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Cottage Food Labels

Iowa cottage food label requirements

Iowa cottage food labels must carry the preparer's contact information and the verbatim statement that the product was produced at a residential property exempt from state licensing and inspection, plus an allergen statement when applicable. No license, inspection, or sales cap applies, but only direct-to-consumer sales (including online) are permitted.

Required home-kitchen disclosure

“This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.”

This is the statement your state requires, reproduced from its official rule.

Official Iowa source
Annual sales cap
No cap / not specified
Permit / registration
Not required
Online sales
Allowed
Retail / wholesale
Direct only

Permits & training: A cottage food operation needs no state license, permit, or inspection, and local governments are prohibited from adding such requirements. (Selling perishable/TCS foods or into retail instead requires a separate Home Food Processing Establishment license.)

What goes on a Iowa cottage label

  • Name and address, phone number, or email of the person who prepared the food
  • The residential-exemption disclosure statement
  • Allergen statement identifying each major allergen by common name (milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, sesame), if applicable
  • Common name of the food (recommended)
  • Date processed/canned (required for home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits)

Scaling past cottage food?

Selling into retail or wholesale, shipping across state lines, or making a claim like “low sugar” usually means your product needs a full FDA Nutrition Facts panel, not just a cottage label. Panelry builds one from your recipe with exact FDA rounding for $9, no subscription.

Build an FDA nutrition label →

Make your Iowa label for free

Prefilled for Iowa. Add your product and ingredients, and export a compliant label in minutes.

Auto-ordered by weight

Tip: use parentheses for sub-ingredients, like “Chocolate Chips (Sugar, Cocoa, Cocoa Butter)”.

Auto-detected from your ingredients. Tap to add or remove. Always double-check.

Iowa home-kitchen disclosure

This is the statement your state requires on the label. Official source ↗

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Your Product Name
INGREDIENTS: List your ingredients to auto-order them by weight.
This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.
Made free with Panelry · getpanelry.com

Add product name, business name, business address, at least one ingredient, net weight to export a complete label.

Verify before selling

Cottage-food rules vary by state and change often. Confirm your label against your state's current requirements. Panelry is not legal advice.

Iowa cottage food label FAQ

What must a cottage food label include in Iowa?
In Iowa, a cottage food label typically includes: Name and address, phone number, or email of the person who prepared the food; The residential-exemption disclosure statement; Allergen statement identifying each major allergen by common name (milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, sesame), if applicable; Common name of the food (recommended); Date processed/canned (required for home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits). It must also carry the required home-kitchen disclosure shown above.
What is the required home-kitchen disclosure in Iowa?
“This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing and inspection.” This wording is reproduced from the state's official rule.
Do I need a permit or registration to sell cottage food in Iowa?
Iowa does not require a general cottage-food permit or registration for most sellers. A cottage food operation needs no state license, permit, or inspection, and local governments are prohibited from adding such requirements. (Selling perishable/TCS foods or into retail instead requires a separate Home Food Processing Establishment license.) Always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above.
Can I sell cottage food online in Iowa?
Yes. Iowa allows cottage food to be sold online. Check the official source for current rules on delivery and shipping.
Is there a sales cap for cottage food in Iowa?
Iowa does not specify a general annual sales cap for cottage food. Confirm with the official source.
Do I need a Nutrition Facts panel for cottage food in Iowa?
Usually not for direct cottage-food sales. Most sellers only need the ingredient, allergen, net-weight, and disclosure label this page's free tool makes. You generally do need an FDA Nutrition Facts panel once you sell into retail or wholesale, ship across state lines, or make a nutrient claim like “low sugar.”

Cottage food labels in other states

Verify before selling

Cottage-food rules change often. Confirm Iowa's current requirements with the official source above before printing or selling. Panelry is not affiliated with any government agency and does not provide legal advice. See our disclaimer.

Last verified July 2026 against Iowa's official cottage-food guidance (linked above) · Panelry