California cottage food law
California cottage food bakers: Class A vs Class B made simple
California's cottage food law has two paths — Class A (direct sales only, no county registration) and Class B (direct + indirect sales, county registration required) — with different revenue caps and different rules. CottageOps asks three questions during signup and configures the right one for you.
What California cottage food law actually says
California's Cottage Food Operations Act (originally AB 1616, 2012, codified at California Health and Safety Code §§114365-114365.5) was substantially updated by AB 1144 in 2021. The law allows home-based food sellers to operate without a commercial kitchen, but California is unusual: the law splits operators into two distinct classes (A and B) with different sales channels, different revenue caps, and different administrative requirements.
Under California cottage food law, operators can sell a defined list of "non-potentially-hazardous" foods — meaning foods that don't require time/temperature control for safety. The list includes baked goods (no cream fillings), candies, jams and jellies, granola and trail mixes, dry herbs, dry pasta, popcorn, and several more categories. The 2021 AB 1144 update raised both class revenue caps and pegged them to annual CPI adjustments — the numbers below reflect the 2025 effective caps.
California cottage food at a glance
Class A (direct sales only)
$86,206 annual gross revenue cap (2025; CPI-adjusted). Direct sales to consumers — farmers markets, your home, farm stands, festivals, in-person events, online direct-to-consumer. No county registration; just a one-time self-certification with the county environmental health department. Operator must complete a food handler training.
Class B (direct + indirect sales)
$172,411 annual gross revenue cap (2025; CPI-adjusted; round to ~$172K). Direct sales (same as A) PLUS indirect sales — you can sell to retail stores, restaurants, and other intermediaries. Requires county registration plus a kitchen inspection. Same food handler training.
Allowable foods: Specific list maintained by California Department of Public Health. Includes baked goods (no cream/custard), candies, jams, jellies, granola, dried fruit and herbs, dry baking mixes, popcorn, churros, fudge, and ~75 other items.
Mandatory label disclosure: "Made in a Home Kitchen" must appear on every product label.
Inspection: Class A is self-certified, no kitchen inspection. Class B requires a kitchen inspection by the county.
What CottageOps does for California bakers
Our signup wizard asks you three questions:
- Do you intend to sell to retail stores, restaurants, or other businesses (indirect sales)?
- Have you completed (or will you complete) the California Food Handler Card training?
- Have you registered with your county environmental health department?
Based on your answers, CottageOps configures your account as Class A or Class B, sets the correct revenue cap (~$86K or ~$172K), and applies the right label rules. Specifically:
- "Made in a Home Kitchen" label disclosure added automatically to every product.
- Allergen disclosure required on every product before publish.
- Class-correct revenue cap tracking — your dashboard shows your rolling 12-month sales against your cap, with 75/90/100% warnings.
- Sales channel guard. If you're configured as Class A, we don't let you set up wholesale-style sales. The platform enforces the class boundary so you can't accidentally violate.
Watch out for
- Class A operators selling to a friend's restaurant. That's an indirect sale. It violates Class A. Either upgrade to Class B (county registration + kitchen inspection) or decline the order.
- The $172K cap doesn't make you commercial. Crossing the Class B cap does NOT mean you can suddenly skip the kitchen inspection requirement. You're still operating under cottage food law until you get a commercial kitchen license — at which point you should be planning the transition, not stretching the cap.
- County variance. California cottage food is state law, but county environmental health departments handle the registration paperwork and the Class B inspection. Some counties are faster than others. Schedule the registration well before you start selling.
- The "Home Kitchen" disclosure is non-optional and non-modifiable. "Made in a Home Kitchen" is required text in California. Our label generator includes it; do not remove it from your custom label designs.
- Caps are CPI-adjusted annually. The $86K / ~$172K numbers above are 2025 effective limits. They drift upward each year. CottageOps updates the cap automatically — no configuration on your part.
Ready to sell legally in California?
CottageOps figures out whether you're Class A or Class B during signup and configures everything from revenue cap to label disclosures correctly from day one. $19/month flat. No transaction fees. 30 days free.
Start your 30-day free trialCalifornia cottage food FAQ
How do I know if I'm Class A or Class B?
If you sell direct to consumers only (your home, farmers markets, online to end customers), you're Class A — ~$86K cap, no kitchen inspection. If you also sell to retail stores or restaurants, you're Class B — ~$172K cap, kitchen inspection required. CottageOps's signup wizard asks the question explicitly.
Can I switch from Class A to Class B?
Yes. If your business grows past direct sales into indirect sales, you upgrade by registering with your county and scheduling a kitchen inspection. CottageOps lets you switch the class designation in your settings; the revenue cap auto-updates.
Does AB 1144 affect my existing setup?
AB 1144 (2021) raised both class revenue caps and pegged them to annual CPI adjustments. If you signed up earlier, our state engine reflects the current 2025 effective limits — you don't need to do anything.
Do I need a Food Handler Card in California?
Yes, for both Class A and Class B. It's a one-time training and certification. Most counties accept the standard ANSI-approved online courses ($10-15).
What about cottage food categories that aren't on the approved list?
If your product isn't on California's approved cottage food list, you can't sell it under cottage food law — even if it would be legal in another state. You'd need a commercial kitchen license. CottageOps's product setup wizard flags ineligible categories.
Can I ship to other states from California?
California cottage food law governs in-state sales. Interstate shipping crosses into federal jurisdiction and is generally not covered by cottage food exemptions. Our shipping flow defaults to in-state for California operators; widen the radius only with knowledge of FDA and recipient-state rules.
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California Class A vs Class B figured out for you, the right cap tracked, the right disclosure on every label. Cancel anytime; the most-recent month is refundable.
Start your 30-day free trialLast verified: 2026-05-09. Not legal advice — confirm cottage food requirements with the California Department of Public Health and your county environmental health department.