daycare
Licensing and zoning rules for running a daycare out of your home, including the number of children allowed, outdoor play area requirements, and safety standards.
District of Columbia: statewide
StatewideSignificant RestrictionsIn the District of Columbia you cannot run a home child care program without an OSSE license. A standard child…
Read full rule →Washington
Significant RestrictionsAnyone operating a child development facility, including a home-based daycare, in Washington, D.C. must obtain a…
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