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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 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.
"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 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.