2026 reference
California Cottage Food Law
California's cottage food law sets an annual revenue cap of $88,878 (Class A) / $177,756 (Class B) in 2026 and a permit (County cottage food registration (Class A) or permit (Class B)) is required before the first sale. Class A: direct sales, farmers markets, community events, and online with in-state delivery. Class B adds indirect retail/wholesale (restaurants, grocery stores, cafes, gift shops). Interstate shipping is excluded for both classes.
Watch for: The Class A vs. Class B choice is about indirect retail/wholesale access — not about online sales. Class A can sell online with in-state delivery; Class B unlocks placement on retail shelves and restaurant menus. Pick the class that matches your sales plan, not your channel mix.
Key facts
Read the full California cottage food law guide
Editorial guide with statute citations, special-program details, label requirements, and complete FAQ coverage.
Where you can sell
Class A: direct sales, farmers markets, community events, and online with in-state delivery. Class B adds indirect retail/wholesale (restaurants, grocery stores, cafes, gift shops). Interstate shipping is excluded for both classes.
- Direct (in-person)
- Farmers markets
- Online (in-state)
- In-state mail
- Retail / grocery
- Restaurants / food service
What's required before your first sale
Class A: county registration, renewed annually, plus a CDPH-approved food processor course within 3 months of registering (retaken every 3 years); no kitchen inspection. Class B: county permit, renewed annually, with an initial kitchen inspection and up to one routine inspection a year. An operation may have one full-time-equivalent employee who is not a family or household member. Caps are adjusted each year by the California CPI.
Allowed and excluded foods
Permitted under cottage food
- baked goods
- candies and confections
- jams and jellies
- fruit butters
- dried fruit
- dried tea and herbs
- roasted coffee
- granola and cereals
- popcorn
- dry baking mixes
Excluded from cottage food
- acidified canned goods
- low-acid canned goods
- fermented foods (except vinegar)
- most pickled products
- hot foods
- refrigerated items
- meat and poultry products
- dairy products
Label requirements
- "Made in a Home Kitchen" (or "Repackaged in a Home Kitchen", with a description of any purchased ready-to-eat item) in 12-point type on the principal display panel (HSC §114365.2(e)(1))
- Common or descriptive name of the product
- Name of the cottage food operation, with its city and zip code (CDPH adds the street address if the operation is not listed in a current telephone directory)
- Registration or permit number and the name of the county that issued it
- Ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight, if two or more ingredients
- Allergen disclosures for the major nine allergens and other labeling required by the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
- Net weight or volume
- Advertising, including websites and social media, must show the county of approval, the permit or registration number, and "Made in a Home Kitchen" (HSC §114365.2(f))
Generate your California disclosure label in one click
Ardent Seller assembles a print-ready cottage food label for California from data you already track — the state's required disclosure statement rendered verbatim (and sized to meet the state's minimum type size where one applies), your operator info, ingredients in descending order by weight, the federal "Contains:" allergen line, net weight, and lot code. A validation checklist flags anything California requires that's missing before you print. Included on every plan.
Adjacent programs
Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO)
Separate program authorized by AB 626 that lets home cooks prepare and sell hot, refrigerated, or perishable meals directly to consumers. Limited to 30 meals/day, 90 meals/week, $100K gross/year. Requires county environmental health permitting and is only available in counties that have opted in (~12 counties as of 2026).
Frequently asked questions
How much can I make under California cottage food law?
California has a two-tier gross-revenue cap codified in California Health and Safety Code Section 113758: Class A Cottage Food Operations (direct sales only) start from a $75,000 statutory base, and Class B Cottage Food Operations (direct plus indirect sales through retailers) from a $150,000 base. Both are adjusted each January by the California Consumer Price Index; CDPH lists the 2026 limits as $88,878 for Class A and $177,756 for Class B.
What is the difference between Class A and Class B in California?
Class A Cottage Food Operations may sell only directly to consumers — at your home, at certified farmers markets, at community events, by in-state delivery, or by in-state pickup. Class A is registered through the county environmental health office and does not require a kitchen inspection. Class B may sell directly AND indirectly through third-party retailers such as restaurants, grocery stores, and cafes, but requires a county permit with an initial kitchen inspection and up to one routine inspection a year. Both classes are limited to the same approved foods list and prohibited from interstate shipping.
Do I need a permit or license for cottage food in California?
Yes. Every California cottage food operator must register (Class A) or obtain a permit (Class B) through the county environmental health department where the kitchen is located. Class A does not require an in-person inspection; Class B requires an initial kitchen inspection, and both renew annually. Both classes require the operator to complete a CDPH-approved food processor course within three months of registration and retake it every three years, per California Health and Safety Code Section 114365.2(d).
Can I sell hot sauce, pickles, or canned goods under California cottage food law?
Generally no. California cottage food law excludes acidified canned goods, low-acid canned goods, fermented foods (other than fermented vinegar), and most pickled products from the approved list. The narrow exceptions are jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit butters made from fruits that meet federal standards of identity, and fruit-infused vinegars made with high-acid fruits. This is the single biggest contrast with states like Texas.
Can I ship California cottage food across state lines?
No. California cottage food sales are limited to within California. Interstate shipping triggers federal jurisdiction (FDA), which does not recognize state cottage food exemptions. Online sales within California are permitted under both Class A and Class B as long as the buyer is in California and delivery is in-state.
What is MEHKO and how is it different from cottage food?
MEHKO stands for Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation — a separate program authorized by AB 626 (2018) that lets home cooks prepare and sell hot, refrigerated, or perishable meals directly to consumers. MEHKO is limited to 30 meals per day, 90 meals per week, and $100,000 gross per calendar year (adjusted for inflation) — limits raised by AB 1325 (2023). MEHKO requires county environmental health permitting and is only available in counties that have actively opted into the program.
Sources
- CDPH — Cottage Food Operations
- Forrager — cottage food law database
- California Health & Safety Code §113758
- California Health & Safety Code §114365.2 — labeling, training, and advertising
- CDPH — Cottage Food Operation Adjusted Gross Annual Sales Limit (2026)
- CDPH — Labeling Requirements for Cottage Food Products
- AB 1144 (2021) — two-tier cap structure
- AB 626 (2018) — MEHKO authorizing statute
Reference content only — not legal advice. State laws change frequently. Verify against the official source before launching.
Tools that work with California
Compare with nearby states
Run your California cottage food business in one place
Ardent Seller tracks ingredients, batches, labels, and revenue against your state's cap — built for cottage food producers.