Do you need a license to sell honey in Illinois?

In most cases you can sell pure honey from your own bees in Illinois without a food license.

Honey house framework: under 500 gal/yr can extract in your own honey house. Annual apiary registration required (510 ILCS 20).

What your Illinois honey label must include

Start with the federal basics that apply in every state:

  • The word "Honey" (you can name the floral source, like "Wildflower Honey", if it is the main source)
  • Net weight in both US and metric, in the bottom 30 percent of the front label
  • Your name and address
  • No ingredient list is needed for pure honey; add one the moment you add anything

Then, for Illinois: Honey is not covered by the Illinois cottage food law, so the cottage disclaimer does not apply to it; check requirements with IDPH. For cottage foods the full statement is "This product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department that may also process common food allergens. If you have safety concerns, contact your local health department."

For the full federal rules, including when a nutrition panel is required, see our honey labeling requirements guide.

The official Illinois source

These rules are set by Illinois Dept of Public Health; Illinois Dept of Agriculture (apiary). This reflects their published guidance; still confirm the current details before printing.

Read the official Illinois guidance.

Quick checklist for Illinois

  • The word "Honey"
  • Net weight in US and metric, bottom 30 percent of the front
  • Your name and address
  • The Illinois statement or disclaimer described above
  • Optional but recommended: "Do not feed honey to infants under one year of age"