Oregon Cottage Food Label Requirements

The required label statement

This product is homemade, is not prepared in an inspected food establishment and must be stored and displayed separately if merchandised by a retailer.

Exact sentence from ORS 616.723(6)(a), on the principal display panel (OAR 603-025-0325(1)). All label print must be conspicuous and easy to read, lower-case "o" at least 1/16 inch high, prominently displayed and not obscured by logos or artwork (OAR 603-025-0325(3)). OAR 603-025-0325(1) and ODA's guide write the sentence with a comma before "and" ("...inspected food establishment, and must be..."); the statute wording without the comma is used here.

What must be on your label

• The statement "This product is homemade, is not prepared in an inspected food establishment and must be stored and displayed separately if merchandised by a retailer." on the principal display panel (ORS 616.723(2)(c), (6)(a); OAR 603-025-0325(1))
• Name of the food (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(C); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(a))
• Ingredients and sub-ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight or volume (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(D); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(b))
• Allergen warnings as specified in FALCPA (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(F); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(c))
• Business name of the food establishment (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(A); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(d))
• Address of the food establishment: full street address, city, state and ZIP; or city, state and ZIP if the name and address are listed in a city directory; or the ODA Unique Identification Number (UIN) (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(B); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(e))
• Phone number of the food establishment (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(A); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(f))
• Net weight or net volume in both English (US customary) and metric units (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(E); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(g))
• Nutrition information per 21 CFR 101 if any nutrient content claim, health claim or other nutritional information is made (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(G); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(h))
• If pets are in the residential dwelling: a statement that pets were present, naming the species by common name (e.g. cat, dog, rabbit) (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(H); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(i))
• All print conspicuous and easy to read, lower-case "o" at least 1/16 inch, not obscured by logos or artwork (OAR 603-025-0325(3))

Example: an Oregon label for a bag of butter cookies

An illustrative worksheet with the lines Oregon 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 Oregon 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.

Oregon cottage food label questions

Does an Oregon cottage food label need a home-kitchen statement?

Yes. The label must say "This product is homemade, is not prepared in an inspected food establishment and must be stored and displayed separately if merchandised by a retailer." in at least 8.7-point type. Exact sentence from ORS 616.723(6)(a), on the principal display panel (OAR 603-025-0325(1)). All label print must be conspicuous and easy to read, lower-case "o" at least 1/16 inch high, prominently displayed and not obscured by logos or artwork (OAR 603-025-0325(3)). OAR 603-025-0325(1) and ODA's guide write the sentence with a comma before "and" ("...inspected food establishment, and must be..."); the statute wording without the comma is used here.

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

No. No ODA licence or inspection under the exemption. Every person preparing the food must hold an Oregon food handler certificate (ORS 616.723(2)(e)). Optional ODA Unique Identification Number ($25, expires June 30 each year, $25 renewal, non-transferable) may replace the address on labels (OAR 603-025-0335). Records of sales and compliance must be kept three years and produced within five business days (OAR 603-025-0328). ODA may require licensing (domestic kitchen) if the rules are not followed (OAR 603-025-0330).

Is there a sales limit for Oregon cottage food?

Yes: $52,700 gross annual sales of cottage foods (OAR 603-025-0320(1)(e), DOA 95-2026, filed Mar 13, 2026; base $50,000 adjusted annually for West Region CPI-U and rounded to $100, ORS 616.723(2)(d), (9)).

Where can I sell cottage food in Oregon?

Direct to the end user in any manner — from the home, online, through the mail and at events (ORS 616.723(4)). Packaged and labelled cottage foods may also be sold to a retailer (incl. grocers and coffee shops) that agrees to store and display them separately with homemade signage; the establishment must keep a record of that agreement (ORS 616.723(5); OAR 603-025-0320(4)). No sales to institutions: restaurants, caterers, schools, day care centres, hospitals, nursing homes, correctional facilities (ORS 616.723(3)). Out-of-state sales not addressed in official sources.

Can I leave my home address off an Oregon cottage food label?

Yes, if you use the issued ODA Unique Identification Number (UIN) instead. Business name of the food establishment (ORS 616.723(6)(b)(A); OAR 603-025-0325(2)(d))

Does an Oregon 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.