Printable cottage food label checklists
One-page PDF checklists to keep next to the printer: one for each of the 12 states our label maker supports, plus a general checklist of the federal basics. Tick each line before you print a batch of labels.
Download: General checklist (PDF)
Each state checklist is made from the same data as our state guide and label maker, so they always match.
Last checked against the official text. Sources
State checklists
State rules last checked October 19, 2026 (Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington: October 21, 2026), as shown on each state page and on the checklist. Print at 100% on US Letter.
General checklist: federal basics
The same list as the general PDF. Each rule links to a guide with the official text.
| Element | What to print | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Name of the food | The common or usual name, on the front (principal display panel). | 21 CFR 101.3 |
| Net quantity | Net weight, e.g. “Net Wt 8 oz (227 g)”: on the front, in the bottom 30%, letter height set by the front’s area. | 21 CFR 101.7; 15 U.S.C. 1453 |
| Ingredients | Common names, heaviest first by weight; sub-ingredients in parentheses. | 21 CFR 101.4 |
| Major food allergens | Milk, egg, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, sesame: in a “Contains” line right after the ingredients, or in parentheses in the list. Name the specific nut, fish or shellfish. | 21 U.S.C. 343(w) |
| Name and place of business | Of the manufacturer, packer or distributor. | 21 CFR 101.5 |
| Nutrition Facts | Required unless an exemption applies, such as FDA’s small business exemptions; claims can remove them. | 21 CFR 101.9(j) |
| Type size | Required information at least 1/16 inch tall, measured on the lower case “o”. Print at 100%. | 21 CFR 101.2(c) |
| Your state’s rules | Home-kitchen statement, and any phone, date, registration number or other line your state requires. | Your state’s cottage food law |
More detail: net weight · ingredient order · allergens · Nutrition Facts · type size · what goes on a food label.
Cottage food: your state may add rules
The rules above are federal. If you sell from a home kitchen, your state’s cottage food law decides what your label must show, and it can add its own requirements or set them differently. The state checklists list what each state guide lists; your county or market may ask for more.
Always check your state page and your state agency before you print. Our state guides: Arizona · California · Florida · Georgia · Michigan · Ohio · Oregon · Texas. Another state? See cottage food labels.
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Sources
Last checked . We read each of these official sources; quotes on this page are copied from them. Regulation text is from the eCFR (up to date as of October 19, 2026); state rows come from our state guides (checked October 19 and 21, 2026).
- 21 CFR 101.3: statement of identity
- 21 CFR 101.7: net quantity
- 21 CFR 101.4: ingredients
- 21 CFR 101.5: name and place of business
- 21 CFR 101.9(j): Nutrition Facts exemptions
- 21 CFR 101.2(c): type size
- 21 U.S.C. 343(w): major food allergens
This page explains federal rules in plain English. It is not legal advice, and FDA does not approve labels. Found something wrong? Contact us · How we verify