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Guide 6 of 8 · Virginia

Label Requirements
in Virginia

Virginia requires 10 specific fields on every cottage food product label, plus a mandatory state disclaimer statement. Here is every field you need, exactly what to write, and the special rules for honey, acidified foods, and small products.

📋 10 required fields
⚠️ Mandatory state disclaimer
🥜 9 allergens — always required
🍯 Honey has its own statement
Overview What You Can Sell Shelf-Stable Prepared Meals Beverages Permits Labeling Start Business Special Categories
Required Label Fields

The 10 Fields Every Virginia Label Needs

Virginia's cottage food exemption requires all of the following to appear on the principal display panel — the front face of the package that a buyer sees first. Missing even one field puts you out of compliance.

1
Product Name
The common or usual name of the food. "Strawberry Jam," "Chocolate Chip Cookies," "Smoky BBQ Rub." If the product has a fanciful brand name, the common food name must still appear.
Required
2
Business Name
Your full legal name or registered business name. If you operate as "Rose's Kitchen," that name must appear. If you're a sole proprietor without a business name, use your personal name.
Required
3
Physical Address
The complete street address of the home kitchen where the product was made — number, street, city, state, ZIP. A P.O. Box is not sufficient; must be a physical address. This is your home address.
Required
4
Phone Number
A working phone number where customers can reach you. Can be a cell phone. Must be current — it's a consumer safety contact point.
Required
5
Email Address
A valid email address. Added as a required field in the 2024 HB 759 amendment. Can be a personal or business email — just make sure it's checked regularly.
Added in 2024
6
Date Produced
The date the product was made. Format: month/day/year (e.g., 3/28/2026). Not a "best by" date — the actual production date. Must be on every batch individually.
Required
7
Net Weight or Volume
The quantity of the product in the package. State in both US customary (oz, fl oz, lb) and metric (g, mL, kg) per FDA labeling rules. Example: "Net Wt 8 oz (226g)".
Required
8
Ingredients List
All ingredients in descending order by weight — the most prevalent ingredient first. Include sub-ingredients (e.g., "Butter (cream, salt)"). Use common names, not chemical names.
Required
9
Major Allergen Declaration
All 9 major allergens present in the product must be declared — either within the ingredient list or in a separate "Contains:" statement below it. Required even if you qualify for the FDA nutrition label exemption. See allergen section below.
Always Required
10
State Disclaimer Statement
The mandatory Virginia disclaimer must appear verbatim on every product label. There are two versions — one for all products, one specifically for honey. See the full text in the section below.
Exact Wording Required
🏷️ Sample Virginia Label
Principal Display Panel
Shenandoah Apple Jam
Made with Virginia-grown apples · 8 oz
Made By
Blue Ridge Kitchen Co.
Address
142 Orchard Lane
Waynesboro, VA 22980
Phone
(540) 555-0192
Email
hello@blueridgekitchen.com
Produced
3/28/2026
Net Wt
8 oz (226g)
Ingredients
Apples, Cane Sugar, Lemon Juice, Pectin
Contains: None of the 9 major allergens
NOT FOR RESALE — PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION.
Produced on 3/28/2026 · Batch #042
Note: This sample shows all 10 required fields. Your actual label design can vary — the requirement is content, not layout. All fields must appear on the principal display panel.
The Mandatory Statement

Virginia's Required Label Disclaimer

Virginia law requires one of two specific disclaimer statements to appear on every cottage food product. The wording is set by statute — you cannot paraphrase or shorten it. Copy it exactly.

For All Products (except honey)
Standard Disclaimer — Copy This Verbatim
Exact Required Text
NOT FOR RESALE — PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION.
Honey Only — Different Statement Required
PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION. WARNING: Do Not Feed Honey to Infants Under One Year Old.
Placement: The statement must appear on the principal display panel — the main face of the label that consumers see at point of sale. It cannot be hidden on the back or bottom of the package.

