Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Law Label Requirements: What to Put on Yours
A clear way to read your state label rules and build a label that fits them.
On this page
What to remember
- Label rules are state rules. Check your state before you design.
- A label may need the product name, ingredients, net weight, and your business name and address.
- Alabama requires a statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department.
- Virginia requires ingredients in descending order by weight, with allergens named by their common key allergen name.
If you are staring at a blank label template, start with the rules, not the colors. A label can look lovely and still miss a line your state requires. Use the steps below to make a plain checklist, then design around it. For a filled out sample, see cottage food law label example.
Start with your state, not a template
Cottage food labeling requirements vary by state, and a state by state guide is available for United States cottage food labeling rules. That means a label that works in one state may not be enough in another. Open your state’s cottage food page and write down every required line in the order the state lists it. If you are in Michigan, see Michigan cottage food label.
What a label may need to include
Use this as a checklist, then confirm each line with your state. Alabama requires the name and address of the cottage food operation, a list of the ingredients, and a statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department. Virginia requires the product name on the front panel, an accurate description in bold print that is the largest type on the panel, the net weight, and ingredients listed in descending order by weight. Virginia also requires ingredients broken down to their smallest sub-ingredients, with allergens named by their common key allergen name. California requires cottage food products to be labeled in accordance with specific state and federal labeling regulations.
Build the label in a simple order
Put the product name first
Virginia requires the product name on the front panel, in bold print, as the largest type on the panel, and as an accurate description of the product.
Add the net weight
Virginia requires the net weight on the label. Keep the unit clear and use the weight your state asks for.
List ingredients by weight
Virginia requires ingredients in descending order by weight, broken down to their smallest sub-ingredients. Name allergens by their common key allergen name.
Add your business name and address
Alabama requires the name and address of the cottage food operation on the label.
Add the inspection statement if your state requires it
Alabama requires a statement that the food is not inspected by the Health Department. Use your state’s exact wording.
Check the final label against your state sheet
Read each required line and tick it off. Print one test label and check it on the package you will really use.
Where to check before you print
Do not rely on a template from a friend or a label you saw at a market. Cottage food labeling requirements vary by state. For state specific help, see Virginia cottage food law and Florida cottage food label. Check each state you sell in before you print a shared label.
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Common questions
Do I need a label if I sell only to friends?
Cottage food labeling requirements vary by state. Check your state's cottage food page before you sell, even to friends.
What is the most important line on a cottage food label?
There is no single most important line. Your state's required lines all need to be there. Start with the product name, ingredients, net weight, and any inspection statement your state requires.
Can I use the same label in every state?
No. Cottage food labeling requirements vary by state. A label that meets one state's rules may not meet another's.
Where do I find my state's exact wording?
Start with your state's cottage food page. For state examples, see the Virginia and Florida guides linked above.
Do I need to list allergens?
Virginia requires allergens to be named by their common key allergen name. Check your state for its own allergen rule.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Cottage food label rules differ by state. Confirm the current rules with your state agency before you print labels.