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Cottage Food Labels

Virginia cottage food label requirements

Virginia's home food-processing exemption requires the exact, non-paraphrasable label statement 'NOT FOR RESALE - PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION.' plus producer contact, process date, and standard food-labeling elements. No permit or general sales cap applies (acidified foods capped at $9,000/yr); sales must be direct-to-consumer only, so retail/wholesale resale is prohibited, though in-state online/mail order is allowed.

Required home-kitchen disclosure

“NOT FOR RESALE - PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION”

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

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

Permits & training: No license, registration, or inspection is required for the home-kitchen food-processing exemption under Va. Code § 3.2-5130; the standard $40 annual food-business fee does not apply. Honey requires an added infant-warning statement.

What goes on a Virginia cottage label

  • Product name
  • Name, physical address, and telephone number of the person preparing the food
  • Date the product was processed
  • Net weight statement
  • Ingredient list (with sub-ingredients)
  • Allergen declaration (federal FALCPA/FASTER Act - 9 major allergens)
  • Honey only: 'WARNING: Do Not Feed Honey to Infants Under One Year Old.'

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 Virginia label for free

Prefilled for Virginia. 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.

Virginia 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.
NOT FOR RESALE - PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE 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.

Virginia cottage food label FAQ

What must a cottage food label include in Virginia?
In Virginia, a cottage food label typically includes: Product name; Name, physical address, and telephone number of the person preparing the food; Date the product was processed; Net weight statement; Ingredient list (with sub-ingredients); Allergen declaration (federal FALCPA/FASTER Act - 9 major allergens); Honey only: 'WARNING: Do Not Feed Honey to Infants Under One Year Old.'. It must also carry the required home-kitchen disclosure shown above.
What is the required home-kitchen disclosure in Virginia?
“NOT FOR RESALE - PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION” This wording is reproduced from the state's official rule.
Do I need a permit or registration to sell cottage food in Virginia?
Virginia does not require a general cottage-food permit or registration for most sellers. No license, registration, or inspection is required for the home-kitchen food-processing exemption under Va. Code § 3.2-5130; the standard $40 annual food-business fee does not apply. Honey requires an added infant-warning statement. Always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above.
Can I sell cottage food online in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia 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 Virginia?
Virginia 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 Virginia?
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 Virginia'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 Virginia's official cottage-food guidance (linked above) · Panelry