MD HB181

Restaurants must provide customers with written disclosure of main food allergens (as defined in federal law under 21 U.S.C. § 321) contained in each menu item that the restaurant knows or reasonably should know about.

Disclosures must use common names of allergens or standardized pictograms, and can be provided through printed menus, QR codes linking to digital menus, separate allergen menus, allergen charts/grids/booklets, or other written materials.

Prepackaged foods already subject to federal allergen labeling requirements under 21 U.S.C. § 343 are exempt from the disclosure requirement.

Violations are subject to existing penalties: misdemeanor charges with fines up to $1,000 and/or 90 days imprisonment for first offense, up to $2,500 and/or 1 year for second offense, plus civil penalties up to $5,000 per day.

Effective date: October 1, 2026.