Beer label compliance: TTB requirements for craft breweries
A beer sold across state lines needs a TTB Certificate of Label Approval (COLA), and its label must show the brand name, the class or type, the name and address of the brewer or bottler, the net contents and the government health warning; alcohol content is optional under federal rules for most beers. Beer sold only within your own state does not need a COLA, though the health warning still applies and your state may run its own label approval. Tria prints wet-strength beer and can labels with a gloss laminate from 200 units in 5 to 7 business days.
This is packaging guidance, not legal advice. TTB sets the federal rules and your state alcohol regulator sets its own; confirm the current text with both before you print. What we do is make sure the label is the right size for the text and survives the cooler.
Who regulates a beer label
Beer made from malted barley and hops is a malt beverage, and its label is regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau under 27 CFR Part 7, with the health warning in 27 CFR Part 16. Beer made without both malted barley and hops, such as some gluten-free beers brewed from sorghum, is not a malt beverage under federal law and is labeled under FDA food rules instead, including an ingredient list and nutrition labeling where it applies (FDA guidance on certain beers).
What has to be on the label
| Element | Rule of thumb | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Brand name | Must not mislead about age, origin or identity | 27 CFR Part 7 |
| Class or type | For example ale, lager, stout or porter | 27 CFR Part 7 |
| Name and address | Of the brewer or bottler, with the phrase that applies, such as "brewed and bottled by" | 27 CFR Part 7 |
| Net contents | In US measure, for example 12 fl oz | 27 CFR Part 7 |
| Alcohol content | Optional federally unless alcohol comes from added flavors or other nonbeverage ingredients; some states require it | 27 CFR Part 7 |
| Government health warning | Exact text, with GOVERNMENT WARNING in capitals and bold | 27 CFR 16.21 and 16.22 |
When you do state alcohol content, TTB allows a tolerance of 0.3 percentage points either way, so a beer labeled 6.0% alcohol by volume can test between 5.7% and 6.3%. Test the batch before you approve the label, not after.
The health warning, word for word
The statement has to read exactly as follows, with no paraphrase:
GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.
The words GOVERNMENT WARNING go in capital letters and bold, and the rest of the statement may not be bold. It must be legible, on a contrasting background and separate from other text. The minimum type size depends on the container (27 CFR 16.22):
| Container size | Minimum type size | Maximum characters per inch |
|---|---|---|
| 237 ml (8 fl oz) or less | 1 mm | 40 |
| Over 237 ml up to 3 liters, which covers 12 and 16 ounce cans and bottles | 2 mm | 25 |
| Over 3 liters | 3 mm | 12 |
The character limit is the one that bites on a small label. At 2 mm and no more than 25 characters per inch, the full statement needs real width, so we size the back label or the wrap around the warning first.
COLA: when you need one
A COLA is TTB's approval of a specific label. You need one before a malt beverage is sold in interstate commerce, and each label design needs its own. TTB is explicit that malt beverages sold only within the state where they are made do not need a COLA or a certificate of exemption (TTB label approval basics). That is a federal answer only: many states run their own label registration, so a brewery selling only at home should still check with its state regulator. Apply through COLAs Online, and check TTB's posted processing times rather than relying on a number from someone else's blog, including ours.
Plan the print order around the approval. We can proof and hold artwork while the COLA is pending, and because labels run in 5 to 7 business days after proof, you do not need to print before approval to make a release date.
Label stock that survives the cooler
Beer bottles sit in fridges, sweat with condensation and get dunked in ice baths, which ruins an ordinary paper label within hours. Our beer labels use a wet-strength permanent adhesive with a gloss lamination overlay on matte art paper, built for exactly that. For cans, the can label uses the same combination as a full wrap. For a tapered bottle or a can you want covered top to bottom, our PVC-free shrink sleeve starts at 500 units in 8 to 10 business days. We do not print clear BOPP or polyester film labels. For four-packs and six-packs, see the beverage carrier box.
An illustrative spec
Illustrative spec, not a client order. A brewery releasing a 6.5% IPA in 12 ounce bottles across two states: a 3.25 by 4 inch wraparound beer label, roll-fed for the bottling line, with the brand and class on the front panel, the health warning at 2 mm on the back panel, the net contents and the brewed and bottled by line under it, and a blank strip for a date code. 2,000 labels, proofed while the COLA is pending, printed in 5 to 7 business days after approval.
Sources
- 27 CFR Part 7, labeling and advertising of malt beverages (eCFR)
- 27 CFR Part 16, alcoholic beverage health warning statement (eCFR)
- TTB, label approval basics
- FDA, labeling of certain beers subject to FDA labeling requirements
Rules checked against these sources on October 5, 2026. Regulations change; check the current text before you print.
Questions people ask
Do I need a COLA for my beer label?
You need a COLA before a malt beverage is sold in interstate commerce, one for each label design. TTB states that malt beverages sold only within the state where they are made do not need a COLA. Many states run their own label registration, so check with your state regulator as well.
Is alcohol content required on a beer label?
Not under federal rules for most beers. It becomes mandatory when alcohol comes from added flavors or other nonbeverage ingredients, and some states require it. When you state it, TTB allows a tolerance of 0.3 percentage points either way.
How big does the government warning have to be on a 12 ounce bottle?
A 12 ounce bottle is over 237 ml and under 3 liters, so the warning must be at least 2 mm tall with no more than 25 characters per inch. GOVERNMENT WARNING goes in bold capitals and the rest of the statement may not be bold.
Will a paper beer label survive an ice bath?
An ordinary paper label will not. Our beer label uses a wet-strength permanent adhesive with a gloss lamination overlay, built for ice buckets and fridge condensation. For a multi-day cold soak, we suggest a test run with your exact bottle first.
Should I use a beer label, a can label or a shrink sleeve?
Use the beer label for bottles, as a wraparound or a front and neck set, from 200 units in 5 to 7 business days. Use the can label for a full wrap on a standard can, also from 200 units. Use a shrink sleeve when the container is tapered or you want 360 degree coverage top to bottom; it starts at 500 units in 8 to 10 business days.