Selling homemade food in Quebec
Learn how to sell homemade food in Quebec: kitchen requirements, permits, food safety training, official forms and permitted sales channels.
Research checked:
Home food rules in Quebec
Restaurant permit for a domestic kitchen. Making meals in your home kitchen needs a restaurant permit. You can handle up to 100 kg of food a month, sold direct to consumers only.
Sales channels for qualifying home foods
Direct to consumers only. No grocery resale or wholesale.
- Markets and events
Confirm with the authority
- Home pickup
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
- Delivery
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
- Online orders
Confirm with the authority
- Retail and wholesale
Not allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Permits and kitchen approval
Every domestic-kitchen operator needs the MAPAQ permit. General-preparation category: $511 for a first file. Processing takes two to six weeks.
Your steps in this location
- Get municipal authorization first Confirm locally
Before you apply to MAPAQ.
- Take manager training Required
Food-establishment manager training is required for domestic operators. It’s different from food-handler training.
- Apply and pay Required
Fill in the Restaurant and Retail Permit Application, choose domestic kitchen, and mail it with payment.
- Display your permit Required
Before you open. It lasts one year.
Forms and official resources
Local requirements
Confirm before selling
Since July 2025 you don’t have to give the manager certificate number when applying — but the training is still required.
More business guides for Quebec
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Four different things people mix up
A certificate does not let you open. Each of these is its own step, and you may need more than one.
- Food safety certificate
Proves you passed training. It does not approve your kitchen or business.
- Food premises permit
Authorizes a specific operation, where one is required.
- Notification or registration
Telling the health authority you are operating. A separate process.
- Business licence
Your city’s home-occupation or business approval. Also separate.
Federal rules to check in Canada
The details depend on your product and selling method. Check the applicable requirements and exemptions.
- Labels
Check common name, ingredients and allergens, net quantity, business identity, dates, storage and language. A Nutrition Facts exemption is not a blanket labelling exemption.
- Selling across borders
Shipping to another province or country? Check CFIA's tools first. Not every online home seller needs a federal licence.
- GST/HST
The general small-supplier test counts worldwide taxable supplies, including zero-rated sales and applicable associates, over one quarter or four consecutive quarters. It is not $30,000 of profit.
Your startup checklist
Completing this list does not establish government approval.
Write down your menu: ingredients, fillings, packaging, storage and shelf life.
Find your home-food exemption or approved-kitchen route.
List every way you will sell: markets, online, pickup, delivery, shops and shipping.
Check city zoning, home occupation and business licensing.
Contact your inspector and complete required notifications, applications and inspections.
Book accepted training where it is required.
Register your business name where needed and check your tax obligations.
Check insurance and landlord or condo permission.
Set up cleaning, storage, water, supplier, allergen and transport procedures.
Keep records of approvals, training, recipes and suppliers.