MARegistration / Permit RequiredDirect-to-Consumer Only

Massachusetts Cottage Food Label Requirements

Governing Law: Massachusetts Residential Kitchen Permit (105 CMR 500.015) · Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) & Local Board of Health

Everything required to package and label shelf-stable home-produced foods in Massachusetts — including the exact mandatory disclaimer, descending ingredient order, Top 9 FASTER Act allergen declaration, and optional 21 CFR 101.9 Nutrition Facts compliance.

Annual Gross Sales Cap

No statutory state dollar cap

Permit & Training Status

Yes — Local Board of Health Residential Kitchen Permit & inspection (plus MDPH wholesale permit if selling wholesale).

Nutrition Facts Trigger

Triggered by nutrient claims or retail/wholesale buyers requiring full 21 CFR 101.9 Nutrition Facts formatting.

MA Required Home-Kitchen Statement

Mandatory Massachusetts Cottage Food Disclaimer Text

“Made in a Residential Kitchen”

Typography & Placement Rule: Confirm minimum font size and any supplemental municipal wording required by your city/town Board of Health.

Verify Local County & State Updates: State cottage food caps, allowed food lists, and local county/municipal zoning or Board of Health ordinances change regularly. Verify exact label wording and current annual gross sales thresholds with your state Department of Agriculture / Health and local county health authority prior to commercial printing.

Massachusetts 6-Point Pre-Print Compliance Checklist

Verify every required label component before exporting your vector print file.

Audit Score

0/6

Auto-Fill Ready: Launch our Label Studio with Massachusetts’s home-kitchen statement pre-loaded alongside automatic USDA macros and Top 9 allergen auditing.
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Required Label Elements in Massachusetts

Every retail cottage food package in Massachusetts should display these standardized components clearly on the label.

Product Identity (Common Name)
Common or usual name of the food clearly stated on the principal display panel (e.g., "Artisan Honey Almond Granola").
Business Name & Physical Address
Name and street address (or city/state/ZIP if listed in a public directory under FDA 21 CFR 101.5) of the cottage food producer.
Net Weight / Volume Declaration
Net quantity of contents in both U.S. customary (oz / lb / fl oz) and metric (g / ml) units placed in the bottom 30% of the front panel.
Ingredients Descending by Weight
All ingredients and sub-ingredients declared in descending order of predominance by raw formula weight before baking/moisture loss.
Top 9 Major Allergens (FALCPA + FASTER Act)
Explicitly declare Milk, Eggs, Fish, Crustacean Shellfish, Tree Nuts (specific species), Peanuts, Wheat, Soybeans, and Sesame (mandatory nationwide since Jan 2023).
Massachusetts Home-Kitchen Disclaimer
Statement "Made in a Residential Kitchen" along with product identity, net weight, ingredients descending by weight, Top 9 allergens, and full residential business address.
Nutrition Facts Panel Trigger
Required whenever any nutrient content claim is displayed or when products exceed FDA small-business exemptions.

Frequently Asked Questions: Massachusetts Cottage Food Labeling

Who issues residential kitchen permits in Massachusetts?

Permits for direct-to-consumer Residential Kitchens are issued by your city or town’s Local Board of Health under 105 CMR 500.015 (wholesale requires additional MDPH registration).

What exact disclaimer must appear on Massachusetts residential kitchen labels?

Massachusetts regulations require "Made in a Residential Kitchen" to be prominently displayed alongside standard ingredients, net weight, Top 9 allergens, and producer address.

Explore Other State Cottage Food Label Guides

Compare mandatory home-kitchen disclaimers and sales limits across all 15 covered states.

All 15 States Hub