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NJ Honey Label Requirements

NJ honey label requirements depend on one question: is your honey raw? Raw honey that is not processed, infused, pasteurized or mixed with anything is not a cottage food in New Jersey, so you need no permit and follow the federal basics. Infused or flavored honey is a cottage food: you need the $100 Department of Health permit and a label with six items, ending in a statement you copy word for word.

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NJ honey label requirements: map of the United States with New Jersey highlighted
Infused honey label

Required on every New Jersey cottage food honey label

For infused or flavored honey sold under a Cottage Food Operator (CFO) permit. The Department of Health rejects labels that miss any of these six.

Example New Jersey cottage food label for lavender infused honey with ingredients, the operator's full name and business name, CFO permit number, town and NJ, and the N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 home kitchen statement
  1. 1
    Common name
    What is in the jar, like "Lavender Infused Honey" or "Cinnamon Honey".
  2. 2
    Ingredients by weight
    From most to least by weight: "Honey, lavender extract".
  3. 3
    Contains line
    Only if an ingredient brings a major allergen: "Contains:" plus the allergen. Name the exact tree nut, like "almonds".
  4. 4
    Your full name, business name and CFO numberN.J.A.C. 8:24-11.4(c)
    Your personal name is required even with a business name. No number yet? Print "CFO#_____ (pending)" so there's room for it.
  5. 5
    Your town, then NJ
    The municipality of your registered kitchen followed by "New Jersey" or "NJ", like "Flemington, NJ". No street address needed.
  6. 6
    The required statementN.J.A.C. 8:24-11.4(c)
    Word for word, nothing added or changed: "This food is prepared pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:24-11 in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Department of Health."
  7. Raw honey skips all of thisNo permitState law says honey that is raw and has not been processed, infused, pasteurized, or otherwise modified or combined with any other food or product is not a cottage food product. No CFO permit, no statement. Your jar still needs a truthful federal label.
New Jersey at a glance

Permits, caps and where you sell

Raw honeyNo permitNot a cottage food product, so the Department of Health permit rules don't apply.N.J.S.A. 24:1-1.1
Infused honey permit$100Non-refundable, valid for two years. Bring zoning approval, a Food Protection Manager certificate and proof of safe water. Review takes 16 weeks.
Sales cap$50,000 a yearGross annual sales for Cottage Food Operator permit holders.
Bee yardsRegister yearlyNew Jersey law requires every bee yard where bees overwinter to be registered every year with the Department of Agriculture.
Which infused honey is allowed?No particlesThe approved list includes infused or flavored honey with no particles. Honey with floating particles, elderberry syrup and flower syrups like wildflower, hibiscus or chamomile syrup are not on it. Every product needs a product questionnaire with your application; flavors of one base recipe can share one.
Selling infused honey: the delivery rulesHand it over in person: at your home, the customer's home in New Jersey, a New Jersey farmers market or farm stand, or a temporary event like a craft fair (with the local event permit). No mailing or courier, no stores, no wholesale, nothing outside New Jersey. You may take orders and payments online.
The federal side of your jarWith no state statement to print, a raw honey jar runs on the FDA basics: the name, a net weight in ounces and grams, who packed it, and Nutrition Facts unless a small business exemption applies. When you need the panel, our tool builds it with the standard "Includes Xg Added Sugars" line, which is also correct for pure honey.Honey Labeling Requirements (FDA) →
Sources

Where this comes from

Questions

New Jersey label questions

Not for raw honey. It is not a cottage food product, so the Cottage Food Operator permit doesn't apply. Processed honey, like infused or flavored honey, is on the cottage food list and needs the permit.

Related pages

LAWNew Jersey Cottage Food LawGUIDEHoney Labeling Requirements (FDA)PRODUCTCustom Honey LabelCOTTAGE FOODCottage Food Label RequirementsLABEL MAKERCottage Food Label MakerTEMPLATECottage Food Label TemplateQUIZDo I Need a Nutrition Label?LABEL MAKERNutrition Label Maker

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