Hawaii Cottage Food Label Requirements

The required label statement

Made in a home kitchen not routinely inspected by the Department of Health

HAR §11-50-35(c)(4)(A): the label must bear "A statement that reads" the sentence above — verbatim, title-case "Department of Health". The rule fixes no type size, contrast or placement. The DOH Food Safety Branch example label prints it as a sentence with a closing period.

What must be on your label

• The statement "Made in a home kitchen not routinely inspected by the Department of Health" (HAR §11-50-35(c)(4)(A))
• Common name of the food or, if no common name exists, an adequately descriptive identity statement (§11-50-35(c)(4)(B))
• If made from two or more ingredients, a list of ingredients and sub-ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight (§11-50-35(c)(4)(C))
• Notification of the presence of major food allergens — milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame (§11-50-35(c)(4)(D); DOH fact sheet)
• Name and contact information of the homemade food product producer (§11-50-35(c)(4)(E))
• Products must be packaged the way they are to be sold (DOH Food Safety Branch HMF fact sheet)
• HMF products wholesaled to a permitted food establishment: the restaurant must disclose in writing that the product is an HMF and the HMF label must be available to patrons on request (DOH fact sheet)

Example: a Hawaii label for a bag of butter cookies

An illustrative worksheet with the lines Hawaii requires, and placeholders for your own details. It is not an approved product label or a tested recipe. Replace the ingredients and the measured package quantity with your actual product information.

The example ingredient order follows the input weights in our butter-cookie recipe. It does not establish the weight of a finished bag. Any additions or supplier sub-ingredients must be reflected in your own label. The statement's size on this web page is not a print-size check; compare the printed label with the rule above.

Before you print

1. Match every ingredient and sub-ingredient to your actual recipe and supplier labels.
2. Check the allergen declaration, the filled package's net quantity, and producer details.
3. Include the Hawaii statement and check its size on the final printed label.
4. Review the whole package, including any required information placed outside the Nutrition Facts panel.

Hawaii cottage food label questions

Does a Hawaii cottage food label need a home-kitchen statement?

Yes. The label must say "Made in a home kitchen not routinely inspected by the Department of Health". HAR §11-50-35(c)(4)(A): the label must bear "A statement that reads" the sentence above — verbatim, title-case "Department of Health". The rule fixes no type size, contrast or placement. The DOH Food Safety Branch example label prints it as a sentence with a closing period.

Do I need a license or registration to sell cottage food in Hawaii?

No. No DOH food establishment permit and no registration: an operation producing only homemade food products in a home kitchen is exempt from HAR ch. 11-50 (§11-50-3(c)). Conditions: obtain food safety certification (§11-50-20(c)) through a DOH class or an ANSI/ANAB-accredited course; keep a handwashing sink available; label per §11-50-35(c); remain subject to inspection (§11-50-8) and to §§11-50-10, -11, -14. Event organizers may still require a DOH Special Event Permit for markets/fairs.

Is there a sales limit for Hawaii cottage food?

No annual cap is set: none — no annual sales cap appears in HAR ch. 11-50 or in the DOH Food Safety Branch HMF fact sheet (argument from silence).

Where can I sell cottage food in Hawaii?

Directly to the consumer in person or remotely (telephone, internet); through an agent of the operator or a third-party vendor such as a permitted food establishment (wholesale/resale allowed for non-TCS products); delivered by the operator, an agent, a third-party vendor, by mail or by shipping (HAR §11-50-3(c)(4)). Fundraisers, craft fairs, farmers markets and online sales listed by DOH. Out-of-state shipping is not addressed in HAR 11-50 (federal law governs; DOH notes FDA does not recognize HMF products as an approved source).

Does a Hawaii cottage food label need a Nutrition Facts panel?

Not by state cottage-food law unless a nutrient content or health claim is made; the federal small-business exemption usually applies. If you choose to print a panel, it has to be complete and correctly formatted.