Last verified 2026-09-12. Regulator: Texas Department of State Health Services. This page is not legal advice.
What must a cottage food label show in Texas?
A Texas cottage food label must show these 9 items:
- Legible writing
- The name of the cottage food production operation
- The address of the operation, or the unique identification number DSHS gives a registered operation, in place of the address
- The common or usual name of the product
- If the food is made with a major food allergen, such as eggs, tree nuts, soy, peanuts, milk, wheat, or sesame, that ingredient listed on the label
- The disclosure "THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION."
- A unique batch number on pickled fruit or vegetables, fermented vegetable products, and plant-based acidified canned goods
- For foods that need time and temperature control for safety, the date the food was made, plus the safe handling statement in at least 12-point type
- For food sold through a registered cottage food vendor, the date the food was made
What disclaimer must a Texas cottage food label have?
Yes. A Texas cottage food label must carry this statement, word for word:
THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION.
Does Texas require a Nutrition Facts panel on cottage food?
No. Texas does not require a Nutrition Facts panel on cottage food. Federal rules also exempt most small producers, unless the label makes a nutrient or health claim. If you want to add one, the Nutrition Label Maker prints it in the FDA layout for free.
What foods can you sell under the Texas cottage food law?
SB 541 expanded the list. Baked goods, candy, nuts and nut butters, fruit butters, jams and jellies, fruit pies, dried fruit and vegetables, popcorn, cereal, granola, dry mixes, vinegar, pickled and fermented foods and acidified canned goods, mustard, roasted coffee, dried tea, and now some time and temperature controlled foods if the operation registers with DSHS. Excluded are ice products, low-acid canned goods, raw milk, and products with CBD or THC. Check the DSHS page for the current list.
Where can you sell cottage food in Texas?
Direct to consumers at the home, farmers markets, farm stands, fairs, festivals, and events. Online sales with delivery by the operator or a household member. Wholesale to a registered cottage food vendor for foods that do not need temperature control.
Do you need a permit to sell cottage food in Texas?
No permit for most operations. Registration with DSHS is required for operations that sell time and temperature controlled foods, and is optional for operations that want a unique identification number on the label instead of a home address. A food handler card is required.
Is there a sales limit for cottage food in Texas?
Check the current figure in Chapter 437. The DSHS page does not state one.
What else should you know about the Texas rules?
Texas does not require a full ingredient list. It requires each major allergen to be listed. Many Texas sellers add the ingredient list anyway because buyers ask for it.
Foods that are not packaged, such as a large cake, must come with the label information on an invoice or receipt.
Online sales have an extra step. Before you take payment, you must post all the label information on your website. After payment, the label on the food must carry your address or your DSHS identification number.
Local health departments may not regulate a cottage food operation or require a permit, license, or inspection.
How accurate is this page?
Read from the Texas Department of State Health Services cottage food page on 2026-09-12, which reflects SB 541. The older disclosure wording, “made in a home kitchen and is not inspected by the Department of State Health Services or a local health department”, is no longer the text on the DSHS page. Confirm the sales cap in Chapter 437 before you rely on it.