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Cottage Food Laws in California

Last verified against official sources on by Amrit. How we verify

Yes, but you must sign up with your county first. California has two types of cottage food operation. Class A registers with the county and sells only directly to customers. Class B gets a county permit, usually after a kitchen inspection, and can also sell through shops and restaurants. You can only make foods on the state's approved list, must take a food safety course and must label every product.[2][1][3][10]

At a glance

Permit neededYes. Class A: county registration. Class B: county permit and inspection.[2]
FeeSet by each county. For example, Los Angeles County lists $118 for Class A and $292 for Class B.[9][10]
Sales cap (2026)Class A: $88,878. Class B: $177,756. Adjusted every January for inflation.[5]
TrainingA food safety course (called a food processor course) within 3 months of registering, then every 3 years[3]
Label statement"Made in a Home Kitchen" in 12-point type on the front label, plus your registration or permit number and county[6]
Where you can sellClass A: directly to customers only. Class B: directly, and also through permitted shops and restaurants.[2]
Online and shippingYes, within California. Phone and online orders count as direct sales and can be filled in person, by mail or by a delivery service.[1][2]
AgencyYour county or city environmental health department[4]

Step by step

Do these in order. Each step links to the official form or page.

  1. Check that your food is on the approved list

    You can only make foods on the state's Approved Cottage Foods List. Examples are baked goods without cream, custard or meat fillings, candy, dried foods, jams that meet the federal standard, roasted nuts, pure honey, vinegars and mustards. If a food is not on the list, you cannot sell it.[8]

    Approved Cottage Foods List (PDF)

  2. Choose Class A or Class B

    Pick Class A if you will only sell straight to customers. Pick Class B if you also want to sell through stores, cafes or restaurants. Class B has a higher sales limit.[2]

  3. Apply with your county environmental health department

    Class A: register and send in a self-certification checklist. Class B: apply for a permit; the county inspects your kitchen first. Each county sets its own fee. One county registration or permit lets you operate anywhere in California.[2][10][7]

    Fee: Set by each county or city environmental health department

  4. Take a food safety course

    You, any employee and any household member who helps make or pack the food must finish a food processor course within three months of registering. An accredited (ANSI) food handler course counts. Keep the card or certificate as proof; the county can ask to see it. Take the course again every three years.[3]

    Time: Online or in a classroom

  5. Set up your kitchen rules

    Do not cook for your family, wash dishes, do laundry, clean the kitchen or have guests over while you make cottage food. Keep babies, small children and pets out of the kitchen while you work. Wash, rinse and sanitize every surface and tool that touches the food before each use. No smoking where you make, pack or store the food.[2]

  6. Label every product

    The label needs the name of the food, your business name, city and ZIP code, the words "Made in a Home Kitchen" in 12-point type on the front, your registration or permit number and the county that issued it, the ingredients from most to least by weight, the amount in both US and metric units, and any major allergens.[6]

  7. Renew every year

    Your registration or permit must be renewed once a year.[7]

What you can and can't sell[8][4]

Allowed

  • Baked goods without cream, custard or meat fillings (cookies, breads, cakes, fruit pies; no pumpkin pie)
  • Candy and confections
  • Dried, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods (granola, coffee, tea, spice mixes)
  • Frostings and icings without eggs, cream or cream cheese (meringue powder, powdered eggs and pasteurized eggs are allowed)
  • Honey and sorghum syrups, pure only, with nothing added
  • Fruit butters, jams and jellies that meet the federal standard (21 CFR Part 150), using only the fruits that standard lists
  • Roasted or pasteurized nuts, nut mixes and nut butters
  • Powdered drink mixes
  • Vinegars and mustards
  • Extracts made with at least 70-proof food-grade alcohol, only in the flavours on the list (such as vanilla, lemon and cinnamon)

Not allowed

  • Anything not on the approved list
  • Salsa
  • Pickles, hot sauce and other canned foods
  • Custard pies, such as pumpkin or sweet potato pie
  • Pepper jelly
  • Baked goods with cream, custard or meat fillings

Local rules

These places add their own requirements on top of the state rules.

What it costs

StepFee
Apply with your county environmental health departmentSet by each county or city environmental health department
Total if every fee applies to you$0

Not included in the total because the fee is set locally: Apply with your county environmental health department.

Recent changes

Frequently asked questions

Can I ship my cookies to customers?

Yes, inside California. A direct sale can be delivered by mail or a delivery service. Sales are defined as transactions within the state, so this law does not cover shipping to other states.[2]

Can I sell to a coffee shop or restaurant?

Only with a Class B permit. Selling through a permitted shop or restaurant is called an "indirect sale". If the shop serves your food without its package, it must tell customers the food was made in a home kitchen.[2][6]

Why can't I sell salsa or pickles?

The state says these foods carry a risk of botulism or bacteria growth, so they are not on the approved list.[4]

Can I use eggs in my baking?

Yes, if the finished product is dry and does not need refrigeration. Eggs in cookies or cake are fine. Eggs in custard or lemon curd are not.[4]

Can I hire help?

You can have up to one full-time equivalent employee. Family and household members do not count toward that limit.[5]

Do I register with the state?

No. The California Department of Public Health does not register or permit cottage food businesses. Contact your county or city environmental health department.[4]

Will the county inspect my home?

Class B kitchens are inspected before the permit is issued. After that, the county may inspect a Class B kitchen no more than once a year, unless it is following up a consumer complaint about unsafe food or a broken rule.[10][7]

Sources

  1. Cottage Food Operations, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
  2. Cottage Food Operation Requirements, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
  3. Cottage Food Operator Training, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
  4. Frequently Asked Questions About Cottage Food, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
  5. Cottage Food Operation Adjusted Gross Annual Sales Limit (2026), California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
  6. Labeling Requirements for Cottage Food Products, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
  7. Assembly Bill (AB) 1144 Fact Sheet, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
  8. Approved Cottage Foods, California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch. Checked October 24, 2026.
  9. Class A Cottage Food Operators, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health. Checked October 24, 2026.
  10. Class B Cottage Food Operators, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health. Checked October 24, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Before you apply or start selling, confirm the details with Your county or city environmental health department (the state list of approved foods is kept by the California Department of Public Health) or your local health department. Spotted something wrong or out of date?Report it and we will check it.