Cottage food rules
How to Get a License to Sell Sourdough (2026): 4 Steps
The exact steps and paperwork between a home sourdough habit and a legal sale.
On this page
- Do you need a license to sell sourdough at all?
- What California asks for: Class A or Class B
- The steps, in order
- What it costs to run this legally
- Mistakes that cost you money
- Selling online and at markets
- What to prepare before you file
- How to label and keep records
- What changes when you move or sell starter
- How to choose between Class A and Class B
What to remember
- In California, Class A is a county registration and Class B is a permit.
- Food safety certification applies to both classes.
- Prepackaged, labeled cottage food sold at a California farmers market does not need a separate Temporary Food Facility permit.
- Both classes may sell online and ship within California.
- Your state and county set the rules, so confirm yours before you bake for money.
Knowing how to get a license to sell sourdough comes down to two main questions for most home bakers. What does your state allow from a home kitchen, and what does your county want on file? California is a useful example because it splits home sellers into two groups, and several states use a similar shape. The steps below follow that order, from state law to county filing and then to labeling.
Do you need a license to sell sourdough at all?
If you sell sourdough to anyone outside your family, most states want something on file. Some call it a cottage food registration, some call it a permit, and a few states have no such law. The guide on whether you need a license walks through the difference, and the rules guides cover the rest. That filing is what makes the sale legal, and it comes before your first paid order.
What California asks for: Class A or Class B
California cottage food operations need a county registration for Class A or a permit for Class B, according to My Custom Bakes. Food safety certification applies to both classes, according to Food Handler Cert, and it is required. That certificate is the part new sellers most often leave until the last week before they sell. The county registration and the permit both come from your local health department, so start there.
The steps, in order
Check your state first
Look up whether your state has a cottage food law and what that law covers for home bakers. Sourdough counts as a baked good in most cottage food laws, but a few states have no such law.
Pick your class or tier
In California that means a Class A county registration or a Class B permit for your kitchen. Other states use different names for the same idea, so check your state’s terms.
Take the food safety course
California requires food safety certification for cottage food operations, and it applies to Class A and Class B alike.
File with your county
Send the registration or permit application to your county health department and keep a copy near where you bake.
Label and keep records
Prepackaged, labeled cottage food is what keeps you out of extra permit territory at California farmers markets.
What it costs to run this legally
Start with the price you charge for one loaf, then subtract the cost of flour, starter, salt, and bags. Next subtract what you pay yourself per hour times the hours you worked on that loaf. Then subtract overhead per loaf, which is $1 at 20 loaves and $20 a month for Brevl. Margin per loaf equals price minus ingredients minus labor minus overhead, and that is the number that matters.
Mistakes that cost you money
Selling online and at markets
Both Class A and Class B cottage food operations in California may sell online and ship or deliver anywhere within the state. That includes third party services like DoorDash, which covers a lot of ground for a home kitchen. If you take orders online, check the online selling rules for your state too. Shipping outside California is a different question, and the sources list does not answer it.
What to prepare before you file
Before you send anything to your county, confirm your state has a cottage food law that covers sourdough. Sourdough counts as a baked good in most cottage food laws, but a few states have no such law at all. Then pick your class or tier, because California uses a Class A registration and a Class B permit. Take the food safety course next, since California requires certification for both classes.
How to label and keep records
Prepackaged, labeled cottage food is what keeps you out of extra permit territory at California farmers markets. Keep every loaf wrapped and labeled, and keep a copy of your registration or permit near where you bake. Records of what you baked, what you sold, and what you paid help you see your margin later. They also help if your county asks questions about your operation, your labels, or your sales.
What changes when you move or sell starter
A cottage food registration in one state means nothing in the next, so moving your kitchen means starting the paperwork again. If you sell sourdough starter on the side, remember that starter is not the same product as a loaf. Starter can sit under different rules, so read the starter guide before you list it. That guide is linked below with the other rules pages, and it covers what starter needs.
How to choose between Class A and Class B
In California, Class A is a county registration and Class B is a permit for cottage food operations. Food safety certification applies to both classes, and that certificate is the part new sellers most often leave until the last week. Both classes may sell online and ship within California, including through third party delivery services. If you only sell prepackaged, labeled cottage food at farmers markets, a separate Temporary Food Facility permit is not required.
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Common questions
Do I need a license to sell sourdough from my home kitchen?
In most states, yes, once you sell to the public. California uses a county registration for Class A and a permit for Class B. Some states have a cottage food law with a lower bar. Check your state and county before your first paid order.
Does a food safety certificate cover sourdough?
In California, food safety certification applies to cottage food operations, and it covers Class A and Class B alike. That means the certificate is part of the path no matter which class you file under. Other states set their own training rules, so check yours.
Can I sell sourdough at a farmers market in California?
If you only sell prepackaged, labeled cottage food, a separate Temporary Food Facility permit is not required at California farmers markets. Keep every loaf wrapped and labeled. Anything you hand out unwrapped moves you into different rules, so ask the market manager as well as your county.
Can I ship sourdough to customers in another state?
In California, both Class A and Class B cottage food operations may sell online and ship or deliver anywhere in the state, including through third party delivery services. Shipping outside California is a different question, and the same guide does not answer it.
What does Brevl cost?
Brevl is one flat $20 a month with no cut of your sales, and a 14 day free trial. It works on a computer and a phone, takes card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, and keeps the cost of every recipe.
Sources
This is general information about licensing, not legal advice. Rules are set by your state and county and they change. Confirm the current requirements with your local health department before you sell.