Cottage food laws in Contra Costa County, CA
Contra Costa County, California — zoning, permits, health department links, and free PDF reports for home bakers (2026).
Contra Costa County is a top-50 county by population in California (pop. 1,162,648). Under California's Good-tier cottage food law (sales cap: Tiered (see notes)), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this county. Registration path: Yes. Start with California Department of Public Health (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm Contra Costa County health and planning requirements via the health department links on this page. Local notes for Contra Costa County: home kitchen allowed; inspection required; home occupation permit not required. Contra Costa County is a MEHKO opt-in county — the ordinance applies countywide (both incorporated and unincorporated areas), making it broader than some other CA MEHKO adoptions. The MEHKO is capped at 30 meals/day, 90 meals/week, and $100,000 gross annual sales. MEHKO permit year runs March 1 through February 28/29; renewable annually; not transferable. All persons at the MEHKO must get Contra Costa County Food Handler Certification within 30 days of joining the operation. CCH annual inspection required. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
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Contra Costa County cottage food reports
Full statute, all counties in California, and authoritative source URLs.
State PDF
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Contra Costa County.
County PDFTier: Good
California has a Good-tier cottage food law — solid baseline with moderate restrictions, typically a high sales cap (often $50K+) and standard direct-to-consumer rules. Workable for most home bakers with reasonable scale plans.
View state law →Health department
Many states delegate cottage food registration and inspection to the county health department. Contact theirs for the local process.
Home occupation rules
The county or city zoning code governs whether you can run a home-based food business — customer visits, signage, employees, floor area.
Home kitchen, inspection, and zoning rules for Contra Costa County
State baseline: Cal. Health & Safety Code §113758
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Contra Costa County adopted a MEHKO ordinance (Ordinance 2024-05) approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 20, 2024, effective July 1, 2024 — initially as a two-year pilot, subsequently codified as Article 413-3.20 of the County Ordinance Code. Contra Costa Health (CCH) Environmental Health Division is the permitting authority for both CFOs and MEHKOs throughout the county (both incorporated and unincorporated areas). Only one MEHKO may operate per residence.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- State baseline applies
- Water supply
- State baseline applies
- Handwashing
- State baseline applies
- Food storage
- State baseline applies
- Inspection required
- Yes
- Inspection trigger
- MEHKO: initial inspection before permit issuance; annual inspections (or more frequently for cause). CFO Class B: initial inspection; annual inspection. CFO Class A: no routine inspection; upon-complaint only.
- Home occupation permit
- Varies by city
- Permit details
- State preemption (Gov. Code §51035) bars local zoning restrictions on CFOs. Cities within Contra Costa County may require home occupation permits for other aspects of the business. MEHKO operators must comply with all operational requirements in Ordinance 2024-05 and CCH regulations.
- Local business license
- Varies by city
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Conditional
- Delivery / pickup
- MEHKO: meals for dine-in, take-out, and delivery; MEHKO may also serve as a commissary for permitted food carts. CFO: direct/indirect sales within California only. Delivery must comply with Cal. Health & Safety Code §114367.5. MEHKO permit must not be used as outdoor advertising.
- Max employees in home
- MEHKO: all participating persons must obtain Contra Costa County Food Handler Certification within 30 days of joining. State baseline (1 FTE) for CFO.
- Relevant code section
- Contra Costa County Ordinance Code Article 413-3.20 (MEHKO, eff. July 1, 2024); Cal. Health & Safety Code §§114367–114367.6
Contra Costa County is a MEHKO opt-in county — the ordinance applies countywide (both incorporated and unincorporated areas), making it broader than some other CA MEHKO adoptions. The MEHKO is capped at 30 meals/day, 90 meals/week, and $100,000 gross annual sales. MEHKO permit year runs March 1 through February 28/29; renewable annually; not transferable. All persons at the MEHKO must get Contra Costa County Food Handler Certification within 30 days of joining the operation. CCH annual inspection required.
California Homemade Food Act (AB 1616, amended AB 1144/AB 831)
Full California state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt(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. (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. (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, from offsite events, or from a third-party retail food facility. (3) "Cottage food products" means nonpotentially hazardous foods, including foods that are described in Section 114365.5 and that are prepared for sale in the kitchen of a cottage food operation. (4) "Direct sale" means a transaction within the state between a cottage food operation and a consumer, in which the consumer purchases the cottage food product directly from the cottage food operation. Direct sales include, but are not limited to, transactions at holiday bazaars or other temporary events, such as bake sales or food swaps, transactions at farm stands, certified farmers' markets, or through community-supported agriculture subscriptions.
Source: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=113758 →
Contra Costa County cottage food — FAQ
Is a home kitchen allowed for cottage food in Contra Costa County, California?
According to our research: home kitchen is allowed. Restrictions: Contra Costa County adopted a MEHKO ordinance (Ordinance 2024-05) approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 20, 2024, effective July 1, 2024 — initially as a two-year pilot, subsequently codified as Article 413-3.20 of the County Ordinance Code. Contra Costa Health (CCH) Environmental Health Division is the permitting authority for both CFOs and MEHKOs throughout the county (both incorporated and unincorporated areas). Only one MEHKO may operate per residence.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Contra Costa County?
Inspection: Yes. Trigger: MEHKO: initial inspection before permit issuance; annual inspections (or more frequently for cause). CFO Class B: initial inspection; annual inspection. CFO Class A: no routine inspection; upon-complaint only..
Do I need a home occupation permit in Contra Costa County?
Home occupation permit: Varies by city. State preemption (Gov. Code §51035) bars local zoning restrictions on CFOs. Cities within Contra Costa County may require home occupation permits for other aspects of the business. MEHKO operators must comply with all operational requirements in Ordinance 2024-05 and CCH regulations.
What is the California cottage food sales cap?
California state law caps cottage food sales at Tiered (see notes). County rules may add permits or zoning limits on top.
Where to verify Contra Costa County rules
Contra Costa County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Contra Costa County This county | Sacramento County | Alameda County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | State baseline applies | State baseline applies | No animals inside kitchen/dining areas during MEHKO operations (MEHKO SOP requirement). State baseline applies for CFOs. |
| Inspection required | Yes | Conditional | Conditional |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Conditional | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | MEHKO: meals for dine-in, take-out, and delivery; MEHKO may also serve as a commissary for permitted food carts. CFO: direct/indirect sales… | Direct/indirect sales within California only. Permit valid for one location; must apply for new permit if operator moves. | CFO: direct/indirect sales within California only. MEHKO: on-site dining, pickup, delivery by operator/staff. MEHKO food must be prepared a… |
| Home occupation permit | Varies by city | Varies by city | Yes |
| Local business license | Varies by city | Yes | Varies by city |
| Restrictions | Contra Costa County adopted a MEHKO ordinance (Ordinance 2024-05) approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 20, 2024, effective July 1, … | Sacramento County Environmental Management Department (EMD) administers CFO Class A and Class B registrations/permits. Operators must also … | Alameda County Department of Environmental Health (ACDEH) administers both CFO Class A/B registrations/permits and the MEHKO program. CFO a… |
| Food storage | State baseline applies | State baseline applies | State baseline applies |
| Population | 1,162,648 | 1,579,211 | 1,663,823 |
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