Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Laws in California: What It Really Costs
What California actually charges you, and who to ask before you bake a single batch.
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What to remember
- No single state fee exists, because the California Department of Public Health does not permit or register Cottage Food Operations.
- Your county or city handles permitting, so ask them what they charge before you print a single label.
- Only non-potentially hazardous foods on the CDPH Approved Cottage Food List are allowed.
- A Class A operation may not go over $75,000 in verifiable gross annual sales under AB 1144.
- A cottage food operation and a MEHKO both carry limits on gross dollar amount, number of employees, type of operation, and allowed foods, all within a single residence.
If you have been searching the state website for a California cottage food application and a fee schedule, that is why you cannot find one. The state page tells you what you may sell, not what your permit costs. Your county or city is the place that answers the money question. For a closer look at how one California city handles it, see Cottage Food Laws in Bakersfield, CA.
Why there is no state fee to look up
The California Department of Public Health does not post Cottage Food permit or registration documents on its website, because it does not permit or register Cottage Food Operations. What it does publish is the Approved Cottage Food List. Cottage food products allowed in the program must be non-potentially hazardous and must comply with that list. That part of the law shapes what you can bake and sell, and it applies no matter what your local office charges you.
The number the state does set: $75,000
Under AB 1144, a Class A cottage food operation may not have more than $75,000 in verifiable gross annual sales. That is the figure worth writing on the inside of your pantry door. Gross sales means what customers pay you, not what you keep after ingredients and packaging, so a busy year of birthday cakes and holiday trays can reach it faster than you expect.
It also means your pricing decisions and your paperwork decisions are the same decision. If you want to understand how the sales side gets reported, read Cottage Food Laws and Taxes before your first big month, not after.
What to ask before you pay anything
One phone call saves a lot of guessing. Ask these questions in this order and write the answers down.
Find your local office
Look up the environmental health office for the county or city where your kitchen is. That is the office that permits cottage food operations in California.
Ask the permit cost out loud
Ask what a cottage food permit costs, what that amount covers, how you pay it, and how often you deal with them again. Get the number from them, not from a forum post.
Check your product against the list
Confirm that what you want to sell is non-potentially hazardous and appears on the CDPH Approved Cottage Food List. See Cottage Food Laws and Regulations for how that list works.
Ask what they need from your kitchen
Ask whether they want to see your home kitchen before you sell, and what they look for. Follow their answer exactly.
Write the cost into your prices
Once you have the real number, spread it across the bakes you expect to sell in a year so a single cake is not carrying the whole fee.
One more thing worth knowing before you plan a menu: a cottage food operation and a MEHKO both carry limits on gross dollar amount, number of employees, type of operation, and allowed foods, all within a single residence. If you are weighing those two paths, start with Cottage Food Laws by State to see how California sits next to everywhere else.
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The honest answer to what California cottage food laws cost is that the state charges you nothing to look it up and your local office sets the bill. Call them, confirm your bake is on the approved list, keep your gross sales in view, and price every recipe so the fee is a line item instead of a surprise.
Common questions
Does California charge a cottage food fee?
Not at the state level. The California Department of Public Health does not permit or register Cottage Food Operations, so permitting happens at the local level. Ask your county or city office what they charge.
How much can I sell as a Class A cottage food operation in California?
Under AB 1144, a Class A cottage food operation may not have more than $75,000 in verifiable gross annual sales.
Where do I download the application and fee schedule?
You will not find them on the CDPH website. The department does not post Cottage Food permit or registration documents there because it does not permit or register Cottage Food Operations. Contact your local permitting office instead.
What foods am I allowed to sell?
Cottage food products allowed in the program must be non-potentially hazardous and must comply with the Approved Cottage Food List maintained by the California Department of Public Health.
Is a cottage food operation the same as a MEHKO?
They are separate paths, and both carry limits on gross dollar amount, number of employees, type of operation, and allowed foods within a single residence.
Sources
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Permits and costs are set by your local office and can change, so confirm with them before you sell.