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

Per the Napa County Environmental Health Division page on Cottage Food Operations, 'State law was changed to allow private homes to be used for the preparation and packaging of some food products for sale to consumers under certain conditions' effective January 1, 2013 under California Assembly Bill 1616. There are two classes: Class A (direct-to-consumer sales only) requires registration with an annual fee and is inspected only on consumer complaint; Class B (sales direct to retail facilities and optionally to consumers) requires an Environmental Health permit with an annual fee and a mandatory annual routine inspection in addition to complaint inspections. The 2024-and-beyond gross sales limit is $75,000 for Class A and $150,000 for Class B. Permitted products are limited to non-potentially hazardous baked goods such as cakes (without cream), cookies, bread, scones, candies, nuts, granola, and other items on the California Department of Public Health approved list. Both classes must submit product labels and a Food Handler Certificate within three months of registration or permit approval. Applications and questions go to Napa County Environmental Health at 1195 Third Street, 2nd Floor, Napa, CA 94559, phone (707) 253-4417. Napa County has not opted into the AB 626 / AB 377 Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) program, so home preparation of potentially hazardous foods (meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, cooked fish, etc.) for sale is not authorized in Napa County.