How to label cottage food in Vermont (2026 guide)

If you sell baked goods from your home in Vermont, every item you sell has to be labeled correctly. Vermont's cottage food law — 18 V.S.A. §4351; Act 42 (2025) cottage food operator exemption — is a workable but more limited law, 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 Vermont 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 Vermont'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 Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Vermont Department of Health (Food & Lodging Program).

What every label must include

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

1. Your business (operation) name and address.
2. An ingredient list in descending order by weight (major allergens called out).
3. Net weight or volume.
4. Allergen disclosure for any of the 9 federal major allergens present.
5. The state's required disclaimer statement, verbatim (exact wording below).

What Vermont law actually says

Labels must include: name and address of producer, name of food product, ingredients in descending order, net weight/volume, allergen information per federal requirements, and the statement 'Made in a home kitchen not inspected by the Vermont Department of Health' in at least 10-point font in a contrasting color. Nutritional labels required only if nutrient content or health claims are made.

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

Vermont requires this statement, word for word, on the label: It must appear in at least 10-point type.

Made in a home kitchen not inspected by the Vermont Department of Health

Copy-paste label template

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

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 Vermont 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 10-point type
• Ingredients in descending order by weight
• Packaging prevents contamination

Official sources

• Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets; Vermont Department of Health (Food & Lodging Program)
• Statute: 18 V.S.A. §4351; Act 42 (2025) cottage food operator exemption
• State extension guidance
• Forrager — Vermont
• Crosodo Vermont state guide

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