Alpine County, CA Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)

California's cottage food law (Health & Safety Code Section 113758, originally AB 1616) lets people sell certain non-potentially-hazardous foods made in a home kitchen. Alpine County integrates this into its zoning code: ACC 18.70.100 states that a cottage food operation under the California Health and Safety Code is allowed as a home occupation, provided it complies with the rest of Chapter 18.70 and three conditions - (A) the cottage food operator resides on the property; (B) the products include only items on the approved cottage food categories list maintained by the California Department of Public Health; and (C) the products are registered or permitted by the Alpine County Health Department for sale to a consumer or third-party retailer. Under state law, a Class A operation (direct sales only) registers with the local environmental health agency and a Class B operation (direct plus indirect sales through retailers) obtains a permit. As of the current statute, Class A operations are capped at $75,000 and Class B at $150,000 in verifiable gross annual sales, with annual inflation adjustments, and each may have no more than one full-time-equivalent non-household employee. Because the operation runs as a home occupation, the ACC 18.70.090 standards (indoor only, 25%/800-square-foot size limit, one nonresident employee, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. customer hours) also apply.