Cottage food label maker
Selling from your home kitchen? Most states require a specific statement on the label, and many add their own rules about addresses, phone numbers, dates and type size. Pick your state below to read its rules, or choose it in the tool to add the statement word for word, then download a clean PNG or PDF.
| State | Required statement | Type size | Also required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | This product was produced in a home kitchen that may come in contact with common food allergens and pet allergens and is not subject to public health inspection. | No set size; the label must be "clear and legible". | Name + ADHS registration number, production date, all ingredients, azdhs.gov/Cottagefood line |
| California | Made in a Home Kitchen | 12-point type on the principal display panel. | Registration/permit # and county; name, city, ZIP; oz + g |
| Florida | Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida’s food safety regulations. | At least 10-point type, in a color that contrasts clearly with the label background. | Name and address; net weight or volume; allergens; contrasting color |
| Georgia | This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state inspection. This product may contain allergens. | At least 10-point type. | Phone; address or GDA ID number |
| Michigan | Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. | At least the equivalent of 11-point type (about 1/8 inch), in a contrasting color. | Address (no P.O. box), or MSU registration # + phone; oz + g |
| Ohio | This product is home produced. | Ten-point type. | Name and address; net weight in oz + g |
| Oregon | This product is homemade, is not prepared in an inspected food establishment, and must be stored and displayed separately if merchandised by a retailer. | Every line at least 1/16 inch tall, measured on a lower case "o". | Phone; address or ODA UIN; pets statement; oz + g; statement on the front |
| Texas | THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION. | No size set for the disclosure; the TCS safe-handling statement must be at least 12-point. | Name; address or DSHS ID; TCS foods: date made + safe-handling statement |
Last checked October 19, 2026, against each state's law or agency guidance (sources on each state page). Other states, including New York, are not built in yet: in the tool, choose Other state (enter your statement) and type your state’s statement yourself. We haven’t checked those states’ rules, so get the wording from your state agency. Rules change, so confirm with your state or county before printing. How we verify · report an error. Jump to the tool or the FAQ.
Example loaded — replace with your details
Fields marked Example still hold made-up example text (business, address, phone, ingredients). Replace them, or start blank. Your state stays selected.
Live preview
Net weight is shown at body size until you choose the package front size (Package details).
Required on most packaged food (FDA)
0 of 6 required items done. 6 still to fill in or check.
- Missing 21 CFR 101.3
- Missing 21 CFR 101.7
- Missing 21 CFR 101.4
- Check FD&C Act 403(w)None detected. Check every ingredient and sub-ingredient; if the food has none of the 9 major allergens, no line is needed.
- Missing 21 CFR 101.5
- Missing 21 CFR 101.5The street may be left off if your business is listed in a current city or telephone directory.
- NoteNutrition Facts 21 CFR 101.9Required unless the food or business is exempt (21 CFR 101.9(j)); many small and cottage businesses are. Use the Nutrition Facts calculator if you need one.
- NoteSelling from a home kitchen? Pick your state to add its statement word for word.
Pick your state under Package details to see its list. How we verify. Not legal advice.
Please tick the box above first.
Free: no watermark, no sign-up, unlimited labels.
Your recipe is saved only in this browser.
What every cottage food label needs
The state statement is only one line. Most cottage food labels also carry the basics of any packaged food label, which the tool fills in from your recipe:
- Product name, such as "Chocolate Chip Cookies".
- Who made it. Usually your business name and address. Several states let you print a state-issued number instead of the street address: Texas (DSHS ID), Michigan (MSU Product Center number plus phone), Georgia (GDA ID) and Oregon (ODA UIN). Arizona asks for your ADHS registration number and no address at all.
- Ingredients in descending order by weight, with sub-ingredients of anything store-bought. Texas is the exception that only requires the major allergens, but a full list is still the easiest way to show them.
- Allergens declared the federal way: in the list or in a "Contains" line. See the food label requirements guide.
- Net quantity. California, Michigan, Ohio and Oregon want metric as well as ounces. The tool prints both, plus an optional count.
Where the states differ most
- Phone number: required in Georgia and Oregon, and in Michigan when you use the registration number instead of an address. Optional elsewhere.
- Date: Arizona requires the production date on every label. Texas requires the date made on foods that need refrigeration and on foods resold by a cottage food vendor.
- Type size: California 12 point on the front panel; Michigan 11 point; Florida, Georgia and Ohio 10 point; Oregon sets a minimum letter height for every line; Texas sets 12 point for its safe-handling statement; Arizona only asks for "clear and legible".
- Extra lines: Oregon's pets statement, Arizona's azdhs.gov/Cottagefood line, and Texas's safe-handling statement and batch numbers for pickled, fermented or acidified foods.
- Changed recently: Texas (SB 541, September 2025), Georgia (HB 398, July 2025) and Michigan (2025 PA 51, March 2026). Old templates for these states often carry outdated wording.
The tool knows these rules: choose a state and it adds the statement, shows the fields that state needs, and lists anything still missing under the form. Lines with a minimum size print at least that size in the PDF when printed at 100% ("Actual size").
Each state page has the full list of required elements with the rule numbers, a worked example label, an FAQ and links to the official sources.
Frequently asked questions
Do cottage food labels need a Nutrition Facts panel?
Usually not, as long as you make no nutrition claims. Small sellers are generally exempt under FDA rules (21 CFR 101.9(j)), and state cottage food laws such as Florida's, Michigan's and Oregon's only ask for nutrition information if a claim is made. Words such as "low", "free", "reduced", "high", "good source" or "light" are nutrient content claims and can remove the exemption.
Which states can the tool add a statement for?
Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon and Texas. Each has its own page with the exact wording, the rule it comes from and an example label.
What size does the state statement have to be?
It depends on the state: 12 point in California, 11 point in Michigan, 10 point in Florida, Georgia and Ohio. Oregon requires every line to be at least 1/16 inch tall measured on a lower case "o", and Texas requires 12 point for its safe-handling statement. The PDF from this tool is 4 inches wide and meets those sizes when printed at 100% (actual size); scaling it down makes the text smaller.
Can I use a P.O. box instead of my home address?
Usually not. Michigan says so explicitly. If you would rather not print your home address, Texas, Georgia, Oregon and Michigan offer a state-issued number you can print instead, and Arizona uses your registration number in place of an address.
Do I have to list allergens on a cottage food label?
Yes. Every state covered here requires major food allergens, either directly or by pointing to the federal rules. The federal way is to name each major allergen in the ingredient list or in a "Contains" line right after it. Some state pages still list eight allergens, but sesame has been a major allergen under federal law since January 1, 2023, so include it.
My state is not in the list. Can I still use the tool?
Yes, for the parts every label shares: product name, ingredients, allergens, net weight, business name and address, phone, date and batch number. Choose "Other state (enter your statement)", type your state's name and its required statement word for word, and the tool prints it in bold at 10 point or larger. We have not checked those states' rules, so get the wording, type size and any other required lines from your state department of agriculture or health.