How to label cottage food in Montana (2026 guide)

If you sell baked goods from your home in Montana, every item you sell has to be labeled correctly. Montana's cottage food law — Mont. Code §50-50-116 and §50-50-117 (cottage food); Mont. Code §§50-49-201 et seq. (Local Food Choice Act) — is one of the most permissive (“Food Freedom”) laws in the country, but the labeling rules are specific, and getting them wrong means you lose the protection the law gives you.

This guide walks through exactly what goes on a Montana cottage food label, gives you a copy-paste template, and covers the edge cases that trip people up. It mirrors our most popular label walkthrough — how to label cottage food in Texas — adapted to Montana's rules.

Not legal advice. We're a small apparel brand that cares about home bakers. For anything serious, read the law directly or call Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

What every label must include

Per Montana's cottage food labeling rules, every product label must include:

1. The common or usual name of the product (e.g. “Classic Sourdough Loaf” — a brand name alone is not enough).
2. Your business (operation) name and address.
3. An ingredient list in descending order by weight (major allergens called out).
4. Net weight or volume.
5. Allergen disclosure for any of the 9 federal major allergens present.
6. The state's required disclaimer statement, verbatim (exact wording below).

What Montana law actually says

Labels must include: name, address, city, state, zip of operation; product name; ingredients in descending order by weight; net quantity; allergen labeling per federal/state law; and a conspicuous statement in at least 11-point font: 'Made in a home kitchen that is not subject to retail food establishment regulations or inspections.' Under the MLFCA, producers must inform consumers that the food has not been licensed, permitted, certified, packaged, labeled, or inspected.

The 9 federal major allergens you must disclose

• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Tree nuts
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soy
• Sesame (added federally in 2023 — frequently missed)

You don't have to list every ingredient in most states, but you must explicitly name any of these allergens that are present. “May contain” hedging isn't a substitute — if it's in there, name it. Sesame became the 9th federal major allergen in 2023 and is the one most older label templates miss.

The required disclaimer

Montana requires this statement, word for word, on the label: It must appear in at least 11-point type.

Made in a home kitchen that is not subject to retail food establishment regulations or inspections.

Copy-paste label template

Print it on a sticker, put it on the bag. Adjust the ingredient and allergen lines for each product.

The extra rules worth knowing

Selling through a store adds rules

The moment your product sits on a third-party shelf (a cafe, grocery, or gift shop), extra requirements usually kick in — often a production date on every package and sometimes store signage. Check the state page before you go wholesale.

Common labeling mistakes to avoid

1. Forgetting sesame as a major allergen (added federally in 2023 — many older templates list only 8).
2. Using “may contain” when the product actually contains the allergen. Name it if it's present.
3. Leaving off the required disclaimer because you printed small business-card-style labels. The disclaimer is non-negotiable.
4. Handing out unlabeled samples. If you're giving a free taste at a market, the rules still apply.
5. Using a P.O. Box where Montana requires a physical address (or use your state-issued ID number instead where allowed).

Quick checklist before you print

• Product common name (not just a brand name)
• Business name on label
• Address or state ID number on label
• All 9 major allergens disclosed if present (including sesame)
• Required disclaimer statement, verbatim
• Disclaimer in at least 11-point type
• Ingredients in descending order by weight
• Packaging prevents contamination

Official sources

• Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
• Statute: Mont. Code §50-50-116 and §50-50-117 (cottage food); Mont. Code §§50-49-201 et seq. (Local Food Choice Act)
• State extension guidance
• Forrager — Montana
• Crosodo Montana state guide

For the full breakdown of Montana's rules — sales cap, registration, county zoning — see the Crosodo Montana state guide. If your Montana county is missing from our directory, tell us and we'll add it next.