Cottage food rules
Illinois Cottage Food Law: Label Requirements
Know what to put on an Illinois cottage food label and what to do when a receipt carries the details.
On this page
What to remember
- Prepackage and label every Illinois cottage food item.
- Put the common or usual name of the food product on the label.
- If you get a labeling exemption, put all labeling requirements on the receipt or similar document that goes with the product.
- Register with your local health department and keep the certificate with its identifying registration number.
- Cottage food labeling rules apply in addition to other labeling laws.
A cottage food operation in Illinois is a person who produces or packages non-potentially hazardous food in the kitchen of their primary domestic residence for direct sale to consumers. If you sell baked goods from your home kitchen, this is the rule set to check before you print labels. The Illinois Department of Public Health says cottage food must be prepackaged and labeled, and the label must include the common or usual name of the food product. If you are also comparing label rules in another state, our Georgia cottage food labeling requirements guide shows another state’s approach.
What goes on the label
Start with the state labeling sheet from the Illinois Department of Public Health. It says Illinois cottage food must be prepackaged and labeled, and it lists the common or usual name of the food product as a required label item. Use the name of the food itself so a customer can tell what is inside. Before you print a run of labels, check the current sheet and ask your local health department to confirm the full list for your food.
The University of Illinois Extension says that if a labeling exemption is granted, the Illinois cottage food producer must include all labeling requirements on a receipt or similar document delivered to the customer with the product. That means the receipt or similar document has to carry the label information. If you sell at a market or take a custom order, make sure that document actually travels with the product.
Registration is separate from the label
All eligible Illinois cottage food operations must be registered with their local health department. The department must register an eligible operation that meets the requirements and issue a certificate of registration with an identifying registration number. The state says registration helps locate the business if there is a recall or traceback linked to a foodborne illness. Keep your certificate where you can find it when you need to show it. For a look at how another state handles home bakery registration, read Florida home bakery license rules.
Other labeling laws still apply
Illinois labeling requirements for cottage food operations apply in addition to any other labeling requirements established under any other law. So the cottage food label is not a free pass around other rules that apply to your food. Before you sell a new item, check the state sheet and ask your local health department what else applies to that food. If you are comparing nearby states, read does Wisconsin have cottage food laws.
Keep a label file
Save a copy of the current state labeling sheet, your registration certificate, and a sample label for each food you sell. If you use a receipt or similar document under a labeling exemption, keep a sample of that too. When the state sheet changes, update your labels before your next batch. A simple folder on your phone and a paper copy in your kitchen can save you a scramble at a market.
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Common questions
Do I have to label cottage food in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois cottage food must be prepackaged and labeled, and the label must include the common or usual name of the food product.
What if I get a labeling exemption?
The University of Illinois Extension says you must include all labeling requirements on a receipt or similar document delivered to the customer with the product.
Do I need to register with the health department?
Yes. All eligible Illinois cottage food operations must be registered with their local health department, and the department must issue a certificate of registration with an identifying registration number.
Does the Illinois cottage food label replace other labeling laws?
No. Illinois labeling requirements for cottage food operations apply in addition to any other labeling requirements established under any other law.
What is a cottage food operation in Illinois?
Illinois law defines it as a person who produces or packages non-potentially hazardous food in the kitchen of that person's primary domestic residence for direct sale to consumers.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Label rules can change, so check the current state sheet and your local health department before you print or sell.