California Cottage Food Law (2026): Class A and B, Limits and Labels
At a glance
- Registration or permit
- Required. Class A registers and Class B gets a permit, both through the county environmental health department, renewed every year. One county’s registration or permit is valid statewide.
- Annual sales limit (2026)
- $88,878 for Class A and $177,756 for Class B, adjusted each year for inflation
- Allowed foods
- Only foods on CDPH’s Approved Cottage Foods List, such as bread, cookies, fruit pies, candy, dried foods, fruit jams, pure honey, roasted nuts and vinegar
- Not allowed
- Anything not on the list, including cheesecake and custard pies, pumpkin pie, salsa, pickles, hot sauce, canned foods, pepper jelly and meat fillings
- Where you can sell
- Class A: directly to consumers anywhere in California, in person, by phone, online, by mail or with third-party delivery. Class B: also through permitted retail shops and restaurants.
- Training required
- Yes, a cottage food operator course within three months of registration or permit
Who the California cottage food law covers
A cottage food operation is run by a cottage food operator from the private home where they live, in the registered or permitted area of that home. It can have no more than one full-time equivalent employee, not counting family or household members. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) does not register or permit cottage food operations; it maintains the list of approved foods. Registration and permits come from your county environmental health department (the local enforcement agency), and they must be renewed every year.
Class A vs. Class B
California has two classes of cottage food operations. Both can sell anywhere in the state, but they differ in who they can sell to and how they are approved.
| Class A | Class B | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get approved | Register with your county environmental health department and submit a self-certification checklist | Get a permit from your county environmental health department |
| Who you can sell to | Consumers only (direct sales) | Consumers, plus permitted shops, restaurants and other retail food facilities (direct and indirect sales) |
| Inspections | Self-certification; CDPH lists no routine inspection for Class A | Not more than one routine inspection a year, plus visits on a consumer complaint |
| 2026 gross annual sales limit | $88,878 | $177,756 |
| Where in California | Statewide | Statewide |
What you can sell
Cottage food products must be non-potentially hazardous foods on CDPH’s Approved Cottage Foods List. The list has ten categories:
- baked goods without cream, custard or meat fillings;
- candy and confections;
- extracts made with at least 70 proof (35%) food-grade alcohol, for the flavors listed;
- dried, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods;
- frostings, icings, fondants and gum pastes without fresh eggs, cream or cream cheese;
- pure honey and sorghum syrups;
- fruit butters, preserves, jams and jellies made only with fruits listed in Part 150 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations;
- roasted or pasteurized nuts, nut mixes and nut butters;
- powdered beverage bases and mixes;
- vinegars and plain mustards without eggs.
Eggs are fine in baked goods that are dry once baked, such as cookies or cake, but not in custards or curds. CDPH explains that salsa, pickles, hot sauce, pepper jelly and other canned or acidified foods carry a risk of botulism, and that custard-style pies such as pumpkin and sweet potato are too moist to be safe at room temperature.
| Food | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Bread, bagels, cookies, cakes, cupcakes and muffins | Yes |
| Fruit pies, fruit empanadas and fruit tamales | Yes fruit only, no pumpkin |
| Candy, chocolate, fudge, toffee and brittles | Yes |
| Dried fruit, granola, trail mix, baking mixes and roasted coffee | Yes |
| Fruit jams, jellies, preserves and fruit butters | Yes only fruits listed in 21 CFR Part 150 |
| Honey and sorghum syrup | Yes pure, with no added ingredients |
| Roasted nuts, nut mixes and nut butters | Yes |
| Vinegars and plain mustards | Yes |
| Powdered drink mixes and tea | Yes |
| Frostings and icings | Yes, with conditions no cream, cream cheese or eggs other than pasteurized, powdered eggs or meringue powder |
| Cheesecake, custard and cream-filled baked goods | No |
| Pumpkin and sweet potato pie | No |
| Salsa | No |
| Pickles, hot sauce and other canned foods | No |
| Pepper jelly | No |
| Meat-filled baked goods | No |
Sales limits and registration
The law sets the base limits at $75,000 for Class A and $150,000 for Class B in verifiable gross annual sales and adjusts them each year using the California Consumer Price Index. CDPH’s adjustment table for 2026 (effective January 1, 2026) sets the limits at $88,878 for Class A and $177,756 for Class B. Keep records that show your sales.
To start, contact your county environmental health department. Class A operations register and submit a self-certification checklist confirming that they meet the operating rules. Class B operations apply for a permit. Either way, a registration or permit from one county lets you operate throughout the state, and it must be renewed every year.
California cottage food label requirements
Labels must meet state and federal rules, be legible and be in English. They must include:
- the words “Made in a Home Kitchen” (or “Repackaged in a Home Kitchen”) in 12-point type on the principal display panel;
- the common or descriptive name of the product on the principal display panel;
- the name, city and zip code of your operation, plus the street address if you are not listed in a current telephone directory;
- your registration or permit number and the name of the county that issued it;
- the ingredients in descending order of weight, if there are two or more;
- the net quantity (count, weight or volume) in both English and metric units;
- a plain-language declaration of any major food allergens.
