Washington cottage food label requirements
Washington cottage food operations need a WSDA permit, and RCW 69.22.020(3) lists what every label must show at a minimum. WAC 16-149-110 repeats the list with a few details.
Required statement (RCW 69.22.020(3)(g))
Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria.
Type size: At least the equivalent of 11-point type, in a color that contrasts with the background.
Open the Washington preset in the tool
Last checked October 21, 2026. Sources · Example label · FAQ
What a Washington cottage food label must show
| Element | What to print | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Business name and permit number | The name of your business and the permit number WSDA issued under RCW 69.22.030. | RCW 69.22.020(3)(a) |
| Name of the product | For example "Blueberry Muffins". | 69.22.020(3)(b) |
| Ingredients | In descending order of predominance by weight. WAC 16-149-110(1)(c) adds that subcomponents must be listed too. | 69.22.020(3)(c); WAC 16-149-110(1)(c) |
| Net weight or net volume | WAC 16-149-110(1)(d): metric weight is not required. Our tool prints ounces and grams. | 69.22.020(3)(d); WAC 16-149-110(1)(d) |
| Allergens | As federal labeling requires (WAC 16-149-110(1)(e)). | 69.22.020(3)(e) |
| Nutrition information | Only if you make a nutritional claim. | 69.22.020(3)(f) |
| Home kitchen statement | The sentence shown above, at least 11-point, contrasting color. | 69.22.020(3)(g) |
Neither RCW 69.22.020 nor WAC 16-149-110 lists a street address; the permit number identifies you to WSDA.
Keep your home address off the label?
Washington’s rule doesn’t ask for an address. RCW 69.22.020(3)(a) asks for the name and permit number of the business instead, and WSDA issues the permit after inspecting your home kitchen.
This is what the rule says, not legal advice. Check with your state agency before you print.
The Washington statement, word for word
RCW 69.22.020(3)(g) requires the statement “in at least the equivalent of eleven-point font size in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background”:
Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria.
WAC 16-149-110(1)(g) prints the same words with capitals: “Made in a Home Kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria.” The words are the same; we use the statute’s capitalization.
Type size and placement
The statement must be at least the equivalent of 11-point type in a contrasting color. Our free 4-inch PDF prints it at 11 points or more when you print at 100% ("Actual size"); shrinking to fit a smaller label can push it below 11 points.
Selling online, at markets or through stores
- Permit and inspection: WSDA permits cottage food operations every two years, and inspects the home kitchen before the first permit and every year after (RCW 69.22.030, 69.22.040).
- Where you can sell: “Cottage food products may only be sold directly to the consumer and may not be sold by internet, mail order, or for retail sale outside the state.” (RCW 69.22.020(4)).
- Sales cap: “the annual gross sales of cottage food products may not exceed $35,000” (RCW 69.22.050(1)(a); WAC 16-149 uses the same $35,000). The law has WSDA review the cap every four years.
- Pies: “Pies, except that custard style pies, pies with fresh fruit that is unbaked or pies that require refrigeration after baking are not approved” (WAC 16-149-120(1)(g)).
Example Washington cottage food label
Sample Kitchen, a made-up home bakery in Washington, selling a box of blueberry muffins. This is what the tool prints with the Washington preset:
Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients: enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), blueberries, sugar, milk, eggs, sunflower oil, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate), salt.
Contains: Milk, Egg, Wheat.
6 muffins, Net Wt 18 oz (1 lb 2 oz) 510 g
Sample Kitchen
Permit #: 00000
Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria.
- The permit number is printed with the business name, as RCW 69.22.020(3)(a) asks.
- No street address is printed; Washington’s list doesn’t ask for one.
Open the Washington preset in the tool
On your first visit the tool loads this example, with its made-up details marked as examples and a Start blank button. If you already have a recipe saved, it keeps your recipe and switches the state to Washington.
Easy mistakes to avoid
- Selling online or by mail: RCW 69.22.020(4) allows direct sales to the consumer only.
- Printing the statement smaller than 11 points or in a light color.
- Leaving off the permit number.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for cottage food in Washington?
Yes. RCW 69.22.030 says all cottage food operations must be permitted by WSDA every two years, and RCW 69.22.040 requires a basic hygiene inspection before the first permit and every year after.
What is the exact Washington statement?
"Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria." in at least 11-point type in a contrasting color (RCW 69.22.020(3)(g)).
Does a Washington cottage food label need my address?
RCW 69.22.020(3) and WAC 16-149-110 ask for the business name and permit number, not an address.
Sources
Last checked October 21, 2026. We read each of these official sources; quotes on this page are copied from them.
- RCW 69.22: Cottage food operations (Washington State Legislature)
- WAC 16-149: Cottage food operations (incl. 16-149-110 Labeling)
This page explains the rules in plain English. It is not legal advice. Rules change, and your county or market may ask for more, so check with the agency above before printing a large run.
How we check these rules, and what changed: How we verify · change log · report an error.
Other states
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Also useful: what goes on a food label (federal basics) and the ingredient label maker.