California’s Cottage Food Law allows individuals to prepare and sell certain non-potentially hazardous foods. These are foods that do not need refrigeration to stay safe and are unlikely to grow harmful bacteria.
[1]Our goal is to keep people from getting sick by making sure food is prepared and served safely in clean places.
We do this by:
- Inspecting restaurants and stores regularly and issuing permits to operate
- Responding when the public reports food safety concerns
- Teaching workers and business owners how to handle food safely
- Reviewing and approving building plans for new or remodeled food businesses
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[6]A community food event is any public gathering—like a festival, fair, or market—where food is served, prepared, or sold by temporary food facilities.
Read more [6]
[7]Every food facility must have at least one designated Food Safety Manager with a valid certification. This person should be available on-site and is responsible for day-to-day operations.
Most other employees must have a valid California Food Handler Card.
Read more [7]
Supporting Documents
Master File Record Information [8] (60 KB) Request for Services - Complaint Form [9] (93 KB) 2025 Food Safety Manager Class - In Person [11] (1 MB) 