Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Law Label Template: What to Put on Yours
A label template you can fill in, plus the check that keeps it right for your state.
What to remember
- Labeling is set state by state, so a label copied from another baker may not fit yours.
- In Virginia, the product name goes on the front panel, in bold, as the largest type, and must be an accurate description of the product.
- Virginia guidance lists ingredients in descending order by weight, broken down to their smallest sub-ingredients.
- Michigan does not license or inspect cottage food operations, but labeling still applies.
A template is just a shape. The words you put inside it are what your state actually looks at. Start with the lines below, then run them against the rules where you bake. If you want the wider picture first, read cottage food law label requirements, and for a filled in version see the cottage food law label example.
The lines to build into your template
Virginia’s labeling guidance is a useful model because it is specific about the parts that trip people up. It says the product name on the front panel must be an accurate description of the product, must be in bold print, and must be the largest type on the panel. That is one state’s rule, not a national one, but it shows the level of detail a template has to leave room for.
Give the product name its own line
Put the product name at the top and check your state’s rule for how it should look. Virginia requires it on the front panel, in bold print, as the largest type on the panel, and as an accurate description of the product.
Build the ingredient list
Virginia’s guidance calls for ingredients in descending order by weight, most first and least last, and broken down to their smallest sub-ingredients. Write each one on its own line first, then combine them in the right order.
Set aside a spot for allergens
Where an allergen is included as an ingredient, Virginia’s guidance calls for it to be declared using the common key allergen term. Give that line its own space so it does not disappear inside the ingredient block.
Leave room for what your state asks for
Add blank lines for anything else your state requires you to show, and fill them from your state’s own guidance rather than from a label you saw online.
Check it against the official list
California publishes a list of labeling requirements meant to help cottage food operators meet state and federal rules. Find the equivalent for your state and tick off each item one by one.
Proof it before you print
Read the label out loud, check the ingredient order, and make sure nothing has been cut off at the edge. Fix the file, not the sticker.
Where to check before you print
Start with your state agriculture department and read the labeling page in full, not just the first paragraph. If you bake in Virginia, cottage food law in Virginia walks through what the state asks for. Michigan bakers can start with the Michigan cottage food label.
That last point is the one people miss. Working small, from your own kitchen, does not take the label off the table. Build the template once, keep it in a file you can edit, and update it when your state changes its guidance or when you add a product to your list.
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Common questions
Is there a free cottage food label template I can just fill in?
A template is only a layout. The words on it have to match your state's rules, so start from a template and then check each line against your state's guidance. California publishes a list of labeling requirements to help operators meet state and federal rules, and other states publish their own.
What order do ingredients go in on the label?
Virginia's labeling guidance calls for ingredients in descending order by weight, most first and least last, broken down to their smallest sub-ingredients. Check whether your own state uses the same order before you print.
How do I list an allergen on a cottage food label?
Virginia's guidance calls for an allergen included as an ingredient to be declared using the common key allergen term. Confirm the wording your own state expects.
Does a cottage food operation need a license?
It depends on the state. Michigan's Food Law exempts cottage food operations from licensing and inspection, but those operations must still comply with labeling and the other provisions in the Michigan Food Law.
Can I use the same label in every state?
Not safely. Virginia, California and Michigan each describe labeling differently, so build your template from the guidance of the state where you actually sell.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Labeling rules differ by state and can change, so check your state agriculture department's current guidance before you print.