Ventura County, CA Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- CA Cottage Food Law, HSC Sec. 113758 (AB 1616)
- Administered by
- Ventura County Environmental Health Division
- Class A
- Direct sales only, $75,000 gross annual limit, register
- Class B
- Direct + indirect sales, $150,000 limit, permit + inspection
- Foods allowed
- Non-potentially hazardous foods only
- Required label
- "Made in a Home Kitchen" plus label info
Summary
Cottage food operations in unincorporated Ventura County are regulated by the County Environmental Health Division under California's Cottage Food Law (Health and Safety Code Sec. 113758). Class A operations make direct sales only, limited to $75,000 in gross annual sales, and self-register; Class B operations may also sell indirectly, are limited to $150,000, and require a permit and initial inspection.
(a) "Cottage food operation" means an enterprise that has no more than the amount in gross annual sales that is specified in this subdivision, is operated by a cottage food operator, and has no more than one full-time equivalent cottage food employee, not including a family member or household member of the cottage food operator, within the registered or permitted area of a private home where the cottage food operator resides and where cottage food products are prepared or packaged for direct, indirect, or direct and indirect sale to consumers pursuant to this part. A "Class A" cottage food operation shall not have more than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) in verifiable gross annual sales. A "Class B" cottage food operation shall not have more than one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) in verifiable gross annual sales. The gross annual sales for a "Class A" or "Class B" cottage food operation shall be annually adjusted for inflation based on the California Consumer Price Index. A cottage food operation includes both of the following:
(1) A "Class A" cottage food operation, which is a cottage food operation that may engage only in direct sales of cottage food products from the cottage food operation or other direct sales venues described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b).
(2) A "Class B" cottage food operation, which is a cottage food operation that may engage in both direct sales and indirect sales of cottage food products from the cottage food operation, from direct sales venues described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b), from offsite events, or from a third-party retail food facility described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b).
Full Breakdown
Home-based food businesses in the unincorporated county are handled by the Ventura County Environmental Health Division (EHD) under California's Cottage Food Law, codified in the California Retail Food Code at Health and Safety Code Sec. 113758 (enacted by AB 1616). Only non-potentially hazardous foods that do not require refrigeration for safety may be made and sold. There are two classes. A Class A Cottage Food Operation engages in direct sales only (for example at the home, farm stands, certified farmers' markets, bake sales, or online direct to consumers) and is limited to $75,000 in gross annual sales; it self-certifies with a checklist registration submitted to EHD, is not subject to an initial or routine inspection, and is not treated as a food facility.
A Class B operation may engage in both direct and indirect sales (such as selling wholesale to restaurants and markets) and is limited to $150,000 in gross annual sales; it must obtain a Permit to Operate, receive an initial inspection, and renew the permit annually. For both classes, the cottage food operator, assisting family members, and any employee must pass a California-approved food handler course (Class A requires this within three months of registration), and all products must be labeled with the words 'Made in a Home Kitchen' plus other required label information.
Food-handling activities must occur inside the home's living space, not in a garage, shed, or backyard. Because a cottage food business is also a home business, the County's home occupation rules and a Business Tax Certificate may apply.
Violations & Fines
Selling cottage foods without the required EHD registration or permit, exceeding the gross sales caps, selling potentially hazardous foods, or omitting required labeling can result in enforcement by Environmental Health, permit denial or revocation, and orders to stop sales.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to sell homemade food in unincorporated Ventura County?
What is the difference between Class A and Class B?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura County
California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura County to another location·View the California home business overview
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