Vista permits cottage food operations under California's Homemade Food Act. Class A operators sell directly to consumers without a city permit, while Class B operators selling indirectly require registration with the San Diego County Environmental Health Department.
California's Homemade Food Act (AB 1616 as amended by AB 1271 and AB 626) allows cottage food operations in private homes. Class A cottage food operations sell non-potentially hazardous foods directly to consumers at the home, farmers markets, or community events with annual gross sales up to $75,000. Class A operators self-certify and do not need a county permit but must register with the County. Class B operations sell indirectly through stores and restaurants with the same sales cap and require a county Environmental Health registration. Permitted foods include baked goods, candies, jams, dried fruits, granola, and other shelf-stable items. Potentially hazardous foods requiring refrigeration are not permitted under cottage food. Vista's zoning ordinance allows cottage food as an accessory use in residential zones. A business license from Vista may be required. The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health at (858) 505-6900 handles cottage food registrations. Cottage food labels must include the operator's name, address, and "Made in a Home Kitchen" disclosure.
Operating without required registration or selling prohibited food items may result in enforcement by the County DEH. Cottage food operations creating traffic or nuisance issues may face zoning enforcement from the city.
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