Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Laws in Placer County: What to Know
A clear walk through Placer County cottage food rules so you can sell legally.
On this page
What to remember
- Cottage food operations in Placer County register or get a permit through the county’s Environmental Health office.
- Baked goods, jams, and candy are named by the county as allowed cottage foods.
- The person who prepares or packages the food needs a Food Safety Manager Certification or a California Food Handler’s Card.
- Selling at a temporary event means a Temporary Food Facility permit, and that applies to cottage food operators too.
The rules are set at the state level and carried out locally, so California is the frame and Placer County is the office you actually deal with. If you bake in another county or state, the same shape of rule applies with different details, which is why cottage food laws by state is worth a read before you plan. Bakers in bigger metros run into the same split between state law and local permits, as you can see in Cottage Food Laws in Los Angeles.
Who does what
The California Department of Public Health does not permit or register cottage food operations itself. What it does is keep the approved list of foods a cottage food operation may make. The county does the registering. In Placer County that means Environmental Health, and the California Retail Food Code is what sets the cottage food operation requirements that the county applies to your home kitchen.
One requirement sits on you rather than on the kitchen. A person who prepares or packages cottage food products must hold either a Food Safety Manager Certification or a California Food Handler’s Card. Sort that out early, because it is tied to the person doing the work, not to the address.
What you can make at home
The county points to baked goods, jams, and candy as examples of what is allowed from a home kitchen under the cottage food rules. The full list of approved foods comes from the state, not from the county office, so check anything new you want to add to your menu against that list before you bake a test batch for a paying customer.
Selling at markets, fairs, and pop ups
A cottage food registration does not cover everything. Placer County requires all vendors, and that includes nonprofits, restaurants, and cottage food operators, to apply for a Temporary Food Facility permit. If your plan involves a market table or a weekend event, leave time for that application alongside your cottage food paperwork.
The steps, in order
Check your food against the state list
Confirm what you want to sell is on the California approved list for cottage food operations. Baked goods, jams, and candy are named by Placer County as allowed examples.
Get your food safety card
The person who prepares or packages the products needs a Food Safety Manager Certification or a California Food Handler’s Card.
Register or get your permit with the county
Apply to Placer County Environmental Health for your cottage food operation registration or permit before you sell anything.
Add a temporary permit for events
Apply for a Temporary Food Facility permit for any market, fair, or pop up where you plan to sell.
Set up how you take orders
Once the county paperwork is in hand, decide how customers order and pay. Brevl takes card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash.
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Common questions
Do I need a permit to sell cookies from my home in Placer County?
Yes. Cottage food operations must be registered or permitted through Placer County Environmental Health before you sell. Selling without that registration or permit can result in the operation being closed and the food impounded.
What food safety certificate do I need?
Either a Food Safety Manager Certification or a California Food Handler's Card, held by the person who prepares or packages the cottage food products.
Can I sell at a farmers market with my cottage food registration?
You also need a Temporary Food Facility permit. Placer County requires all vendors, including cottage food operators, to apply for one.
Who decides which foods I am allowed to make?
The California Department of Public Health maintains the approved list of foods cottage food operations may make. The county registers the operation; the state sets the list.
What happens if I sell before I register?
Placer County states that selling homemade food without a valid cottage food operation registration or permit can result in closure of the operation and impoundment of illegally produced food.
Sources
This is general information about cottage food rules, not legal advice. Requirements can change, so confirm the current rules with Placer County Environmental Health before you sell.