Your Santa Clara County permit checklist
The apply checklist — not the statute page.
- Which permit you need — local names like HBB, MHO, CFO Class A
- Fees and where to file
- Filing checklist + saved workspace
Cottage Pro $15 one time · this county’s PDF + workspace · every other county
See a sample
The statute and county answer — what the law allows.
The apply checklist, forms, fees, and dashboard workspace for this county.
Cottage Pro, $15 one time: this county’s licensed PDF, the dashboard workspace (checklist, official links, screenshots), and other counties — download or request those PDFs when generated, plus updates. Not legal advice; we don’t file for you.
Work the guide saves you — not a page count
- Which permit you need — local names like HBB, MHO, CFO Class A
- Zoning / home occupation: where you file
- Local health Class A/B path when the county runs it
- Fee schedule — published amount only, blank if none
- House pickup vs off-site — what zoning already says
County workspace on your dashboard
After Stripe, sign in at /dashboard. The purchase unlocks official links, screenshots, and a dashboard to save your information for submission to permit authorities. We do not file with the county for you.
Cottage Pro, $15 one time: this county’s licensed PDF, the dashboard workspace (checklist, official links, screenshots), and other counties — download or request those PDFs when generated, plus updates. Independent cities are their own government.
Permit steps with the local name that office uses (HBB, MHO, CFO Class A).
Live .gov URLs and snapshots when we have them. Blank if we do not.
Your county rules. Permit checklists.
See permit information in one place. Get updates and access dashboard features as they advance.
The required disclaimer wording for this state, a sample mockup, and links to the free label pack and official examples.
Whether customers may pick up at the dwelling. Zoning is local. A food exemption does not grant porch pickup.
USDA listings for this place and neighboring counties: name, address, season or hours, and website when the directory has one. A cottage-food exemption is not a booth — you still apply to the market.
The state food list for this place. County zoning does not add a food to the state list.
Orders, payments, in-state shipping, and whether out-of-state sales are published as allowed.
Pets in the kitchen you bake in. A dedicated-kitchen rule is separate from selling pet treats.
Dog biscuits and cat treats are usually commercial feed, not cottage food. Sourced license path when we have it.
Neighboring counties are compared in a table for rules and regulations.
What you need in Santa Clara County — and what you do not
California CDPH (state)
Not requiredCDPH does not permit or register Cottage Food Operations. It only maintains the approved foods list.
Class A is direct sales only (up to $75,000 gross a year). Class B is direct plus indirect (up to $150,000). 2026 CPI-adjusted limits are $88,878 (Class A) and $177,756 (Class B). File Class A registration or a Class B permit with county Environmental Health.
CDPH Cottage Food Operations →California routine kitchen inspection
Not requiredNo routine state inspection for the exemption (complaint inspection may still apply).
CFO Class A: no routine inspection; upon complaint only. CFO Class B: one routine annual inspection. MEHKO: initial onsite kitchen evaluation required before permit issuance; routine inspection scheduled after permit approval.
Zoning / home occupation
Check locallyVaries by city — confirm with planning before you sell.
Santa Clara County DEH requires CFO operators to obtain local city zoning approval before operating, though proof need not be submitted to DEH. The specific permit type and cost depends on the city (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, etc.). For unincorporated Santa Clara County, contact county planning.
Local health / cottage-food registration
RequiredClass A registration or a Class B permit goes through Santa Clara County Environmental Health — not CDPH.
Class A is direct sales only (up to $75,000 gross a year). Class B is direct plus indirect (up to $150,000). 2026 CPI-adjusted limits are $88,878 (Class A) and $177,756 (Class B). File Class A registration or a Class B permit with county Environmental Health. CFO Class A: no routine inspection; upon complaint only. CFO Class B: one routine annual inspection. MEHKO: initial onsite kitchen evaluation required before permit issuance; routine inspection scheduled after permit approval.
Local business license
Check locallyVaries by city — confirm with the local license office.
House / porch pickup
Check locallyOn-site pickup is flagged as allowed in Santa Clara County — still confirm hours, parking, and HOA rules.
Direct/indirect sales within California only (state baseline). MEHKO permits on-site dining, pickup, and delivery. MEHKO: food must be prepared, cooked, and served same day. MEHKO may not operate at farmers markets or temporary events.
What Santa Clara County publishes for the home cottage-food path
Dollar amounts appear only when we have read them on an official page. If a cell is blank, that office has not published a flat price we can quote. Ask them before you pay. A fee that varies with sales is a percent of receipts (privilege tax / BPOL), not a sticker price. Not MEHKO, commissary, or storefront.
| Step / local name | Amount | Period | Official source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
County Class A/B CFO registration or permit CDPH does not register CFOs and does not set the fee. Each county environmental health department publishes Class A (direct) and Class B (indirect) amounts. Local $ is filled only when we have read that county's schedule. Incorporated cities often also want a city business license — not invented here. | — | — | Official source → | 2026-08-19 |
Cottage Food Operation This office has not published a flat dollar amount we can quote. Ask them before you pay. | — | — | — | 2026-05-05 |
Local health / cottage-food registration This office has not published a flat dollar amount we can quote. Ask them before you pay. | — | — | Official source → | 2026-05-05 |
Business license / BPOL This office has not published a flat dollar amount we can quote. Ask them before you pay. | — | — | — | 2026-05-05 |
What permits do I need in another county?
Cottage Pro · $15 one time
Selling in more than one county, or planning to? Every state report, every county Permit Guide, the label packet, and your dashboard permit path — one subscription, updates included.
Buy the Report — $15 one timeCrosodo compiles publicly available statutes and local rules for home cottage-food bakers. It is not legal, tax, or zoning advice and is provided without warranty. Confirm with California and Santa Clara County offices before you sell. Rules change.