Last verified 16 Sep 2026 · Sources
The standard vertical Nutrition Facts panel (the tall, boxed column most shoppers picture when they hear “nutrition label”) is the format required under 21 CFR 101.9(d) whenever a package has no size, shape, or nutrient-content reason to use an alternative; it’s the reference every other format (simplified, tabular, linear, dual-column) is defined as a departure from.
| Quick facts | Standard vertical |
|---|---|
| Governing rule | 21 CFR 101.9(d) |
| Allowed when | Any package with roughly 3 in or more of continuous vertical space for the panel |
| Required when | Default whenever no alternative format applies |
| Package area | Any |
| In the NutriLabels builder | Renders in the NutriLabels builder |
When you may use it
Any packaged food can use the standard vertical format, provided the panel has roughly 3 inches of continuous vertical space to accommodate every mandatory nutrient through potassium, the threshold 21 CFR 101.9(d)(11) uses to decide whether a tabular layout is even on the table. If your carton, bag, or label copy comfortably fits that column, this is the format. There’s no upper package-size limit and no nutrient-content test to pass; it’s simply the default panel of 21 CFR 101.9(d).
When it is required
It’s required by default: whenever a product doesn’t meet the specific conditions for simplified (insignificant amounts of 8 or more of 15 listed nutrients, 21 CFR 101.9(f)), tabular or linear (small available labeling area, 21 CFR 101.9(j)(13)), or dual-column (multi-serving single packages, 21 CFR 101.9(b)(12)), the standard vertical panel is what you build. Most first-time labels (a jar of jam, a bag of granola, a loaf of bread) land here simply because nothing else applies.
What changes on the panel
Nothing changes here. This is the baseline every other page on this hub measures itself against. The panel is boxed off with hairlines in one color on a contrasting background (21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)). Nutrients run in a fixed vertical order: calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, total sugars, added sugars, protein, then the mandatory vitamins and minerals (vitamin D, calcium, iron, potassium), consistent with 21 CFR 101.9(c) and (d)(7)-(d)(9). Type size is tiered: “Calories” at 16 point minimum, bold or extra bold; the calorie number at 22 point minimum, bold or extra bold; nutrient names and amounts at 8 point minimum; most other required text at 6 point minimum (21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)). A footnote about the 2,000-calorie reference diet runs along the bottom under 21 CFR 101.9(d)(9): “*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.” (Foods for children 1-3 use “1,000 calories” instead.) No abbreviations are needed or expected here the way they are on tabular or linear panels.
Common mistakes
- Skipping a mandatory nutrient because the value is zero: it still needs a declared “0” line, not an omission.
- Using a type size that looks fine on screen but measures under 8 point once printed at actual label size.
- Forgetting the hairline box and contrasting background, which makes an otherwise correct panel non-compliant on formatting grounds alone.
- Reordering nutrients to match a marketing layout instead of the fixed sequence in 21 CFR 101.9(c).
- Assuming “standard” means “simple” and skipping the serving-size and RACC math that everything else on the panel depends on.
Products that usually need this
This is the default for most packaged foods with a normal-sized label: bread, pasta, cookies, granola, and crackers all typically use the standard vertical panel unless a specific nutrient profile or a very small package pushes them toward simplified or tabular instead.
Build it
A standard panel with the right type sizes and nutrient order is the label a store buyer expects to see on your jar or bag. Enter your recipe, then see your label: its shape and calorie count, the claims you qualify for and your allergen line are free, no card required, and every other value and %DV stays hidden until you unlock it. $29 unlocks every other nutrient value and %DV, every FDA format your product qualifies for (including the standard vertical panel above), the ingredient statement and allergen declaration; or send us the recipe and we build it (done-for-you, $249, within 5 business days). Start your label, or compare the other label formats.
Standard vertical format FAQ
Is the standard vertical format required by law?
It's the default, not a special requirement. 21 CFR 101.9(d) is simply the baseline panel every other format (simplified, tabular, linear, dual-column) is written as an exception to. If your product doesn't qualify for one of those exceptions, this is the format you use.
What's the minimum type size on a standard panel?
Calories" must run no smaller than 16 point and the calorie number itself no smaller than 22 point, both bold or extra bold; core nutrient names and amounts under 21 CFR 101.9(d)(7)-(8) run no smaller than 8 point; most remaining text is 6 point minimum (21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)).
Can I skip a nutrient on the standard vertical panel?
No. Every mandatory nutrient in the fixed order (calories through potassium) must appear with a declared value, even if that value is zero, unless your product separately qualifies for the simplified format under 101.9(f).
Does the standard format ever become impossible to use?
Yes. If the package genuinely can't fit roughly 3 inches of continuous vertical space for the panel, 21 CFR 101.9(d)(11) allows a tabular display instead, and very small packages fall under 101.9(j)(13).
Do I need hairlines and a box around the panel?
Yes. 21 CFR 101.9(d)(1) requires the nutrition information to be set off in a box using hairlines, printed in one color on a white or otherwise neutral, contrasting background whenever practical.
Related formats
Simplified, Tabular, Linear, Bilingual (English/Spanish). See the full all label formats.