Cottage food label requirements in Washington
Cottage Food Operations, RCW 69.22; WAC 16-149. Regulated by Washington State Department of Agriculture. Checked against state sources on .
The statement your label needs
Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria.
Type size and placement: at least the equivalent of eleven-point font size in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background
What is different in Washington
- Permit with home kitchen inspection and per-recipe approval
- Online orders allowed only if delivered or picked up in person within Washington (WSDA); no shipping
- No shipping, mail order, consignment or wholesale
- Products must be stored only in the primary domestic residence
- Permit
- License and kitchen inspection required. Cottage food permit valid two years; WSDA lists $355 application fee (WAC: $75 review + $30 processing + $125 inspection, plus inspection per year). Home kitchen inspection, food worker card, business license, water testing as applicable. Only department-approved products listed on the permit may be made.
- Sales cap
- $35,000 a year. Per domestic residence; department reviews every four years and adjusts by Seattle-area CPI via expedited rulemaking.
- Where you can sell
- Directly by the operator to the consumer, including farmers markets, craft fairs and charitable organization functions; permit displayed at points of sale.
- Online orders
- Orders online or by phone, delivered in person
- Ship in state
- No
- Ship out of state
- No
- Sell to shops / cafés
- No
- Allowed foods
- Department-approved non-potentially hazardous foods: baked goods (no custard or refrigerated pies), candies, standardized jams/jellies/fruit butters, dry herb and seasoning mixes, rebottled vinegars, shelf-stable frostings.
What a Washington cottage food label must show
- Business name and cottage food permit number
- Name of the product
- Ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight (with subcomponents)
- Net weight or net volume
- Allergen labeling per federal rules
- Nutrition labeling if a nutritional claim is made
- The required statement (above)
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). Washington lets you take orders online or by phone, but the food must be handed over in person (pickup or your own delivery). Mailing or shipping is not allowed, and products may not cross state lines.
Make a Washington label now
The Washington 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 Washington’s rules above before selling.
True size. Washington statement at 11 pt minimum.
Washington cottage food questions
What statement has to be on a Washington cottage food label?
Washington requires: “Made in a home kitchen that has not been subject to standard inspection criteria.” (at least the equivalent of eleven-point font size in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background).
Do I need a permit to sell baked goods from home in Washington?
License and kitchen inspection required. Cottage food permit valid two years; WSDA lists $355 application fee (WAC: $75 review + $30 processing + $125 inspection, plus inspection per year). Home kitchen inspection, food worker card, business license, water testing as applicable. Only department-approved products listed on the permit may be made.
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in Washington?
Yes: $35,000 in gross sales a year. Per domestic residence; department reviews every four years and adjusts by Seattle-area CPI via expedited rulemaking.
Can I sell cottage food online or ship it in Washington?
Washington lets you take orders online or by phone, but the food must be handed over in person (pickup or your own delivery). Mailing or shipping is not allowed, and products may not cross state lines.
Sources
- RCW 69.22 Cottage food operations (statute)
- WAC 16-149 Cottage foods (regulation)
- WSR 24-01-031 (cap raised to $35,000, two-year permits) (regulation)
- WSDA: What is the Cottage Foods Permit? (2025) (agency)
- Washington State Department of Agriculture (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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