North Carolina Cottage Food Label Requirements
Home Processor (NCDA&CS Food & Drug Protection Division)
Registration
Required
Application with a business plan, then a home-kitchen inspection before production (~8–12 weeks); you receive an inspection report, not a permit document. Fee: unverified (not stated on official pages).
Annual sales limit
none
Where you can sell
Direct from home (pickup/delivery), farmers markets, special events, retail stores, restaurants, wholesale, and shipping/online (labels then mandatory).
The required label statement
Good news — North Carolina does not require a home-kitchen disclaimer sentence on the label. North Carolina requires NO home-kitchen disclaimer sentence — do not print one.
What must be on your label
- Product name (common or usual name)
- Manufacturer's (home processor's) name and complete address
- Net weight/quantity in US units with metric equivalent
- Ingredients in descending order by weight, sub-ingredients in parentheses
- Allergens (milk, egg, tree nuts with specific nut, wheat, soy, peanuts, sesame, fish with species, shellfish) in the ingredient list or a "Contains:" statement immediately after it
- Nutrition panel only if nutrient/health claims are made
- Labels mandatory when products are packaged for self-service sale, sold wholesale, or shipped; custom direct sales and bulk display exempt if ingredient info is available on request
Worth knowing
- Only low-risk shelf-stable foods; acidified foods (pickles, BBQ sauce) need process review; refrigerated/frozen/low-acid canned/dairy prohibited.
- State-specific gotchas: complete home address on the label and metric net-weight equivalent.
Verified against official North Carolina sources on 2026-08-31. Official source. This page is not legal advice — confirm requirements with your state.
Create a compliant North Carolina label