Cottage food operations are allowed in unincorporated Solano County, governed by California's Cottage Food law (Health & Safety Code 113758, AB-1616). Operators register or permit through Solano County Environmental Health as a Class A (direct sales) or Class B (direct and indirect sales) operation from their home kitchen.
Selling certain non-potentially-hazardous, shelf-stable foods made at home is permitted under California's Cottage Food Operation (CFO) law, originally enacted by AB-1616 and codified in Health & Safety Code Section 113758 and related sections of the California Retail Food Code. Solano County's Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Division, administers these home-based food operations locally. A Class A CFO, which makes only direct sales (from the home, online, at farmers' markets, and temporary events), registers with Environmental Health and is generally self-certified without a routine kitchen inspection. A Class B CFO, which makes direct and indirect sales (including to stores, restaurants, and other third-party retailers), must obtain a permit and pass an initial kitchen inspection. Operators must complete an approved food processor training course and label products as required by state law; allowed foods are limited to the state's approved cottage food list. The county also offers Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) registration for same-day home-cooked meals, a separate program from CFO. Because the use is home-based, it must also fit within the Chapter 28 home occupation standards.
Operating a cottage food business without the required Class A registration or Class B permit, exceeding the allowed gross-sales ceiling, selling non-approved foods, or skipping the required food-handler training violates the California Retail Food Code and Solano County Environmental Health rules. Environmental Health can suspend or revoke the registration/permit and pursue enforcement; selling unsafe or mislabeled food can also trigger broader health-code action.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Solano County, CA
Solano County allows standard fence materials for residential lots without a general material ban. Section 28.94.I requires a solid wall or fence approved by...
Solano County, CA
Beyond height, Solano County's Zoning Code requires screening fences in certain situations. Section 28.94.I requires a minimum six-foot-high solid wall or fe...
Solano County, CA
In unincorporated Solano County, retaining walls not over 4 feet in height, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, are exempt from a...
Solano County, CA
Solano County's Zoning Code (Chapter 28) sets fence height and placement, but cost-sharing and disputes over boundary fences are governed by California Civil...
Solano County, CA
Solano County Code Chapter 4 has no provision using the term 'hoarding,' but it addresses the underlying conditions: it bars keeping animals in numbers or co...
Solano County, CA
Solano County Code Chapter 4 contains no general ordinance prohibiting the feeding of wild animals such as deer, coyotes, or raccoons in unincorporated areas...
See how Solano County's cottage food operations rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.