Dublin, CA Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)

Two layers of rules apply. State law (California Health & Safety Code Section 114365 et seq. and Government Code Section 51035) requires cities to allow cottage food operations in residences and treats them as a permitted residential use; the home kitchen must follow state standards, and the operator must register (Class A, direct sales) or obtain a permit and pass inspection (Class B, direct and indirect sales) through the local enforcement agency - here the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health, which issues the CFO registration or permit, reviews labels, and verifies the operator holds a food handler card. Locally, Dublin Zoning Ordinance Chapter 8.65 (Cottage Food Operations) allows a CFO within a residential dwelling as an accessory use incidental to the home, subject to a Zoning Clearance reviewed by the Community Development Director. Per the codifier text, the CFO may have at most one non-resident full-time-equivalent employee on site at a time; on-site direct sales are limited to one customer at a time and may occur only between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.; no on-site dining is allowed; and the operation may not create traffic, noise, or other nuisances beyond those normal for a residential area, with no outdoor storage or display.