Egg carton label maker

What goes on the label, and who says so

Safe handling statement

Federal. 21 CFR 101.17(h) requires it on the label of all shell eggs, in intrastate or interstate commerce, with the words SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS in bold and the statement set off in a box by hairlines. The label maker prints it exactly as written.

Keep Refrigerated

Federal when the statement is inside the lid (21 CFR 101.17(h)(2)); on this label the statement is on the panel, so the line is here because many state small-producer rules ask for it anyway.

Name and address

State. Most state egg laws require the seller's name and address on the carton; it is the most common line in small-producer exemptions.

Quantity

State. “One Dozen” or the count.

Ungraded and size

State. Small sellers usually cannot claim a USDA grade, and several states require the word “ungraded” or a size statement such as “mixed sizes”.

Pack date

State. Some states want a pack or sell-by date; a Julian day number (day of the year) is the format grading rules use, so the label prints both.

Read the federal rules in full on the federal egg rules page, and check your state department of agriculture for the rest before you sell. Our selling guide covers pricing, cartons and where to sell.

Common questions

Do backyard egg sellers have to print the safe handling statement?

The federal text applies to "all shell eggs, whether in intrastate or interstate commerce" and has no flock-size exemption (21 CFR 101.17(h)(1)). The exact wording is: SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS: To prevent illness from bacteria: keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly. Some states restate it in their small-producer rules; none we have read waives it.

Where does the statement have to go, and how?

On the principal display panel, the information panel, or the inside of the lid, prominently, with the words SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS in bold type and the statement set off in a box by hairlines (21 CFR 101.17(h)(2) and (3)). If it goes inside the lid, Keep Refrigerated must appear on the outside panel.

Can I reuse cartons from the store?

That is a state rule, and states differ: some require new cartons for eggs that are sold, others allow reused cartons once every original marking is covered or removed. Whatever your state says, a reused carton still needs your label, and the old brand's claims and grade marks must not show.

Can I put Grade A or Large on my label?

Grading is a voluntary service and grade terms belong to graded eggs. Small sellers who do not grade generally label eggs ungraded, with a size statement such as mixed sizes where the state asks for one. Your state egg law says what you may and may not print.

What label size should I use?

The 2 × 4 inch layout (ten labels per letter sheet) is the most common address-label format and leaves room for the safe handling box at a readable size. The 3⅓ × 4 inch layout gives bigger type; the single-label option prints one 4 × 3 inch label per page for cutting by hand.

1. 21 CFR § 101.17, Food labeling warning, notice, and safe handling statements (paragraph (h), shell eggs). Code of Federal Regulations, via eCFR.
2. 21 CFR § 115.50, Refrigeration of shell eggs held for retail distribution. Code of Federal Regulations, via eCFR.

We read each document ourselves and last checked this page against them on October 6, 2026. Where they disagree, we show you the disagreement instead of picking a winner quietly.