Formatting: Virginia law doesn't specify a minimum font size for the disclaimer, but it must be legible. Use a font size that's readable alongside your other label text — typically at least 6pt. All-caps is the standard format as written in the statute.

The phrase "NOT FOR RESALE": This is part of the required text and means these products cannot be sold to retailers or wholesalers for resale — consistent with the direct-to-consumer requirement of the cottage food exemption.

Honey sellers: The standard "NOT FOR RESALE" language does not apply to honey (since honey can be sold to any venue under the exemption). Use only the honey-specific statement above.
Allergen Declaration

The 9 Major Allergens — Always Required

Under the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act, there are now 9 major food allergens in the United States. You must declare any of these present in your product — even if you qualify for the FDA nutrition label small business exemption, allergen labeling is still required.

🥛
Milk
🥚
Eggs
🐟
Fish
🦐
Shellfish
🌳
Tree Nuts
🥜
Peanuts
🌾
Wheat
🫘
Soybeans
⚪
Sesame
Two ways to declare allergens: (1) Identify them within the ingredient list — e.g., "Flour (wheat), Butter (milk), Eggs" — or (2) Add a separate "Contains:" statement after the ingredient list — e.g., "Contains: Wheat, Milk, Eggs." Either method is acceptable. The "Contains:" statement is typically clearer for buyers and easier to notice.

Cross-contact warning: If your kitchen also handles allergens that aren't in a specific product (e.g., you also make peanut butter cookies), you may add a voluntary "May contain traces of peanuts" statement. This is not required but is a good practice and may protect you from liability.
Special Situations

Label Rules for Specific Products & Situations

🥒
Acidified Foods (Pickles, Salsa, Relishes)
Acidified foods have one additional label rule that other cottage foods don't: every container must have an individual label. The point-of-sale sign exception (where a sign can substitute for individual labels on small products sold on-site) does not apply to acidified foods. Every jar of pickles or salsa must carry its own full label, regardless of size.
Also required: The pH-controlled process is not stated on the label, but your production records must demonstrate equilibrium pH ≤ 4.6 if VDACS ever asks.
🍯
Honey — Different Disclaimer
Honey is the only cottage food product with its own required disclaimer text — different from all other products. The standard "NOT FOR RESALE" language doesn't apply to honey since honey can be sold to any venue. The infant warning is a federal food safety requirement that Virginia has incorporated into the cottage food labeling rules.
Honey statement (verbatim): "PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION. WARNING: Do Not Feed Honey to Infants Under One Year Old."
🔬
Small Products & Point-of-Sale Signs
If a product is too small to carry an individual label AND is sold to be consumed on-site, Virginia allows a point-of-sale sign with all required information as a substitute for individual package labels. Both conditions must be met: the product is too small for a label, and it's consumed on the spot (like a cookie at a market booth).
Exception does not apply to acidified foods. Pickles, salsa, and all acidified products must be individually labeled regardless of size or whether they're consumed on-site.
🎁
Gift Sets & Multi-Product Packages
If you sell a gift set or bundle containing multiple individual products, each product inside must carry its own individual label with all required fields. A single label on the outer gift box is not sufficient if it doesn't cover all the labeling requirements for each contained product. The outer packaging may also carry its own label if it's a distinct product (like a "3-Jam Sampler Set").
🏷️
Where Labels Must Appear
All required fields must appear on the principal display panel — the main face of the package a buyer sees at point of sale. Virginia doesn't prohibit putting some information on the back panel, but the required fields must all be on the primary label face. Don't hide your address or disclaimer on the bottom of a jar.
Best practice: Put all 10 required fields on one label panel. It's simpler to prove compliance and easier for customers to find information.
💻
Online Advertising & Labels
Virginia allows online advertising of cottage food products — but you cannot sell online. If you advertise products on your website, Instagram, or Facebook, you don't need to display your full label information in every post. The label requirements apply to the physical product packaging at the time of sale — not to marketing materials.
Note: If you use SellFood.com to list your products, your physical products still need the complete label when handed to a buyer at in-person sales.
Federal Requirements

FDA Labeling & Small Business Exemptions

Virginia's state requirements sit alongside federal FDA labeling rules. Most cottage food sellers qualify for the FDA's small business exemption from mandatory Nutrition Facts panels — but allergen labeling is always required regardless of size.

