Skip to article

Research by VibeKitchen

AB 1616 (2012), AB 1144 (2021), AB 626 (2018), AB 660 (2024); Cal. Health & Safety Code §113758, §114365 et seq.High confidence

Cottage food law · California

CaliforniaCottage Food Law

California cottage food law — what actually applies when you sell from home.

Here's what California allows under current cottage food rules: what you can sell, what you can't, and how to start legally.

Also in CaliforniaMEHKO: Sell prepared meals from home →

Why this matters

What California actually allows — and what it doesn't.

AB 1616 (2012) created cottage food law; AB 1144 (2021) raised caps to $75k/$150k with inflation adjustment; AB 626 (2018) authorized MEHKO operations; AB 660 (2024) standardizes date labels effective July 1, 2026.

Cottage Food—Two-Tier System:

Class A (Direct Sales):

2025 cap: $86,206 (inflation-adjusted from $75k base)

Annual revenue cap

$86,206 a year.

Annual gross cap

$86,206

AB 1616 (2012), AB 1144 (2021), AB 626 (2018), AB 660 (2024); Cal. Health & Safety Code §113758, §114365 et seq.

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 you can sell in California — and where you can't.

Online ordering

YesYes

Shipping

YesYes

Seller delivery

YesYes

Third-party delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats)

YesYes

Interstate sales

NoNo

Wholesale to retail stores

NoNo

Registration & permits

California requires registration before you sell.

Registration

Required

Type: permit

Registration cost

$100

Timeline

About 30 days

Labeling standard

AB660 Strict

Inspection

None

Food safety certification

Not required

Address privacy

Available

Via permit number

Prohibited categories

What you can't sell under cottage food rules.

  • 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.

  1. Confirm your products qualify

    Verify your menu fits California's cottage food rules. Most states restrict temperature-controlled, meat, seafood, and low-acid canned items; check the prohibited-foods list above.

  2. Register with your state agency

    California requires cottage food operators to register before selling. Registration cost is $100. Expect about 30 days for processing.

    California registration portal

  3. Label every product correctly

    Every label must include your name (or registered ID), product name, ingredients, allergens, and the statute-required disclaimer verbatim.

  4. Start taking orders

    California allows online orders, in-state shipping, seller delivery. Route orders through your own channels.

About VibeKitchen

The storefront tool this guide comes from.

VibeKitchen is a storefront and order-management tool for home food sellers — your own ordering page, your own checkout, your own customers. We’re the reason this guide exists: we had to research every state’s cottage food rules to build the product, and we’re publishing what we learned.