Cottage food label requirements in North Carolina
Home Processor Program (home processor inspection), N.C. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, N.C.G.S. Chapter 106, Article 12; 21 CFR 117 Subpart B (GMPs). Regulated by North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Food and Drug Protection Division. Checked against state sources on .
The statement your label needs
No fixed statement found in North Carolina’s rules
No type-size rule stated for the statement; keep it clearly legible.
What is different in North Carolina
- Kitchen inspection required; pets entering the home at any time disqualify you
- No required 'homemade' disclaimer statement
- Sales to retail stores, distributors and restaurants allowed with a label
- Labels required when shipped by USPS/FedEx or sold packaged for self-service
- Kitchen must be the home kitchen (not garage, basement or outbuilding)
- Permit
- License and kitchen inspection required. Application for Home Processor Inspection plus on-site kitchen inspection; no permit document is issued, inspector provides inspection report and 'Notice of Inspection'. Requires water bill or coliform test (well), written business plan, sample label; pets in the home disqualify. Products may need pH/water-activity testing. No fee stated. Allow 8-12 weeks.
- Sales cap
- No annual sales cap found in state sources
- Where you can sell
- From home, special events, farmers', flea, curb or tailgate markets, pickup/delivery; custom/on-demand sales directly to consumers are exempt from individual labels (ingredient info on request).
- Online orders
- Not addressed clearly by state sources
- Ship in state
- Yes
- Ship out of state
- Not addressed clearly by state sources
- Sell to shops / cafés
- Yes
- Allowed foods
- Low-risk, shelf-stable foods not requiring refrigeration: baked goods, jams/jellies, candy, dry mixes/spices, some sauces. Prohibited: refrigerated/frozen products, low-acid canned foods, dairy, seafood, bottled water/juice; cream cheese frosting needs lab testing; acidified foods may need process authority letter.
What a North Carolina cottage food label must show
- Product name
- Manufacturer's name and physical address (website cannot substitute)
- Net quantity in oz/lb with gram equivalent, or fl oz with mL equivalent
- Complete ingredient list in order of predominance by weight (sub-ingredients in parentheses)
- Allergens in the ingredient list or a 'Contains' statement
- Nutrition label if certain claims are made (e.g. gluten or sugar free)
Federal rules still apply on top: ingredients in descending order by weight (21 CFR 101.4), the nine major allergens declared by name (FALCPA and the FASTER Act), and net quantity in ounces and grams (21 CFR 101.7). North Carolina’s sources do not clearly address online orders — ask the agency before you set up a web shop. Shipping within the state is allowed, and shipping to other states is not addressed (selling across state lines also brings in federal rules).
Make a North Carolina label now
The North Carolina statement is already on it. Type your ingredients, tick the allergens and print on Avery sheets or a thermal roll. To have the ingredient order and allergens worked out from a costed recipe, use the workbench.
Still missing: business name and address.
Print at 100% scale with no margins. Check the result against North Carolina’s rules above before selling.
True size. North Carolina sets no fixed statement in our sources.
North Carolina cottage food questions
What statement has to be on a North Carolina cottage food label?
Our North Carolina sources set no fixed home-kitchen statement. You still need the federal basics: product name, ingredients by weight, allergens, net quantity, and your name and address.
Do I need a permit to sell baked goods from home in North Carolina?
License and kitchen inspection required. Application for Home Processor Inspection plus on-site kitchen inspection; no permit document is issued, inspector provides inspection report and 'Notice of Inspection'. Requires water bill or coliform test (well), written business plan, sample label; pets in the home disqualify. Products may need pH/water-activity testing. No fee stated. Allow 8-12 weeks.
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in North Carolina?
No annual cap appears in the state sources we checked. No sales cap stated by NCDA&CS.
Can I sell cottage food online or ship it in North Carolina?
North Carolina’s sources do not clearly address online orders — ask the agency before you set up a web shop. Shipping within the state is allowed, and shipping to other states is not addressed (selling across state lines also brings in federal rules).
Sources
- NCDA&CS Food Program: Home Processor (agency)
- NCDA&CS Application for Home Processor Inspection (agency)
Checked October 17, 2026. This is a checklist built from the sources above, not legal advice. Rules change; your county or the agency has the final word. Spotted something out of date? The about page explains how we check.
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