# Cottage food label requirements in New Hampshire

> Informational only, not legal or food-safety advice. Verify with New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Food Protection Section before printing labels. Last checked 2026-08-05.

## What goes on the label

1. The product name, in words a customer would use.
2. Every ingredient, heaviest first.
3. The major allergens, called out separately from the ingredient list.
4. Who made it: your name or your business name.
5. How to reach you.
6. The date it was made.

## The required statement

As published for New Hampshire:

> This product is exempt from New Hampshire licensing and inspection.

Published as fixed text: reproduce it exactly.

## Detail

New Hampshire has TWO statements and picking the wrong one is a real risk. An exempt (unlicensed) homestead food operation uses the statement above. A LICENSED homestead food operation must instead use: 'This product is made in a residential food production area licensed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.' Either way the package must also carry the name, physical or email address and phone number of the homestead food operation, the product name, ingredients in descending order by weight, and allergy information. The statute frames it as 'shall also be clearly labeled with the following statement:' followed by the quoted text, which is why verbatim is true. No type size is specified. RSA 143-A:12 as fetched contains no dollar sales threshold — the old $20,000 cap appears to have been removed by recent legislation.

## Sources

- Authority: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Food Protection Section
- Rule: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/X/143-A/143-A-12.htm
- Authority page: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/X/143-A/143-A-12.htm