California Cottage Food: Class A vs. Class B

California has one of the most detailed cottage food frameworks in the country — and one of the most misunderstood. The key thing to grasp before anything else: California has two separate cottage food operation (CFO) classes, and the rules are materially different between them.

  • Class A — direct sales only (farmers markets, craft fairs, home sales). No inspection required. Registration with your county environmental health department required.
  • Class B — allows indirect sales (consignment in retail stores, restaurants, online orders with third-party delivery). Requires an annual inspection of your home kitchen by your county environmental health department. Also requires county registration.

Both classes share the same $75,000 annual gross sales cap and the same permitted product list. The difference is entirely about where and how you can sell.

How to Register in California

  1. Contact your county environmental health department — registration is done at the county level, not state. Search "[your county] environmental health cottage food" for the specific form and process.
  2. Choose your class — Class A if you plan to sell only at farmers markets and direct to customers. Class B if you want to sell through stores or online with delivery.
  3. Complete registration — includes a self-certification form and in some counties an application fee ($50-200 range; varies by county)
  4. Class B only: schedule your home kitchen inspection — an environmental health inspector will visit your home to verify the kitchen meets basic sanitation standards. This is not as intimidating as it sounds — they are checking for a functional kitchen, not a commercial facility.
  5. Display your registration — at your point of sale and at your home kitchen
California's $75,000 Cap: High by National Standards

California's $75,000 annual gross sales cap is among the highest in the country — well above the national median of ~$20,000. For a seller doing $1,500/week at Bay Area or LA farmers markets, this leaves significant room to grow before needing a commercial kitchen license.

What You Can Sell in California

California permits a specific list of non-TCS (non-Temperature/Time Control for Safety) foods. The list is defined in California Health and Safety Code §114365.5:

  • Baked goods — cookies, cakes (no cream or custard fillings), breads, muffins, scones, brownies, bars
  • Candy — fudge, pralines, brittles, toffee, hard candy, chocolate bark
  • Chocolate-covered nonperishable foods — chocolate-covered nuts, pretzels, dried fruit
  • Jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit butters — high-acid, high-sugar only
  • Granola, cereal, trail mix, popcorn
  • Roasted nuts
  • Dried pasta (egg-free or shelf-stable)
  • Dried herbs and spice blends
  • Honey and honey-based products
  • Waffle cones and pizelles

Not on the California permitted list: custard or cream-filled pastries, cheesecake, foods containing meat, most dairy products, home-canned low-acid vegetables, kombucha.

California Cottage Food Label Requirements

Every California cottage food product must include:

California Required Disclaimer — Exact Language

"MADE IN A HOME KITCHEN. NOT INSPECTED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH OR THE [LOCAL HEALTH JURISDICTION]."

Note: Fill in your specific local health jurisdiction (county environmental health department name) in the bracketed field.

Additional required label fields:

  • Your name and your home address (Class A and B)
  • Product name
  • Ingredients in descending order by weight
  • Net weight or net volume
  • Allergen disclosure (all 9 major allergens present)
  • Your county CFO registration number

Class B only: labels must also include your county-issued CFO registration number prominently.

Where to Sell in California

Class A: Farmers markets, certified farmers markets, craft fairs, community events, direct from home, roadside stands. California has exceptional farmers market infrastructure — the Ferry Building Farmers Market (San Francisco), Santa Monica Farmers Market, Hollywood Farmers Market, and hundreds of certified markets statewide are all Class A venues.

Class B (adds): Retail stores and delicatessens (on consignment), restaurants (as an ingredient in prepared food, not direct retail), online sales with third-party delivery (within California only).

Neither class permits interstate shipping or sales outside California.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Class A allows only direct consumer sales — farmers markets, craft fairs, home sales. No inspection required. Class B adds indirect sales (stores, online with delivery) but requires an annual home kitchen inspection by your county environmental health department.
  • Registration is done at the county level, not the state. Contact your county environmental health department and request a Cottage Food Operation (CFO) registration form. Most counties process applications within 2-4 weeks.
  • Yes — as a Class A cottage food operator registered in San Francisco County (or your home county), you can apply to sell at any certified farmers market in California. Contact each market directly for vendor applications; the Ferry Building market is competitive and typically has a waitlist.
  • Class B only — with an annual county inspection and Class B registration, you can accept online orders and have them delivered within California. Class A does not permit online sales or third-party delivery.
  • California cottage food law does not require a food handler's certification for Class A. Class B may have county-specific requirements. Check with your specific county environmental health department.

Official Source

California cottage food law: California Health and Safety Code §§114365, 114365.5, 113758. Administered by county environmental health departments.

California CDPH →

Informational Only: Laws vary by state and change frequently. Always verify with your state agriculture department before selling. Not legal advice.