Every cottage food product sold in Arizona must carry a label with specific information — including a state-mandated disclaimer. Here's exactly what's required, with the precise wording you need to use.
Under A.R.S. §§ 36-931–932, every cottage food product must have a label in a clear and legible printed or handwritten font. Arizona does not require pre-approval of your labels, but they must be compliant and ready for inspection. Here are the required elements:
Your name (or business name) and the unique registration number issued to you by ADHS when you registered for the Cottage Food Program. This number links your product back to your registration.
All ingredients in the product, listed in descending order by weight (most to least), following standard FDA ingredient labeling conventions. Include sub-ingredients for composite items.
The date the product was made. This helps customers assess freshness and is especially important for TCS (perishable) products.
Arizona requires a specific statement alerting consumers that the product was made in a home kitchen. This is the most important labeling element — see the exact wording below.
A website address provided by ADHS that includes contact information for reporting foodborne illnesses and verifying a food preparer's registration status.
If your cottage food product was prepared in a facility for individuals with developmental disabilities, you must include a statement disclosing this fact. This is unique to Arizona's program.
Home address is NOT required. As of 2019, Arizona no longer requires your home address on the label. Your name and ADHS registration number are sufficient to identify you as the producer.
While Arizona's cottage food statute doesn't prescribe a specific allergen declaration format beyond the home kitchen disclaimer, best practice — and a strong customer service move — is to clearly identify the presence of any of the nine major food allergens recognized by the FDA:
The most common approach is a "Contains" line at the end of your ingredient list — for example: "Contains: Wheat, Milk, Eggs." You can also add a precautionary statement if your kitchen handles allergens that aren't in a specific product, such as: "Made in a kitchen that also processes tree nuts and peanuts."
The required Arizona disclaimer already states that the product may have come into contact with common food allergens and pet allergens. However, being specific about which allergens are present builds trust with your customers and may be required if you move into retail stores or larger sales channels.
While Arizona's cottage food statute does not explicitly mandate net weight on labels, federal FDA labeling guidelines require it for packaged food products. Including net weight is considered standard practice and is expected if you sell through retail stores or online.
List the net weight in both U.S. customary and metric units — for example: "Net Wt. 8 oz (227g)" for solid products, or "12 fl oz (355 mL)" for beverages and liquids. Place the net weight declaration on the bottom third of the front label panel (the Principal Display Panel), which is the standard FDA placement.
Arizona requires labels to be in a "clear and legible printed or handwritten font." While the statute does not specify a minimum font size, federal FDA regulations require that the statement of identity, net quantity, and ingredient declaration use type sizes appropriate for the package area. As a practical guideline, body text on food labels should be at minimum 1/16 inch (about 6 point) for most package sizes. For readability, aim for 8–10 point type on the ingredient list and disclaimer.
Handwritten labels are allowed by Arizona statute but are not recommended for retail or online sales — printed labels look more professional and are easier to verify for compliance. Services like VistaPrint or Avery offer affordable custom food label printing.
If you sell cottage food online — through your own website, social media, or a third-party platform — Arizona requires that all label information be prominently displayed in your listing. This means every online listing must include:
For every online listing, include: Your name and ADHS registration number, a complete ingredient list, the production date (or update policy), the full home kitchen/allergen disclaimer statement, and the ADHS reporting website address. All of this must be visible to the buyer before purchase — not tucked into a footnote or hidden behind a click.
Here's what a compliant Arizona cottage food label looks like with all required elements in place:
No pre-approval needed. Arizona does not require you to submit your labels for review or approval before selling. However, your labels should always be ready for inspection at farmers markets or retail locations. If you're unsure about compliance, contact ADHS at CottageFood@azdhs.gov.
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