A Cottage Food Operation (CFO) lets a resident make and sell shelf-stable, non-potentially-hazardous foods from a home kitchen, like baked goods without cream or custard, jams, granola, and dried goods. This guide covers the two classes, what it costs, how to apply, where you can sell, and the rules to know.
A Cottage Food Operation is a home-based business that makes and sells shelf-stable, non-potentially-hazardous foods. Products must be on the approved food list maintained by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Cannabis is not an approved ingredient.
Cottage food comes in two classes, based on how you sell. Class A is direct sales only. Class B adds indirect sales through permitted third-party retailers such as shops and restaurants.
| Class A | Class B | |
|---|---|---|
| Sales allowed | Direct only: from home, online with direct handoff or operator delivery, and at venues like certified farmers markets | Direct and indirect, including through permitted third-party retailers such as shops and restaurants |
| DEHQ step | Registration | Permit |
| Inspection | No routine inspection (inspections happen on complaint) | Initial home kitchen inspection required before the permit is issued |
As of the county fee schedule effective July 1, 2025. County fees are set by the Board of Supervisors and can change, so confirm the current amount on the DEHQ fee schedule before applying.
Both the registration and the permit are valid for one year, renewed annually, and are nontransferable. A renewal notice is mailed at least 45 days before expiration.
If your home is on a private well, annual water testing is required.
Every product needs a compliant label. See the San Diego cottage food label requirements for what each label must include.
All of our cook tools live in one place: Cottage Food Tools (label maker, QR codes, an always-open shop, and more).
Zoning and business license requirements vary by city. In Encinitas, Escondido, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, National City, Oceanside, San Marcos, and Vista, DEHQ approval comes before the city issues a business license, so you do not submit a business license with your application in those cities. In unincorporated areas, the registration form needs verification from County Planning and Development Services first.
Check your own city's rules, and see the county CFO zoning requirements.
With a valid registration or permit, a cottage food operation can sell at certified farmers markets and temporary events with no additional permit, as long as it operates within the Cottage Food program. Offering open samples at an event requires a separate Temporary Food Facility permit. Selling outside San Diego County requires approval from that county's health department.
Cottage food operations have an annual gross sales cap set by state law that adjusts over time. For current details, see the county Cottage Food FAQ.
A cottage food operation makes prepackaged shelf-stable products and can sell at certified farmers markets, and a Class A operation needs no routine inspection. A MEHKO covers full same-day meals cooked from a permitted home kitchen and cannot sell at farmers markets.
If you want to cook full meals instead, see the San Diego MEHKO guide.
Cottage food products are always orderable on What's Cookin' Tonight for pickup, with no cooking day needed, and the platform lists permit-verified cooks only.
Cook with What's Cookin' TonightNew: enter the What's Cookin' San Diego home cook competition
A Cottage Food Operation lets a resident make and sell shelf-stable, non-potentially-hazardous foods from a home kitchen, like baked goods without cream or custard, jams, granola, and dried goods. Products must be on the approved food list maintained by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and cannabis is not an approved ingredient.
Class A is direct sales only and registers with DEHQ, with no routine inspection. Class B adds indirect sales through permitted third-party retailers such as shops and restaurants, needs a permit, and requires an initial home kitchen inspection before the permit is issued.
Class A registration is $231 initial and $92 annual renewal. Class B permit is $526 initial and $361 annual renewal, as of the county fee schedule effective July 1, 2025. County fees are set by the Board of Supervisors and can change, so confirm the current amount on the fee schedule before applying.
The DEHQ application packet plus product labels, with at least one sample label per food category. Proof of a CDPH food processor course, or a county-approved equivalent, is required within 3 months of approval. Homes on a private well have annual water testing requirements.
With a valid registration or permit, you can sell at certified farmers markets and temporary events with no additional permit. Offering open samples at an event requires a separate Temporary Food Facility permit. Selling outside San Diego County requires approval from that county's health department.
Yes. Cottage food operations have an annual gross sales cap set by state law that adjusts over time. See the county Cottage Food FAQ for current details.
Yes. With a valid cottage food registration or permit, you can sell at certified farmers markets. This is the cottage food path; a MEHKO cannot sell at farmers markets.
A cottage food operation makes prepackaged shelf-stable products and can sell at certified farmers markets. A MEHKO sells full same-day meals from a permitted home kitchen and cannot sell at farmers markets.
County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality, Food and Housing Division.
Phone: (858) 505-6900
Address: 5500 Overland Ave Suite 170, San Diego, CA 92123