Selling homemade food in California

Learn how to sell homemade food in California: kitchen requirements, permits, food safety training, official forms and permitted sales channels.

Research checked: October 13, 2026

Home food rules in California

Cottage foods: Class A registration or Class B permit. Cottage foods must appear on the CDPH approved foods list. Home-cooked meals use a different pathway. MEHKO means Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation.

Sales channels for qualifying home foods

CFO sales include online orders and delivery; retail resale requires Class B. Check the annual inflation-adjusted sales limit linked by CDPH.

Markets and events
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Home pickup
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Delivery
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Online orders
Allowed under the qualifying home-food route
Retail and wholesale
Confirm with the authority

Permits and kitchen approval

Cooked home meals may use MEHKO only in a jurisdiction that has authorized it, with a local permit, inspection and operating limits. MEHKO is separate from cottage foods; confirm whether your exact catering or meal-prep model qualifies. MEHKO online listings also depend on the platform’s IFSI (Internet Food Service Intermediary) requirements; confirm the provider’s eligibility.

Your steps in this location

Check every food and ingredient Required
Cottage foods must appear on the CDPH approved foods list. Home-cooked meals use a different pathway. MEHKO means Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation.
Complete the right paperwork Required
Apply locally: Class A registration and self-certification for direct sales, or Class B permit and inspection for indirect sales.
Complete accepted food-safety training Required
Complete approved cottage-food training within three months of registration or permitting.
Review your kitchen, water and sanitation Confirm locally
Check the official program’s preparation, storage, pets, cleaning, water testing and inspection conditions. Ask before changing the production location.
Confirm how customers can order and receive food Confirm locally
CFO sales include online orders and delivery; retail resale requires Class B. Check the annual inflation-adjusted sales limit linked by CDPH.
Prepare labels and check local business rules Required
Follow the current program’s ingredient, allergen, producer and disclosure requirements. Check city or county zoning, business registration and applicable taxes.

Forms and official resources

California official home-food rules and application resources
Guide
CFO requirements and local registration
Guide
Cottage Food and MEHKO FAQs
Guide
Internet Food Service Intermediary requirements
Guide

Local requirements

Confirm before selling

Research checked October 13, 2026. Confirm the current forms, fees, sales limits and product-specific conditions with the named authority before opening.

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Four different things people mix up

A certificate does not let you open. Each of these is its own step, and you may need more than one.

Food safety certificate
Proves you passed training. It does not approve your kitchen or business.
Food business permit
Authorizes a specific operation, where one is required.
Notification or registration
Telling the health authority you are operating. A separate process.
Business license
Your city’s home-occupation or business approval. Also separate.

Federal and business rules to check in the US

The details depend on your product and selling method. Check the applicable requirements and exemptions.

Labels and allergens
Check product identity, ingredients, major allergens including sesame, net quantity, producer details and your state’s home-kitchen disclosure. Check whether a nutrition-label exemption actually applies.
Selling across state lines
An online order does not automatically permit interstate shipping. Check the origin and destination rules plus FDA or USDA requirements. A private residence is not automatically an FDA-registered food facility.
Business setup and taxes
Check business structure, income and self-employment taxes, any EIN requirements, and state or local sales-tax registration. A cottage-food exemption is separate from tax obligations.
Local licenses and permits
Food permissions, home-occupation approval and business registration are separate. Use the SBA launch resources and your city or county to identify the applicable local process.

What sellers wish they knew

Practical lessons from people in this location. These are dated personal accounts, separate from the official requirements above.

Sources read October 13, 2026. Reported outcomes and timelines are not independently verified.

Kristyn Suemnick with Old Oak Sourdough
Seller interview · California · January 2, 2024
Home-food business
Kristyn baked for her family for more than a year before selling, then describes demand outpacing her home bakery's capacity. The interview discusses subscription ordering, weekly menu changes and deciding when larger equipment becomes useful.
Practical takeaway: Connect a repeat-order schedule to measured production capacity before buying equipment to handle growth.
Keep in mind: This is a reported experience, not current legal requirements or typical earnings.

Your startup checklist

Completing this list does not establish government approval.

Write down your menu: ingredients, fillings, packaging, storage and shelf life.
Find your home-food exemption or approved-kitchen route.
List every way you will sell: markets, online, pickup, delivery, shops and shipping.
Check city zoning, home occupation and business licensing.
Contact your food authority and complete required notifications, applications and inspections.
Book accepted training where it is required.
Register your business name where needed and check your tax obligations.
Check insurance and landlord or HOA permission.
Set up cleaning, storage, water, supplier, allergen and transport procedures.
Keep records of approvals, training, recipes and suppliers.