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

Cottage food operations, home kitchens that make certain low-risk foods, are expressly allowed in unincorporated Colusa County under Zoning Code Section 44-4.120, layered on top of California's cottage food law. The County section requires that the operation be registered or permitted by the County Health Officer in accordance with Section 114365 of the California Health and Safety Code and comply with all California Health and Safety Code requirements. The applicant must be the individual who conducts the operation from his or her own dwelling, and the permit is not transferable to another operator or site. No more than one cottage food employee, as defined by Health and Safety Code 113758(b)(1) and not counting family or household members, is allowed. The use must be conducted within the kitchen (plus attached rooms used only for storage or bookkeeping) and may occupy no more than 25 percent of the dwelling or 50 percent of an accessory building. There may be no change in the outside appearance except one sign not to exceed two square feet. Outdoor sales and dining are prohibited; direct sales are by appointment only, capped at ten visitors per day, and deliveries and sales may not occur between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. Gross annual sales may not exceed the dollar limits set in Health and Safety Code 113758 (Class A and Class B tiers, CPI-adjusted).