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California cottage food label rules

What has to be on the label when you sell homemade baked goods in California, and the limits that matter at a market. Checked September 2026.

Another state Mostly confirmed. Check the open points below

Your label must include

"Made in a Home Kitchen" statement on principal display panel
Common or usual name of the product
Name of the cottage food operation (and city/state/zip per federal rules)
Registration or permit number
County that issued the registration/permit
Ingredients in descending order by weight (if 2+ ingredients)
Net quantity (weight/volume/count) per federal labeling
Major food allergens per federal labeling

Required statement

“Made in a Home Kitchen”

Must be in 12-point type on the product’s principal display panel (Cal. HSC § 114365.2(e)). Use "Repackaged in a Home Kitchen" for repackaged items. Labels must also comply with the federal FD&C Act. County may review labels.

Brown Butter Toffee Cookies

Made in a Home Kitchen

Sunny Crumb Co. · 123 Palm Ave, Your City, CA 00000

Registration # ________

Net wt. 4 oz (113 g) · 2 cookies

Ingredients: enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), butter (cream, salt), brown sugar, toffee bits (sugar, butter, almonds, soy lecithin), eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, sea salt.

Net wt. 4 oz (113 g) · 2 cookies

Contains: wheat, milk, eggs, tree nuts (almond), soy.

Sample label for illustration, made from the checklist above. Your own label has to match your recipe and your state’s exact rules.

Key limits in California

Permit: Class A registration (direct sales only) or Class B permit (direct + indirect, with inspection) from local environmental health; fees set by county (e.g., Orange County $225 initial review).
Training: Approved food processor/cottage food course within 3 months (90 days) of registration/permit; renew every 3 years.
Sales cap: Class A $75,000 / Class B $150,000 base, adjusted annually for CPI (2025: ~$86,206 / ~$172,411)
Where you can sell: Class A: direct to consumers only (farmers markets, events, home, CSA). Class B: also indirect via permitted retail food facilities (shops, restaurants) in California.
Online & shipping: Online, phone and mail orders allowed; fulfillment in person, by mail, or third-party delivery, only within California; no out-of-state sales.
Law: California Homemade Food Act, Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 113758, 114365–114365.6 (AB 1616, 2012; amended AB 1144 & AB 831, eff. Jan 1, 2022)

What we could not confirm (3)

2026 CPI-adjusted sales caps not confirmed (CDPH PDF unreachable); 2025 figures from forrager citing CDPH notice
CDPH pages still state $75,000/$150,000 base figures
Fees vary by county

Check with: Local county/city environmental health department (registration/permit); CDPH Food and Drug Branch maintains approved foods list

Last change to the law: Jan 1, 2022 (AB 1144, AB 831); sales caps adjusted each year by CPI

Sources

Made by BakersKeep

Set up this label once. Print it for every cookie.

BakersKeep builds your California label from each recipe: ingredients in order, allergens and the required statement. Change a recipe and every label updates. It also prices your cookies, takes pre-orders and writes the week’s posts.

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This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and counties can add their own. Confirm with Local county/city environmental health department (registration/permit); CDPH Food and Drug Branch maintains approved foods list before you print. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

California cottage food label rules

Your label must include

Required statement

Set up this label once. Print it for every cookie.

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