Photo by Samer Farha

If you’re an avid baker and think you’ve stumbled across the recipe for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, sharing it with your friends will have to be a strictly charity affair: existing D.C. regulations prohibit the sale of foodstuffs to the public unless prepared in a licensed commercial kitchen according to Department of Health regulations.

But under a bill introduced yesterday by Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), all that could change. As part of the Cottage Food Act of 2013, home bakers (and others) would largely be exempted from some licensing requirements, allowing them to bake at home and sell to the public. Baked goods sold to the public would have to properly labeled, though, and only bakers taking in less than $25,000 per year in revenue would qualify for the exemption.

If passed, the bill would mark another in a continuing set of regulatory reforms D.C. legislators have considered for new business upstarts. Brewers have been allowed to host tours and tastings, while last year a bill was introduced that would make opening a pop-up business easier. Bakers and caterers can face a tough time starting off in D.C.; until recently, commercial kitchen space was hard to come by, meaning that they would work illicitly or have to make significant upfront investments to bring their own kitchens up to code.

Niall Cooper, who started a baking business with his wife in their kitchen and will soon open BakeHouse on 14th and T Streets NW, said in an email that he sees the value in allowing home bakers more flexibility—especially when they’re just getting started.

“Overall, I think that the proposal could be very positive for the D.C. food community. While great kitchen shares have opened in the D.C. area, the cost of renting space can pose a challenge for food start-ups,” he wrote.

“Making it easier for home bakers to sell their goods to the public will help lower the cost of starting a small baking or catering business, helping to fuel the vibrant and exciting food scene that is developing in D.C. As long as there are procedures in place to ensure home bakers are adhering to food safety guidelines, we welcome measures that support food entrepreneurs,” he added.

Any hopeful bakers or caterers would still have to get proper business licenses and make sure that their home is properly zoned.