Is anyone familiar with the cottage food law in California?  I just moved here and I am trying to decipher if and how I can sell cakes and cupcakes.  Thanks!!!

AWhat is it you need to know? My county health department was the first place I went for information. They gave me all they could & then directed me to all the other offices I needed to contact to become legal.

I haven't heard anything for a while on this subject.  CA is one of the stricter states from what I'm told.  What area are you in.  In Los Angeles you could start with the health dept because they will be the ones you deal with most.

I don't think we're anywhere ready to have home kitchens just yet.

AI thought it was almost too easy to get started. I'm in northern California, & it took me one day of driving around town getting all my stuff together. (My town is the county seat, so many offices are nearby.) There isn't a mandated class to take for CFLs yet, so a regular food safety course is enough so far.

Yes Pam, but what about inspections and fees?  They wait time is horrible and the fees are astronomical, its ridiculous.

This is the last link I have for the CFL in CA.

http://cakecentral.com/t/716804/help-enact-california-home-based-cake-businesses

Here is some interesting info.

cakecentral.com/t/654598/illegal-to-rent-time-from-a-licensed-kitchen-ca

Your county health department is your best bet for information. The way the counties are interpreting the new law varies widely. Some, I hear, are flat out nightmares. Others, like mine, are fairly easy going. Here in my county (Santa Barbara) the process for obtaining a Class A permit (Selling directly to the consumer) is fairly simple. You take a food safety course online. You apply for the permit and do a self certification check list online and send it to the county electronically for approval. Approval takes just a few days. My county is not currently charging anything for a Class A permit. There is also a facebook page called Creating Your California Cottage Food Business that might be beneficial for you to join. There are a lot of folks on there from all different counties in California who are going through the process and some who have completed the process and are now open for business and have been for a couple of months now. In any case, your first stop for information should probably be your county health department to find out what their policies, procedures and fees are.

AMany people are already up and running with cottage food businesses in CA, as said above the process will depend on your county. Inspections are not required at all for Class A businesses, and health dept fees are usually only a few hundred dollars.

There is an active FB group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Creatingyourcaliforniacottagefoodbusiness/

AI've been working for a few months now. Like I said before, all the running around I had to do was done in a day. The only waiting was for the water test because I'm on a well. That was two days. There aren't fees for a class A CFL yet, in this county.

Don't know where you are, but we have a lot of useful information on www.sdcottagefoods.com  Though designed for San Diego, much of the information is applicable across the state. You would need your own county forms, though! Let us know if we can help in any way. Our goal is to support and encourage CFOs!
 

@auntginn:  All depends on where you are... some counties have no fees for Class A. San Diego issues permits on the spot and schedules inspections for Class B.  At least they did at the beginning.
 

Thank you everyone!!! I just relocated to San Diego from NJ.  I am totally overwhelmed with everything (in a GREAT way) so I appreciate the guidance on where to start!!!! 

You just missed the San Diego Cake Club meeting last night...hope to see you there some time.  We had a food safety course for club members in January so lots of members can help you with the CFL.

Oh.. I wish we had a cake club in our area.  The last time I checked it was in Orange County.

Yes, the Farmer's Market in Little Italy is Awesome!  But, it also is very hard to get into, especially with summer coming. One way to help increase your chances is to start at another smaller market and demonstrate that you can do well. It also is less expensive and allows you to get displays, tables/tents, signs, etc. worked out before applying to a major market. We did a post recently that might help anyone looking to sell at a farmer's market in SD County. Hoping to see more Cottage Food Operators selling at the markets everywhere!

Great info. I too am thinking of getting my permit.

Ok.. I recently found out some info about this.  There are 2 classes of permits under this bill.  Class A The simplest permit, allows you to have a home based kitchen, you file with the health dept, You are limited to what foods you can produce and sell from that kitchen.  (Non of us on this site will be limited, I think) you are limited to monthly sales of $1,000.00. But in 2015 it will go up to an annual sales of 50k.  No inspection and after that you apply with your city doesn't say what I'm assuming dba.

Class B -  Is a little more extensive, requires inspections, no limits as to monthly sales income, food handlers permits etc.

Costa Mesa is holding 1 day seminars to help with this and answer questions all in preparing to get your permit.   

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The main difference is that class A allows direct retail sales only, while class B (which requires an inspection) allows both retail and wholesale. They both have the same gross revenue limit (annual, not monthly) of $35K this year, $45K next year, and $50K/year starting in 2015. You can only produce non potentially hazardous foods, which may restrict certain types of frosting, cheesecakes, etc.

You can get more info directly from the state here: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/pages/fdbcottagefood.aspx

Ah.. I guess I didn't read that right.  Thanks for clearing that up.

AI'm also looking to get my class A permit, one Queston I have is do I need to rent a kitchen? Or is it ok from my home kitchen as long as my products/utensils are stored separately . I've seen the checklist for my county (FRESNO)but it's not clear on the kitchen part.

I live in central California, and I thought the whole process was super easy.  However, I was one of the first people to get a permit in my county, so it may be a little more difficult now. 

A

To qualify for a cottage food permit you are actually required to use your home kitchen, if you rent a commercial kitchen you would need a more traditional permit from the health dept.

AOh ok thank you!

A