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Cottage Food Labels

Tennessee cottage food label requirements

Tennessee's Food Freedom Act (T.C.A. § 53-1-118) requires each package to carry the exact statement 'This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens,' along with product identity, ingredients, and producer info. No permit, registration, or sales cap applies. Shelf-stable products may be sold direct-to-consumer and through retail stores in-state (including online); perishable or temperature-controlled items are direct-to-consumer only.

Required home-kitchen disclosure

“This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens.”

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

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

Permits & training: No permit, license, registration, or inspection is required. Foods made under the Tennessee Food Freedom Act (T.C.A. § 53-1-118, effective July 1, 2025) are exempt from state licensing, permitting, inspecting, packaging, and labeling laws. No food-handler training is mandated.

What goes on a Tennessee cottage label

  • Name of the food
  • Name and street address of the cottage food producer
  • Net quantity (weight/volume, imperial and metric)
  • Ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight
  • Lot number or date code for traceability/recall
  • Allergen declaration (recommended)

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 Tennessee label for free

Prefilled for Tennessee. 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.

Tennessee home-kitchen disclosure

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

Live preview

Free
Your Product Name
INGREDIENTS: List your ingredients to auto-order them by weight.
This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens.
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.

Tennessee cottage food label FAQ

What must a cottage food label include in Tennessee?
In Tennessee, a cottage food label typically includes: Name of the food; Name and street address of the cottage food producer; Net quantity (weight/volume, imperial and metric); Ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight; Lot number or date code for traceability/recall; Allergen declaration (recommended). It must also carry the required home-kitchen disclosure shown above.
What is the required home-kitchen disclosure in Tennessee?
“This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens.” This wording is reproduced from the state's official rule.
Do I need a permit or registration to sell cottage food in Tennessee?
Tennessee does not require a general cottage-food permit or registration for most sellers. No permit, license, registration, or inspection is required. Foods made under the Tennessee Food Freedom Act (T.C.A. § 53-1-118, effective July 1, 2025) are exempt from state licensing, permitting, inspecting, packaging, and labeling laws. No food-handler training is mandated. Always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above.
Can I sell cottage food online in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
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 Tennessee'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 Tennessee's official cottage-food guidance (linked above) · Panelry