A plain comparison of California's three paths to selling food you maker: MEHKO home kitchen permits, Cottage Food permits, and a catering or commissary permit — by what you can sell, cost, limits, and effort.
If you want to sell meals from your own home kitchen, you need a MEHKO permit (available only in opted-in counties). If you only sell shelf-stable foods like baked goods or jams, a Cottage Food permit is cheaper and works statewide. If you want to cook at volume, use delivery apps, or cater events, you need a retail food / catering permit tied to a licensed commercial or commissary kitchen. Most home cooks selling dinner to neighbors want MEHKO.
| MEHKO | Cottage Food | Catering / commissary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you cook | Your home kitchen | Your home kitchen | Licensed commercial or commissary kitchen |
| What you can sell | Full meals, hot and cold, any cuisine | Shelf-stable only (CDPH approved list) | Anything, with a HACCP plan if needed |
| Volume limits | 30 meals/day, 90/week, $100k/yr | $88,878 (A) / $177,756 (B) per year | None |
| Availability | Opted-in counties only | Statewide | Statewide |
| Delivery apps allowed | No — you or your employee deliver | N/A (direct sale or retail) | Yes |
| Certification | Food Protection Manager | Food Handler card | Food Protection Manager |
| Inspection | Initial + annual | Class A: none; Class B: annual | Initial + routine, plus commissary's own |
| Typical permit cost | $350–$700 initial, a few hundred/yr | $50–$300/yr depending on county and class | $500–$1,500/yr permit + kitchen rent ($20–$40/hr) |
| Time to first sale | 3–8 weeks | 1–3 weeks (Class A) | 4–12 weeks |
| Employees | 1 FTE non-household | 1 FTE | Unlimited |
A MEHKO and a Cottage Food Operation cannot run from the same home at the same time. A catering permit through a commissary can coexist with either, since it's tied to the commercial kitchen. Some makers run a MEHKO for the weekly dinner menu and use a commissary for the occasional large event.
Whichever permit you choose, the bigger number is the platform's cut. Delivery apps take 15–30% of every order. Makinson Street takes 3% on card orders plus Stripe's processing fee, and nothing on cash. See the full platform fee comparison.
Completely free for orders paid in person (3% plus Stripe's processing fee on card payments). No listing fees, no subscription.
No. Cottage food covers only shelf-stable, non-perishable items on CDPH's approved list. Meals that need to be kept hot or refrigerated require a MEHKO or a commercial kitchen permit.
Class A and most Class B operations need only a Food Handler card, though some counties ask Class B operators for the manager certificate. MEHKO always requires the manager-level certificate.
No. A MEHKO is a home-based restaurant permit with meal and revenue caps and no third-party delivery. A catering permit is tied to a commercial kitchen, has no caps, and allows delivery apps and large events.
A Cottage Food Class A permit — typically $50–$150, no inspection, and often issued within a couple of weeks. It only covers shelf-stable foods, though.
Regulations and fees change. This guide was last reviewed on Sep 13, 2026; confirm current requirements with the issuing agency. Nothing here is legal or tax advice.