California Cottage Food Law: Class A vs. Class B, Limits, and Delivery
California cottage food law explained: Class A and Class B, the 2026 sales limits, the label rules, and how home food businesses may deliver orders.
California cottage food law lets you make approved low-risk foods in your home kitchen and sell them once you register (Class A) or get a permit (Class B) from your county environmental health department. For 2026, a Class A operation can gross up to $88,878 a year and a Class B operation up to $177,756 (CDPH).
California also lets a cottage food business use a delivery service. A direct sale “may be fulfilled in person, via mail delivery, or using any other third-party delivery service” (CDPH). This guide covers the two classes, the limits, the label, and how delivery works.
Key takeaways
- Register for Class A or get a permit for Class B with your county or city environmental health department. CDPH doesn’t register anyone.
- 2026 sales limits: $88,878 (Class A) and $177,756 (Class B). They rise each January with the California Consumer Price Index.
- Class A sells only directly to consumers. Class B can also sell through permitted shops, cafés, and restaurants.
- Orders can be taken by phone or online and delivered in person, by mail, or by any third-party delivery service, within California.
- Every label carries “Made in a Home Kitchen” in 12-point type.
What is a cottage food operation in California?
It’s a business run from the private home where the operator lives, making foods from the state’s Approved Cottage Food List in the registered or permitted part of that home. It may have no more than one full-time equivalent employee, not counting family or household members (Health and Safety Code 113758).
Cottage food products are non-potentially hazardous, meaning they don’t need refrigeration to stay safe. CDPH maintains the approved list. A county registration form from Alameda County gives a sense of it: baked goods, candy, churros, tortillas, dried pasta, dry baking mixes, granola, trail mix, nuts and nut butters, jams and fruit butters, fruit pies and empanadas, honey, popcorn, vinegar, mustard, dried tea, and roasted coffee (Alameda County form). The same form states that foods with cream, custard, or meat fillings are not allowed.
Class A or Class B: which one do you need?
The difference is who you sell to.
| Class A | Class B | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get approved | Register with your local environmental health agency and submit a self-certification checklist | Get a permit from your local environmental health agency |
| Who you can sell to | Consumers directly | Consumers directly, and permitted third-party retailers such as shops, cafés, and restaurants |
| 2026 gross sales limit | $88,878 | $177,756 |
| Inspections (Alameda County form) | After a complaint or reported foodborne illness | Annually, and after a complaint or illness |
Sources: CDPH requirements, CDPH sales limits, and the Alameda County form. Fees and inspection schedules are set by each county, so check yours.
If you only sell at markets, online, and from home, Class A is enough. If a coffee shop wants to stock your cookies, you need Class B.
How have the sales limits changed?
The law set the limits at $75,000 and $150,000 and adjusts them each January for inflation. CDPH publishes the figures:
| Effective | Class A | Class B |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2022 | $75,000 | $150,000 |
| January 1, 2023 | $80,475 | $160,950 |
| January 1, 2024 | $83,614 | $167,227 |
| January 1, 2025 | $86,206 | $172,411 |
| January 1, 2026 | $88,878 | $177,756 |
Source: CDPH. Alameda County’s form states the consequence: above the limit, you lose cottage food status and need a permitted commercial facility.
What are the rules inside the kitchen?
CDPH lists six operating rules that apply to every cottage food operation (CDPH):
- No cottage food work while other domestic activities happen in the kitchen, such as family meals, dishwashing, laundry, cleaning, or entertaining guests.
- No infants, small children, or pets in the kitchen during production.
- Equipment and utensils kept clean and in good repair.
- Food contact surfaces washed, rinsed, and sanitized before each use.
- Preparation and storage areas kept free of vermin.
- No smoking in the areas used for cottage food while products are being made, packaged, stored, or handled.
You also need to complete the CDPH food processor course. Alameda County, for example, asks for proof of completion within three months of approval.
What has to be on a California cottage food label?
Labels follow federal food labeling law. Alameda County’s form lists what must appear (Alameda County form):
- “Made in a Home Kitchen” in 12-point type
- The common name of the product
- The operation’s name, city, state, and ZIP code
- The registration or permit number, and for Class B the county that issued the permit
- Ingredients in descending order by weight
- Net quantity in both US and metric units
- Any major food allergens
- A Nutrition Facts panel only if you make a nutrient content or health claim
Labels must be legible, in English, and made of food-grade materials where they touch the food.
How can a California cottage food business sell and deliver?
You can take orders in person, by phone, online, or through any other digital method, as long as both you and the buyer are in California. Then you can fulfill the order three ways (CDPH):
| Fulfillment | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| In person | Yes |
| Mail delivery | Yes, within California |
| Any other third-party delivery service | Yes, within California |
Class B indirect sales can be fulfilled the same ways, which covers getting product to a café or shop that sells it.
That’s a real difference from some states. In Texas, online cottage food orders must be delivered by the operator, an employee, or a household member. In California, a courier can carry them.
Using a courier for cottage food orders
A courier is useful once your deliveries take more time than your baking. A few practical points:
- Package and label before pickup. The label rules apply to what the customer receives, so orders should leave the kitchen sealed and labeled.
- Batch the day’s orders. One multi-stop route costs less per order than separate trips, and the customer gets a delivery window.
- Keep records. The limit is on verifiable gross annual sales, so keep a record of every order, including the ones a courier delivered.
We run scheduled and same-day courier routes across California, including a courier service in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento. Every stop has live tracking and a photo at drop-off. Our bakery delivery service covers customer orders and runs to cafés for Class B operators. Enter your home address and a typical customer in the delivery cost calculator to see a price range.
When should you move to a commercial kitchen?
Move when you need foods that aren’t on the approved list, such as cheesecake or anything with cream, custard, or meat. Move when your sales approach the Class B limit, or when you need more than one outside employee. A shared or commissary kitchen is the usual next step; our guide to commissary kitchens covers what they cost and what they require.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cottage food sales limit in California for 2026?
$88,878 for Class A and $177,756 for Class B, effective January 1, 2026 (CDPH).
Where do I get a California cottage food permit?
From your county’s environmental health department, or your city’s if it runs its own. CDPH maintains the rules and the approved food list but doesn’t register or permit operations.
Can I sell cottage food to a coffee shop in California?
Yes, with a Class B permit. Class B operations can sell through permitted third-party retailers, including shops and restaurants. Class A operations cannot.
Can I ship cottage food in California?
Yes, within the state. A direct sale can be fulfilled by mail or any third-party delivery service, but both the operation and the consumer must be in California.
Can I use DoorDash or a courier to deliver cottage food in California?
CDPH allows fulfillment “using any other third-party delivery service,” so yes, within California. Package and label each order before it leaves your kitchen.
Does a California cottage food label need a Nutrition Facts panel?
Only if the label makes a nutrient content claim (such as “low fat”) or a health claim. Otherwise it needs “Made in a Home Kitchen,” the product name, your business details and permit number, ingredients, net quantity, and allergens.
The Bottom Line
California splits cottage food into two classes: Class A for direct sales up to $88,878 a year, and Class B for direct and retail sales up to $177,756. Both register or get a permit through the county, follow the approved food list, and label every product “Made in a Home Kitchen.” Unlike many states, California lets you fulfill orders by mail or any third-party delivery service within the state, so a courier can take over the driving without moving you out of your home kitchen. To price a route, use the delivery cost calculator.