Do you need a permit to sell food from home in Quebec?

If you bake or cook and sell what you make, Quebec expects you to be permitted. That holds even from your own kitchen, even part-time. Here's the plain-language version of what MAPAQ requires and how to get there.

The short answer: yes

Selling prepared snacks or cooked meals from your home means you need a MAPAQ permit: specifically the restaurant permit, in the "general preparation" (*préparation générale*) category. There's no casual exemption for cooked food sold to the public. See the official Quebec.ca page for the source.

Step 1: check with your municipality first

Before you contact MAPAQ, confirm your city or town actually allows a food business at your address. Zoning rules vary from one municipality to the next. MAPAQ itself tells applicants to verify municipal authorization before applying.

Step 2: food safety manager training

Someone overseeing your kitchen's hygiene must hold a *food establishment manager* (*gestionnaire d'établissement alimentaire*) training certificate. Since July 8, 2025, you no longer submit a manager ID number with the application, but the training requirement itself still stands.

Step 3: apply and pay

• Permit fee: $367 per year for the general-preparation category.
• File-opening fee: $144, charged once on your first application.
• Processing: 2 to 6 weeks. Apply well before the date you want to start selling.

Rules and fees change. These figures are current as of May 2026. Always confirm directly with MAPAQ and your municipality before you start selling.

Then the easy part

Once you're permitted, you still need a way to take orders and get paid. That's where Swaddra comes in: a storefront link you can share the same day, no website required.