Cottage food label requirements in Pennsylvania
Limited Food Establishment registration (home/residential-style kitchen food processing), Food Safety Act, 3 Pa.C.S. §§ 5721-5737; 21 CFR (federal food regulations); 7 Pa. Code ch. 46 for retail sales. Regulated by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services. Checked against state sources on .
The statement your label needs
No fixed statement found in Pennsylvania’s rules
Type size and placement: Net Wt. or count placed on the bottom 1/3 of the primary panel and no less than 8 pt. font
What is different in Pennsylvania
- Not available in Philadelphia County
- On-site inspection by PDA before operating
- No required 'homemade' statement; standard food labeling applies
- Acidified/fermented foods and some beverages allowed with pH testing
- Interstate sales require nutrition labeling and may require FDA registration
- Permit
- Registration required. Limited Food Establishment registration: $35 initial, $35 annual renewal, collected at a required on-site PDA inspection. Plan review application with business plan, labels, lab tests (pH/aw where required), water proof; submit at least 60 days before operating. No pets in the home if the personal kitchen is used (narrow exception). Not permitted in Philadelphia County. Selling at farmers markets/events may also need a Retail Food Facility License.
- Sales cap
- No annual sales cap found in state sources
- Where you can sell
- Direct from the production site, internet, farmers markets, community events, roadside stands, directly to consumers. Bakery items sold directly by the baker need no label (ingredients on request).
- Online orders
- Yes
- Ship in state
- Yes
- Ship out of state
- Yes
- Sell to shops / cafés
- Not addressed clearly by state sources
- Allowed foods
- Non-TCS foods only: most baked goods (no cream/custard/meringue, cheesecake, pumpkin pie), jams/jellies, candy, dry goods, dehydrated foods, and lab-tested acidified/fermented foods (pH 4.6 or below). No low-acid canned foods or TCS foods.
What a Pennsylvania cottage food label must show
- Name of the product (statement of identity)
- Ingredients listed from most to least by weight (including sub-ingredients)
- Allergen declaration, if needed
- Name and address of the manufacturer or distributor
- Net weight or count
- Nutrition labeling if sold interstate or if claims are made (FDA small business exemption may apply)
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). Pennsylvania allows cottage food orders online or by phone. Shipping within the state is allowed, and so is shipping to other states.
Make a Pennsylvania label now
The Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania’s rules above before selling.
True size. Pennsylvania sets no fixed statement in our sources.
Pennsylvania cottage food questions
What statement has to be on a Pennsylvania cottage food label?
Our Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Registration required. Limited Food Establishment registration: $35 initial, $35 annual renewal, collected at a required on-site PDA inspection. Plan review application with business plan, labels, lab tests (pH/aw where required), water proof; submit at least 60 days before operating. No pets in the home if the personal kitchen is used (narrow exception). Not permitted in Philadelphia County. Selling at farmers markets/events may also need a Retail Food Facility License.
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in Pennsylvania?
No annual cap appears in the state sources we checked. No sales cap stated by PDA.
Can I sell cottage food online or ship it in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania allows cottage food orders online or by phone. Shipping within the state is allowed, and so is shipping to other states.
Sources
- PDA: Limited Food Establishment (agency)
- PDA: Limited Food Establishment Application Packet (Rev 10-2024) (agency)
- Permit or registration page (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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