California cottage food law for home bakers

The short version

California lets a home baker sell direct from your kitchen, online, by delivery and by mail inside the state, up to $88,878 a year in 2026 as a Class A operation, or $177,756 as Class B with a permit and the right to sell through shops.

The figures move every January with the California Consumer Price Index, and the Department publishes the new ones on its own sheet.

Registering

The rule is administered by California Department of Public Health and your county environmental health agency; the guide reads California Health and Safety Code 113758 (AB 1144, in force since 2022-01-01).

A Class A operation registers with the county environmental health agency by self-certifying a checklist; there is no inspection unless someone complains. A Class B operation gets a permit after a kitchen inspection, and that is the class that may sell through a retailer.

Either way you complete a Department-approved food processor course within three months, and the county sets its own fee.

Where you can sell, and whether online counts

Since 2022 a direct sale expressly includes an order taken by phone, online or by any digital method, fulfilled in person, by mail or by a third-party delivery service, anywhere in California.

Selling across the state line is not covered by the cottage rule at all.

What goes on the label

The front panel carries the words Made in a Home Kitchen in 12-point type. Your registration or permit number and the county that issued it go on the label too, which is how a customer can check you are real.

12-point type on the front panel; "Repackaged in a Home Kitchen" when you repackage a bought product

• The common name of the product, on the front panel
• The name, city and zip code of the operation, plus the street address if you are not in a current phone directory
• Your registration or permit number and the county that issued it
• Ingredients in descending order by weight
• Net quantity
• The allergens, by their common names

What you can bake and sell

The Department keeps an approved list. Baked goods without a filling that needs the fridge are on it; cheesecake, cream pies and custard are not.

• Allowed: Breads, cookies, cakes, fruit pies, pastries and other baked goods on the Department's approved list
• Not allowed: Anything that needs refrigeration to stay safe: cream, custard or meat fillings, cheesecake

The sales cap

California caps a Class A operation at $88,878 and a Class B at $177,756 for 2026, adjusted every January for the California Consumer Price Index.

Work out how much room you have left this year with the cottage food sales cap checker.

What changed

January 1, 2026: Class A $88,878 and Class B $177,756 for 2026, up 3.1 percent.

Questions people ask

Do I need to register to sell cottage food in California?

Yes, California requires registration before the first sale. Class A registers with the county environmental health agency on a self-certification checklist; Class B needs a permit and a kitchen inspection. Fee: Set by each county.

What is the cottage food sales cap in California?

California caps a Class A operation at $88,878 and a Class B at $177,756 for 2026, adjusted every January for the California Consumer Price Index.

Can I take orders online in California?

Yes, you can take orders online. You can hand an order over in person or send it anywhere inside the state.

Can I deliver or ship cottage food in California?

Delivery is allowed. Shipping inside the state is allowed.

What does my California cottage food label need to say?

The label must say: Made in a Home Kitchen

Sources

Laws change; check the linked source before you sell.

• Health and Safety Code 113758leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
• CDPH: Cottage Food Operationscdph.ca.gov
• CDPH: Adjusted Gross Annual Sales Limit 2026cdph.ca.gov
• CDPH: Labeling Requirements for Cottage Food Productscdph.ca.gov