CottageFoodTool California

California · Cottage Food

Part of our walk-through for all 50 US states — see every state.

California cottage food label requirements and Class A/B permit checklist

Answer a few plain-English questions about what you make and how you want to sell it. We check it against California's Class A/Class B cottage food rules, flag anything that isn't allowed, and build you a personalized checklist and a printable food label. One place, no legal jargon.

Free permit walk-through Free label generation Free checklist
Free customized label/checklist after walk-through completion

Built from public CDPH guidance and the California Homemade Food Act. Not legal advice and not county/CDPH approval — rules and CPI-adjusted caps change, so verify final requirements with CDPH or your county environmental health department before selling.

  • Free permit walk-throughSee right away whether you fit Class A registration or need a Class B permit and inspection.
  • Free checklistYour answers folded into the class-specific prep steps, ready to print or save as PDF.
  • Free label generationAll the required California label fields, assembled into a printable label draft.

Can I sell homemade food in California?

Often yes, under California's two-class cottage food system. Class A covers direct-to-consumer sales only (home, farmers markets, events, and phone/online/mail orders inside California) with a county registration and no home-kitchen inspection, capped at a statutory base of $75,000/year. Class B adds indirect sales through a store, restaurant, or other third party, but requires a county permit and an annual kitchen inspection, capped at a statutory base of $150,000/year. Both caps rise a little each year with inflation. The wizard below checks the choices that commonly change the answer.

CDPH — Cottage Food Operations HSC § 113758 HSC § 114365.2

California label requirements

  • "Made in a Home Kitchen" or "Repackaged in a Home Kitchen" in 12-point type on the principal display panel
  • Product's common or adequately descriptive name
  • Ingredients in descending order by weight (2+ ingredients)
  • Cottage food operation name
  • Registration/permit number plus the issuing county
  • Net weight or volume

Common cottage food blockers

  • Customers or shipments outside California
  • Dairy, cheese, meat, poultry, or seafood
  • Foods that require refrigeration
  • Pickled, acidified, or low-acid canned foods
  • More than one non-family employee
  • Gross sales above your class's cap ($75,000 Class A / $150,000 Class B statutory base, CPI-adjusted)

California rule review

What this California checker reviews before you print a label

The page is built from CDPH — Cottage Food Operations and the cited official sources below, then turns those rules into a practical pre-sale review.

Sales path

  • Direct from my home
  • Farmers markets / certified farm stands
  • Bake sales, food swaps, or other events
  • Online, phone, or mail orders fulfilled to customers inside California
  • A retail store, restaurant, or other third party that resells it

Product fit

  • Baked goods without cream, custard, or meat fillings (breads, cookies, muffins, fruit-only pies — not pumpkin)
  • Candy or chocolate
  • Roasted or pasteurized nuts
  • Dried fruit, granola, cereal, trail mix, or dried pasta
  • Dry mixes, dried herbs, spice blends, or dried tea (repackaged, not cooked)
  • Nuts, nut mixes, or nut butters

Label draft fields

  • Product name
  • Ingredients
  • Net weight or volume
  • Cottage food operation name
  • Registration/permit number + county
  • City
  • Major allergen statement

Final wording should be checked against Health & Safety Code § 114365.2 (labeling) before printing.

Needs extra review

A retail store, restaurant, or other third party that resells it

Selling through a third party that resells your product makes you a Class B cottage food operation — this needs a county permit and an annual home-kitchen inspection, not just registration, and your sales cap changes.

Health & Safety Code § 113758 (CFO / Class A / Class B definitions)

Needs extra review

Vinegar or mustard

Plain vinegar and plain mustard (without eggs) are approved. Fruit-infused vinegar is only approved with specific high-acid fruits (e.g. apple, cherry, lemon, lime, grape, raspberry) — other fruit or vegetable infusions aren't covered.

CDPH — Approved Cottage Food List

Needs extra review

Honey or sorghum syrup

Honey and sorghum syrup are approved cottage food only when pure, with no additional ingredients — flavored or infused honey isn't covered.

CDPH — Approved Cottage Food List

Needs extra review

Extracts (fruit, vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, or clove) at or above 70 proof / 35% food-grade alcohol

Alcohol-based extracts are approved cottage food only for a specific list of flavors (apple, apricot, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, clove, cranberry, grapefruit, kiwi, lemon, lime, orange, peach, pear, pineapple, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry, tangerine, vanilla — or combinations of those) and only at or above 70 proof / 35% food-grade alcohol. Other flavors (e.g. almond, mint, coconut) or weaker alcohol strength aren't covered.

CDPH — Approved Cottage Food List

Needs extra review

Frostings, icings, fondants, or gum pastes

Frostings/icings/fondants/gum pastes are approved cottage food when made without fresh cream, cream cheese, or raw eggs — versions using meringue powder, powdered eggs, or pasteurized eggs are fine, but fresh cream, cream cheese, or raw egg versions need refrigeration and fall outside the approved list.

CDPH — Approved Cottage Food List

California permit prep

California cottage food permit steps

This is the shortest practical order for getting from idea to permit-ready label draft without missing the class-specific requirements.

Step 1

Confirm the product, sales channels, and class fit

Start with the Approved Cottage Food List, shelf-stability, and whether your sales channels keep you on Class A (direct-only) or push you to Class B (adds third-party retail, needs a permit and inspection).

Step 2

Register (Class A) or get permitted and inspected (Class B) with your county

CDPH sets the statewide rules, but your county environmental health department handles the registration or permit paperwork, fee, and — for Class B — the annual home-kitchen inspection.

Step 3

Get everyone their food handler course

You, any employee, and any household member who preps or packages food need an ANSI-accredited food handler course within 3 months of registering or permitting, renewed every 3 years.

Step 4

Build the label with the required California fields

Include the 12-point "Made in a Home Kitchen" or "Repackaged in a Home Kitchen" statement, product name, ingredients by weight, operation name, and registration/permit number plus county.

California FAQ

California cottage food FAQ

These are the questions most likely to show up before someone commits to the full walk-through.

Do I need a permit to sell cottage food in California?

It depends on your class. Class A needs county registration only (no home-kitchen inspection). Class B, which allows selling through stores or restaurants, needs a county permit and an annual home-kitchen inspection.

What's the difference between Class A and Class B in California?

Class A is direct-to-consumer sales only (home, farmers markets, events, phone/online/mail orders inside California), capped at a statutory base of $75,000/year. Class B adds indirect sales through a third-party retailer, capped at a statutory base of $150,000/year, but requires a permit and annual kitchen inspection.

Can I ship cottage food in California?

Yes, but only to customers inside California — phone, online, and mail orders fulfilled in-state are a direct sale under Class A. Sales or shipments to customers outside California aren't covered.

What has to be on a California cottage food label?

The core fields are "Made in a Home Kitchen" (or "Repackaged in a Home Kitchen") in 12-point type, the product's name, ingredients by weight, your cottage food operation name, and your registration/permit number plus the issuing county.