Guide · License cost
Cottage food license cost in California
Informational only, not legal advice.
California sets cottage food fees at the local level, so they vary by jurisdiction.
Source: Cal. Health & Safety Code § 114365.6 · Verified Sep 15, 2026
Fees are set by the local enforcement agency; there is no state fee schedule. Local agencies may add a surcharge for Class B permits.
Source: Cal. Health & Safety Code § 114365.6 · Verified Sep 15, 2026
What else California requires
Does California require a cottage food permit?
California requires a permit or registration to sell cottage food.
Source: Cal. Health & Safety Code § 114365 · Verified Sep 15, 2026
Class A: registration plus a self-certification checklist. Class B: permit issued after an initial inspection. Both renew annually.
Source: Cal. Health & Safety Code § 114365 · Verified Sep 15, 2026
Two tiers. Class A: register with the local enforcement agency and submit a self-certification checklist; direct sales only; no initial or routine inspections. Class B: permit issued after an initial inspection, then no more than one inspection per year; direct and indirect sales (e.g., through retail shops and restaurants). Registrations and permits renew annually, and one county's registration or permit is valid throughout the state.
Source: Cal. Health & Safety Code § 114365 · Verified Sep 15, 2026
Do I need training or a home inspection in California?
California requires food safety training.
Source: CDPH — Cottage Food Operator Training · Verified Sep 15, 2026
Anyone who prepares or packages cottage food must complete a food processor course within three months of registration or permit, and every three years after.
Source: CDPH — Cottage Food Operator Training · Verified Sep 15, 2026
California requires a home kitchen inspection.
Source: Cal. Health & Safety Code § 114365 · Verified Sep 15, 2026
Class B: initial inspection, then no more than one inspection per year. Class A: no initial or routine inspections.
Source: Cal. Health & Safety Code § 114365 · Verified Sep 15, 2026
Is there a sales cap in California?
California Class A: $88,878 a year in gross sales (statutory base $75,000; in effect from Jan 1, 2026).
Source: CDPH — CFO Adjusted Gross Annual Sales Limit (2026) · Verified Sep 22, 2026
California Class B: $177,756 a year in gross sales (statutory base $150,000; in effect from Jan 1, 2026).
Source: CDPH — CFO Adjusted Gross Annual Sales Limit (2026) · Verified Sep 22, 2026
The statute sets the base limits and requires both to be adjusted each year for inflation (California CPI); CDPH publishes the adjusted limits each January.
Source: Cal. Health & Safety Code § 113758 · Verified Sep 22, 2026
Cottage food fees in other states
Of the 20 states this site covers, including California, 14 charge no state fee, 3 charge one, and 3 leave fees to local governments.