the california cottage food law, in plain english

what you can sell from your home kitchen in california, who you register with, where you can sell, and what the label has to say. checked against the state’s own pages on october 14, 2026.

by tommy + omarchecked october 14, 2026

california: register first, an $88,878 sales cap, sell online, ship within the state. tap any state to see its rules.

on this page

1at a glance 2what you can sell 3how to start 4where you can sell 5labels 6what’s changed 7good to know 8questions 9sources

the short answer

yes, you can sell homemade food from your home kitchen in california under the cottage food law. register with your county environmental health department as class a (direct sales only, up to $88,878 in 2026) or get a class b permit (you can also sell through local shops and restaurants, up to $177,756). take a food processor course within three months, label everything “made in a home kitchen,” and sell in person, online or by mail anywhere in california. only foods on the state’s approved list are allowed, so no cheesecake, cream pies or salsa.

california cottage food rules at a glance

california cottage food rules at a glance
the law	california homemade food act (cottage food law) (california health and safety code, sections 113758 and 114365 to 114365.6)
who runs it	your county environmental health department; the california department of public health (cdph) keeps the approved foods list
registration	yes class a registration or class b permit from your county environmental health department (set by your county). renewed every year
kitchen inspection	limitedsometimes
training	yesa food processor course (an ansi accredited food handler course) within three months of registering, then every three years
yearly sales cap	$88,878 a year for class a, $177,756 for class b (2026 limits, adjusted each year)
selling from your home	yes
selling at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, bake sales, farm stands and other events
selling online orders	yesphone, internet and app orders count as direct sales
selling delivering it yourself	yesyou, the mail, or any third-party delivery service
selling shipping within the state	yesby mail anywhere in california
selling shipping to other states	nosales must happen within california
selling to stores, cafes and restaurants	limitedclass b only: to permitted shops, cafes and restaurants in california

what can you sell from home in california?

you can sell

breads, bagels, tortillas and cookies
cakes, cupcakes and brownies
fruit pies (not pumpkin)
buttercream made with butter, fondant and flat icing
candy, fudge, toffee and freeze-dried candy
fruit jams, jellies and fruit butters
granola, dried fruit and roasted coffee
honey and roasted nuts

you can’t sell

cheesecake, custard and cream pies
pumpkin and sweet potato pie
frosting made with cream or cream cheese
salsa, pickles and hot sauce
pepper jelly
baked goods with meat fillings

these are examples, not the full list. check the your county environmental health department; the california department of public health (cdph) keeps the approved foods list before you sell something new.

how do you start a cottage food business in california?

register: a class a registration or class b permit from your county environmental health department from the your county environmental health department; the california department of public health (cdph) keeps the approved foods list. it costs set by your county. you renew it every year. start here.
get your kitchen inspected if the agency asks.
take the training: a food processor course (an ansi accredited food handler course) within three months of registering, then every three years.
label everything the way the law asks (below).
start selling in the ways california allows, and keep track of your sales if there’s a cap.

where and how can you sell in california?

from your home	yes
at farmers markets and events	yesfarmers markets, bake sales, farm stands and other events
online orders	yesphone, internet and app orders count as direct sales
delivering it yourself	yesyou, the mail, or any third-party delivery service
shipping within the state	yesby mail anywhere in california
shipping to other states	nosales must happen within california
to stores, cafes and restaurants	limitedclass b only: to permitted shops, cafes and restaurants in california

on wareby, food is always pickup or delivery by the shop, never a courier and never shipped, which fits the rules in every state. how to sell food online from home.

what goes on a cottage food label in california?

“Made in a Home Kitchen”
the statement california requires on your label

the label also needs:

the statement in 12-point type on the front label
the product’s common name
your business name, city and zip code (add a street address if you’re not in a phone directory)
your registration or permit number and the county that issued it
ingredients, in order by weight
net quantity in both us and metric units
major allergens

what’s changed in california, and what’s coming?

when	what
about november 16, 2026	cdph plans to add chocolate and nut spreads to the approved foods list (coming)
january 1, 2026	the yearly sales limits rose to $88,878 for class a and $177,756 for class b
january 1, 2022	ab 1144 raised the limits to $75,000 and $150,000 with yearly inflation increases, allowed mail and third-party delivery, and let one county’s registration cover the whole state

what else should you know in california?

your home county’s registration or permit covers sales anywhere in california, and it renews every year.
you can have one full-time employee, not counting family or household members.
while you’re making cottage food, no other kitchen activity, small children or pets are allowed in the kitchen.
perishable meals aren’t cottage food; some counties offer a separate microenterprise home kitchen (mehko) permit for those.

questions people ask

do i need a license to sell baked goods from home in california?

yes. you need a class a registration or class b permit from your county environmental health department from the your county environmental health department; the california department of public health (cdph) keeps the approved foods list. it costs set by your county.

can i sell cottage food online in california?

yes. phone, internet and app orders count as direct sales.

can i ship cottage food in california?

yes, within california: by mail anywhere in california. you can’t ship to other states. sales must happen within california.

how much can i sell from home in california?

up to $88,878 a year for class a, $177,756 for class b (2026 limits, adjusted each year).

can i sell to stores or coffee shops in california?

with limits: class b only: to permitted shops, cafes and restaurants in california.

what can’t i sell from home in california?

the usual no’s: cheesecake, custard and cream pies, pumpkin and sweet potato pie, frosting made with cream or cream cheese, salsa, pickles and hot sauce, pepper jelly. check with the your county environmental health department; the california department of public health (cdph) keeps the approved foods list before you sell something new.

sources

this is general information to help you get started, not legal advice. we checked it against california’s own pages on october 14, 2026, and laws change, so confirm with the your county environmental health department; the california department of public health (cdph) keeps the approved foods list (and your city or county) before you sell. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com.

written by tommy + omar

we sold cinnamon rolls from home as minnesota cottage food producers before we opened a licensed kitchen and built wareby. our story