A Nutrition Facts panel is generally not required unless you make a nutrient content or health claim. Packaging that touches the food must be food-grade. When a Class B product is served unpackaged in a restaurant or used as an ingredient, the retailer must tell customers it was made in a cottage food home kitchen.
in 12-point type on the principal display panel
your registration or permit number and the county that issued it
Anytown, CA 90000
name, city and zip code; add the street address if you are not listed in a current phone directory
in descending order of weight
declare any major allergen in plain language
Where you can sell
- Direct sales (Class A and B): to consumers at holiday bazaars, bake sales and other temporary events, farm stands, certified farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture subscriptions, from your home, and by phone, internet or any other digital method. A direct sale can be fulfilled in person, by mail or with any third-party delivery service.
- Indirect sales (Class B only): through a permitted third-party retailer, such as a retail shop or a restaurant or other food facility where food is eaten on site.
- All sales must take place within California.
Training and operating rules
You must complete a cottage food operator (food processor) course within three months of being registered or permitted. While you make cottage foods you must also follow these operating rules:
- no other domestic activities in the kitchen at the same time, such as family meals, dishwashing, laundry or entertaining guests;
- no infants, small children or pets in the kitchen during preparation, packaging or handling;
- equipment and utensils clean and in good repair, and food contact surfaces washed, rinsed and sanitized before each use;
- food preparation and storage areas free of vermin;
- no smoking in areas used for cottage food while products are being made, packaged, stored or handled.
The cottage food rules do not require liability insurance, but some markets and retailers ask for it. See our guide to liability, risk and insurance.
Local zoning and HOAs
California Government Code section 51035 says a city or county cannot prohibit a cottage food operation in a residential dwelling. Each city or county must either treat it as a permitted residential use, grant a nondiscretionary permit, or require a use permit that must be granted if the operation meets local rules on spacing, traffic, parking and noise. Review fees cannot exceed the cost of the review, and running a cottage food operation is not a change of occupancy under building and fire codes. These rules do not override private agreements, so check your HOA covenants and lease first.
Cottage food vs. MEHKO (home kitchen restaurants)
A microenterprise home kitchen operation (MEHKO) is a different program: a small home-based restaurant that can sell prepared meals, including foods that need refrigeration. It is available only where the county or city has adopted a local ordinance; Los Angeles County, for example, began issuing MEHKO permits in November 2024. CDPH’s adjustment table puts the MEHKO gross annual sales limit at $110,442 for 2026. Los Angeles County’s guidance adds that a MEHKO may sell up to 30 meals a day and 90 a week, needs a permit with an initial inspection, and cannot be run in the same home as a cottage food operation. Check with your county environmental health department to see whether MEHKOs are allowed where you live.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell food from home in California?
Yes, as a cottage food operation, if you register (Class A) or get a permit (Class B) from your county environmental health department, take the operator course within three months and make only foods on the Approved Cottage Foods List. If your county allows MEHKOs, a MEHKO permit is another way to sell home-cooked meals.
What is the difference between Class A and Class B?
Class A can sell only directly to consumers and registers with a self-certification checklist. Class B can also sell through permitted shops and restaurants, needs a permit and can be inspected up to once a year on a routine basis.
What is the California cottage food sales limit in 2026?
$88,878 for Class A and $177,756 for Class B, based on CDPH’s inflation adjustment effective January 1, 2026.
Can I sell cottage food online or ship it?
Yes, within California. Direct sales can be made by phone, internet or any digital method and fulfilled in person, by mail or by a third-party delivery service.
Do I need a permit from my city too?
Possibly. Cities and counties cannot ban cottage food operations, but they may require a nondiscretionary permit or a use permit under Government Code section 51035. Ask your city or county planning department.
Can I sell pickles, salsa or cheesecake?
No. These foods are not on the Approved Cottage Foods List because they need refrigeration or carry a risk of botulism.
Note on conflicting sources
Several CDPH web pages still give the original $75,000 and $150,000 limits, while CDPH’s own 2026 adjustment table sets them at $88,878 and $177,756. We use the adjusted figures, which the law requires. CDPH’s labeling guide lists eight major allergens; federal law has also recognized sesame since January 1, 2023, so declare sesame too. CDPH has proposed adding chocolate and nut spread to the approved list, with an updated list expected on or about November 16, 2026, so check the current list before you start.
Official sources
- California Department of Public Health (CDPH): Cottage Food Operations
- CDPH: Cottage Food Operation Requirements
- CDPH: Approved Cottage Foods List (reviewed April 2026) and Notice to Amend the Approved Cottage Food List (October 2026)
- CDPH: Cottage Food Operation Adjusted Gross Annual Sales Limit 2026
- CDPH: Labeling Requirements for Cottage Food Products (revised January 2025)
- CDPH: Frequently Asked Questions About Cottage Food, and Assembly Bill 1144 fact sheet
- California Health and Safety Code (California Retail Food Code) sections 113758 and 114365, and Government Code section 51035 (Assembly Bill 1616, 2012)
- CDPH: Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation Adjusted Gross Annual Sales Limit 2026; Los Angeles County Department of Public Health: MEHKO Frequently Asked Questions
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Food Allergies (FASTER Act, sesame)