Why this matters
Selling from home in California
California gives you two cottage food routes. Class A covers direct sales to customers, including orders placed online. Class B adds indirect sales through shops and restaurants. Choose based on who will buy your food: a customer picking up a box of cookies is a direct sale; a cafe buying those cookies to resell needs the Class B path.
For 2026, CDPH lists an annual gross sales limit of $88,878 for Class A and $177,756 for Class B. Those limits count sales before you subtract ingredients or other costs. Keep a running total that includes every channel, not just your online storefront. Both figures come from the CDPH annual schedule.
Your county environmental health department handles the paperwork. Class A requires registration; Class B requires a permit and kitchen inspection. Ask the county for its fee and application steps before setting your first sale date. The food list matters just as much as the permit: cottage food covers approved products that keep safely without refrigeration. Prepared meals belong under a different program, described in the MEHKO guide. Official guidance.
Annual revenue cap
$88,878 gross/year.
gross/year
$88,878
Required label language
Every package carries a statutory disclaimer.
The disclaimer below must appear on every package, in the exact casing the statute specifies:
Required on every label
Made in a Home Kitchen
— AB 1616 (2012), AB 1144 (2021), AB 626 (2018), AB 660 (2024); Cal. Health & Safety Code §113758, §114365 et seq.
Sales channels
Where Class A sellers can sell
Online ordering
YesYesShipping within the state
YesYesSeller delivery
YesYesThird-party delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)
YesYesInterstate sales
NoNoWholesale to retail stores
NoNoLicense, permit & registration
California registration and permits
Yes. Register Class A direct sales with your county environmental health department. Class B sales through shops or restaurants need a county permit and kitchen inspection; fees vary by county. Official guidance.
- Registration
Required
Type: permit
- Registration cost
$100
- Timeline
About 30 days
- Labeling standard
AB660 Strict
- Inspection
None
- Food safety certification
Required
Type: food processor within three months
- Address privacy
Available
Via permit number
Food categories
Foods the basic cottage food rules usually do not cover.
- Tcs
- Meat
- Poultry
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Cut Produce
- Canned Goods
- Acidified Foods
- Fermented Foods
- Garlic In Oil
- Cannabis Cbd
How to start
Steps to a legal first sale in California.
Decide whether you are Class A, Class B, or MEHKO, then check your county environmental health process before you take public orders.
- Choose your approved cottage foods and decide between Class A and Class B.
- Apply through county environmental health and complete the required food-processor training.
- Put the county’s required details and “Made in a Home Kitchen” on your labels.
- Set your order schedule and keep a gross sales total.
Frequently asked
California cottage food — your questions answered.
What is the new law for selling food from home in California?
California's biggest recent change is MEHKO (Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations) under AB 626, which lets approved counties permit home cooks to sell prepared, temperature-controlled meals — hot food and full entrees — beyond the shelf-stable Cottage Food Operation program. AB 660 also standardizes date labels starting July 1, 2026. If you want to sell cooked plates rather than baked goods, see the MEHKO guide. Official guidance.
What do I need to do to sell food from home in California?
Register Class A direct sales or apply for a Class B permit through county environmental health. Fees depend on the county. The 2026 Class A gross annual sales limit is $88,878; prepared meals use the separate MEHKO path where available. Official guidance.
What is the difference between a Class A and Class B cottage food permit in California?
Class A is for direct sales only — farmers markets, home, online orders, in-state shipping — with a 2026 gross annual sales cap of $88,878 (CDPH), county registration, and no home inspection. Class B adds indirect and wholesale sales to restaurants and stores, raises the 2026 gross annual sales cap to $177,756 (CDPH), and requires a permit plus a mandatory home kitchen inspection. Both classes may use third-party delivery. Official guidance.
What has to be on a California cottage food label?
Both classes must carry the disclaimer "Made in a Home Kitchen" in 12-point type on the principal display panel, along with your name, city, and zip, the permit number and issuing agency, the ingredients, net quantity in both English and metric units, your county, and the Big 9 allergens — which in California includes sesame. Official guidance.
Can I sell food in front of my house in California?
You can sell your registered cottage foods directly to customers, including from home, and take online orders and in-state shipping. Local zoning still applies, so a curbside stand may have city rules, but selling your CFO products directly is allowed. Third-party delivery is also permitted in California. Official guidance.
Do I need a cottage food license or permit in California?
Yes. Register Class A direct sales with your county environmental health department. Class B sales through shops or restaurants need a county permit and kitchen inspection; fees vary by county. Official guidance.
California cottage food laws: what is the short version?
Choose Class A for direct sales or Class B if shops will resell your products. In 2026 the gross annual sales limits are $88,878 and $177,756 respectively. Both paths need county approval and an eligible shelf-stable menu. Official guidance.
What foods can I sell from home in California?
Use the CDPH approved cottage food list for Class A and B. Prepared meals need a separate MEHKO permit where the local program allows it. Official guidance.