To start a cottage food business in California, you pick a class (A or B), complete an approved food-safety course, register with your county environmental health department, label your products "Made in a Home Kitchen," and start selling. Most people choose Class A — direct sales only, no kitchen inspection — and can be selling within a couple of weeks. This is the step-by-step launch playbook; for the full legal detail see our California cottage food law guide.
The short version: California runs a two-tier system (AB 1144). Class A lets you sell directly to customers — markets, home, online, and shipped within California — after a county registration with no inspection. Class B adds stores and restaurants but requires a home-kitchen inspection. Caps are inflation-adjusted: roughly $86,206 for Class A and $172,411 for Class B in 2025–2026. The launch comes down to six steps: choose your class, take the food-safety course, register with your county, confirm your product is on the approved list, label it correctly, and make your first sale.
California costs more than no-permit states because of county registration and training, but it's still far cheaper than a commercial kitchen:
Most Class A sellers start for under $400 all-in. Call your county environmental health department for exact current fees.
Plan for two to four weeks for Class A — the timeline depends mostly on your county's registration turnaround. The realistic sequence:
Class B takes longer because it requires scheduling and passing a home-kitchen inspection before approval.
California uses an approved-foods list of shelf-stable items: breads, cookies, cakes, candy, honey, nut butters, dried fruits, granola, popcorn, jams and jellies, vinegars, dry spices, dry pasta, and tea. The prohibited list is stricter than many states — no cream/custard-filled goods, canned or acidified foods, pickles, salsas, sauces, fermented foods, oils, juices, or meat jerkies. The full allowed/prohibited lists and labeling rules are in our California cottage food law guide and cottage food labeling guide.
Because California explicitly allows in-state shipping and online ordering for Class A, a real storefront makes a big difference — you can take orders, payments, and pickup or delivery scheduling in one place instead of juggling DMs. Homegrown gives California cottage food sellers an online storefront with built-in payments and pickup for $10/month at 0% commission (you keep everything but standard card processing). Start a free trial and have a California-ready storefront live in about 15 minutes.
Your cap depends on your class — roughly $86,206 (Class A) or $172,411 (Class B) in 2025–2026, both rising with inflation each year. For most home sellers that ceiling is high enough that time and demand are the real limits. To get the most out of it:
You don't need an LLC to register as a Cottage Food Operation, but it's worth understanding the basics: see whether you need an LLC to sell food from home and how cottage food taxes work on Schedule C. In California you'll likely also need a seller's permit from the CDTFA to collect sales tax, depending on what and where you sell.
You register with your county as a Cottage Food Operation. Class A needs registration and a food-safety course but no inspection; Class B requires a permit and a home-kitchen inspection.
Often under $400 for Class A — a $10–$25 food-safety course, county registration (roughly $75–$250), labels, and ingredients. Class B costs more because of the permit and inspection.
Roughly $86,206 (Class A) or $172,411 (Class B) in gross annual sales for 2025–2026, both adjusted for inflation each year.
Only non-perishable foods on the CDPH Approved Foods List — breads, cookies, candy, jams, dried goods, and similar. Perishable, canned, fermented, and acidified foods are prohibited.
Yes. Class A operations can sell online and ship anywhere within California or offer local pickup. Out-of-state shipping isn't allowed.
Usually two to four weeks for Class A, depending on your county's registration turnaround. Class B takes longer because of the required inspection.
No. You can register as a sole proprietor. An LLC is optional and mainly about liability protection if you scale.
California asks for a bit more upfront — a course, a county registration, and an approved-foods check — but Class A still gets you selling directly, online, and shipped statewide without a kitchen inspection. Confirm your product, label it "Made in a Home Kitchen," and set up an easy way for customers to order and pay. Set up a Homegrown storefront to take California cottage food orders online, see the best platform to sell food from home, read the full California cottage food law, and compare other states on our cottage food laws by state hub.
*This guide is general information, not legal advice. Cottage food rules and caps change yearly — verify current requirements with California CDPH and your county before you start selling. Last verified: June 2026.*
Selling at farmers markets? See our California farmers market vendor permit guide for the permits you need on market day.