Nutrition Facts Panel — Small Business Exemption
The FDA exempts small businesses from mandatory Nutrition Facts labeling. To qualify, your business must have fewer than 100 full-time employees AND sell fewer than 100,000 units of that product per year. Most cottage food sellers are well below both thresholds. You do not need a Nutrition Facts panel on your label if you qualify — though you may add one voluntarily.
→ Even without a Nutrition Facts panel, you must still declare the 9 major allergens.
Allergen Labeling — No Exemption
There is no small business exemption for major allergen declaration. The FASTER Act requires all food manufacturers — regardless of size — to declare the 9 major allergens if present in the product. This is a federal requirement that applies on top of Virginia's state labeling requirements. If your cookies contain peanuts or tree nuts, you must declare them — always.
→ Allergen labeling is the #1 food safety concern buyers raise with home sellers. Get it right every batch.
Ingredient List — Always Required
Even under the small business exemption, ingredient labeling is required. List all ingredients in descending order by weight — most prevalent first. Use common names. Include sub-ingredients for compound ingredients (e.g., "Chocolate Chips (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, soy lecithin)"). Don't abbreviate or use chemical names when a common name exists.
→ "Spices" is acceptable as a collective term; "Natural flavors" is acceptable if used.
Net Weight Statement — Dual Declaration
FDA requires net weight to appear in both US customary and metric units. The standard format is: "Net Wt X oz (Xg)" or "Net X fl oz (XmL)" for liquids. Must appear on the principal display panel in the lower 30% of the label. Minimum type size rules apply based on label area — for most cottage food labels, 1/16 inch is the minimum.
→ Reference: FDA guidance at fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition
Label Design Tips

Making Labels That Work

Tip 01
Use the SellFood Label Creator
The Label Creator pre-fills the Virginia disclaimer, formats all 10 required fields, and lets you design a professional label in minutes. Free tier includes 3 labels/month in PNG — upgrade for unlimited PDF downloads.
Tip 02
Print on weather-resistant stock
Glass jars sweat. Paper labels on jam jars at a farmers market can peel or blur. Use waterproof or water-resistant label stock for any product that may contact moisture — especially jars and sauce bottles.
Tip 03
Date labels batch-by-batch
The production date must reflect the actual batch date — not a generic "2026." Print labels with the date or leave a space to hand-write it. Pre-printing dates months in advance and then using stale labels is a compliance issue.
Tip 04
Keep your disclaimer visible
Don't bury the disclaimer in tiny white text on a light background. It needs to be legible. A small amber or cream banner at the bottom of a dark label is a clean way to feature it without disrupting your design.
Tip 05
Ingredient order matters legally
Ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight. If you use more sugar than flour by weight in a recipe, sugar goes first. Buyers and regulators can both spot an out-of-order ingredient list.
Tip 06
Bold allergens in the ingredient list
While not required by Virginia state law, the FDA recommends bolding allergen names within the ingredient list (e.g., "enriched wheat flour") for clarity. It's good practice and helps buyers with allergies scan quickly.
🏷️ Build a compliant Virginia label in minutes
The SellFood Label Creator automatically includes the Virginia state disclaimer, formats all 10 required fields, and lets you design a professional label. Virginia rules are pre-loaded — no guesswork. Free with a SellFood account.
Open Label Creator →
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⚠️
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Labeling requirements can change — always verify current state requirements with VDACS at 804-786-3520 and federal requirements at fda.gov. SellFood.com is not a law firm. Last reviewed March 2026.