Santa Clara home kitchens may operate as Cottage Food Operations under CA AB 1616 and AB 1240. Registration or permit from Santa Clara County Public Health is required.
California's Cottage Food Law (AB 1616 as amended) and Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations Act (AB 1240 / AB 626) allow residents to prepare and sell certain low-risk foods from their home kitchen. Class A CFOs, which sell only direct to consumers, register with Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health. Class B CFOs, which sell indirectly through retail, require a permit and annual inspection. The approved product list is limited to non-potentially hazardous items such as baked goods, jams, dry mixes, candies, and roasted coffee. Gross sales caps (currently $150,000) apply. MEHKOs sell hot meals directly from a home kitchen and require a separate permit under the microenterprise program. All operators must complete an approved food-processor training course and label products with CFO and address information.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how other cities in Santa Clara County handle cottage food operations.
See how Santa Clara's cottage food operations rules stack up against other locations.
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