Permits & licenses
Food Business Permits in Sacramento County: Cottage Food, Food Trucks, and Restaurants
Starting a food business in Sacramento County? Compare cottage food Class A and B, food truck, and restaurant permits from County EMD, with 2026-27 fees.
Last reviewed October 20, 2026 · 8 min read
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Food has more rules than most businesses, because safety matters. Here is how to find the right path.
Which food permit do I need?
If you want to...Sell approved home-made foods directly to customers
You likely needCottage Food Class A registration
EMD fee (2026-27)$306
If you want to...Also sell home-made foods through stores, cafes, or trucks
You likely needCottage Food Class B permit (includes home inspection)
EMD fee (2026-27)$528
If you want to...Cook and serve food from a truck
You likely needMobile Food Facility, Category D
EMD fee (2026-27)$812 per year
If you want to...Open a restaurant
You likely needPlan check, then restaurant health permit
EMD fee (2026-27)Restaurant permit $1,551 per year
| If you want to... | You likely need | EMD fee (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|
| Sell approved home-made foods directly to customers | Cottage Food Class A registration | $306 |
| Also sell home-made foods through stores, cafes, or trucks | Cottage Food Class B permit (includes home inspection) | $528 |
| Cook and serve food from a truck | Mobile Food Facility, Category D | $812 per year |
| Open a restaurant | Plan check, then restaurant health permit | Restaurant permit $1,551 per year |
What is a cottage food operation?
A cottage food operation (CFO) makes certain approved foods in a home kitchen. EMD says these are "non-potentially hazardous" foods. That means foods unlikely to grow harmful bacteria at room temperature. EMD notes cannabis edibles are not allowed.
Class A lets you sell directly to customers. EMD lists sales from your home, at temporary events, bake sales, farm stands, and certified farmers' markets. Events and markets may need an extra permit.
Class B lets you sell directly and indirectly through permitted third-party retailers, like restaurants, markets, or permitted food trucks. Class B includes a home inspection.
Sales caps. California caps yearly gross sales for each class and adjusts the cap for inflation. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources lists 2026 limits of $88,878 (Class A) and $177,756 (Class B). The state CDPH page we checked still lists the base amounts of $75,000 and $150,000. Ask EMD which figure applies when you apply.
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What you'll need for cottage food
What you'll need
A Food Product List with every product and variety
Product labels (at least one from each food category you'll make)
Recent well water test results, if your home uses a private well
Any city permits or licenses for your home, submitted with the application
An account on EMD's "My Health Department" portal
How do I apply for cottage food?
Check your city's rules. EMD says you are responsible for any city requirements, and city permits must be submitted with your application.
Prepare your product list and labels.
Register in My Health Department and apply for Class A or Class B.
Pay the fee. It's nonrefundable once submitted.
Class B only: pass the home inspection.
Changes later: Switching from Class A to B, or moving, needs a new permit. Adding products costs $120 per submittal. Veterans can ask EMD about fee-exempt permits at (916) 875-8484 or CottageFood@saccounty.gov.
How do I get a food truck permit?
EMD calls trucks, carts, and similar vehicles mobile food facilities (MFF). A truck that cooks and serves unpackaged foods (like a taco truck) is Category D.
Plan review (if new). EMD says new Category D trucks must either show they were permitted in another California county or submit plans for review first. Plan review is $792. HCD insignia alone does not exempt you.
Line up a commissary. A commissary is an approved facility where you store food, clean equipment, get water, and dump waste. EMD requires one for Category B and D trucks.
Submit the application with a Commissary Form, Route Sheet, and Restroom Verification Form. You need a restroom form for each spot where you'll operate longer than one hour.
Pay the annual permit fee. Category D is $812 for 2026-27.
Pass the inspection. EMD inspections are by appointment: (916) 875-8440.
Good to know:
Permits expire December 31 every year and must be renewed.
Each county needs its own permit. Sacramento County's doesn't cover Yolo or Placer.
Trucks must go back to the commissary daily for cleaning and service, except at community events.
Some cities, including Sacramento, Folsom, and Elk Grove, require truck wastewater to go through a grease interceptor at the commissary.
How do I open a restaurant?
Restaurants start with plan check. You submit plans before you build or remodel. EMD's 2026-27 plan check fees start at $2,561 for new construction under 2,000 square feet. Remodels cost less. After you pass, you pay the annual health permit ($1,551 for a restaurant).
Before you sign a lease, read our guide to zoning and permits before a lease.
How long does it take?
PathCottage Class A
What drives the timelineCompleteness of your product list and labels
PathCottage Class B
What drives the timelinePlus scheduling the home inspection
PathFood truck
What drives the timelinePlan review (if needed), commissary, inspection appointment
PathRestaurant
What drives the timelinePlan check, construction, final inspection
| Path | What drives the timeline |
|---|---|
| Cottage Class A | Completeness of your product list and labels |
| Cottage Class B | Plus scheduling the home inspection |
| Food truck | Plan review (if needed), commissary, inspection appointment |
| Restaurant | Plan check, construction, final inspection |
Who do I contact?
Sacramento County EMD, 11080 White Rock Road, Suite 200, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. Main office (916) 875-8484. Plan review (916) 874-6010.
Have a food idea you want to pressure-test? We'll go over it with you on a free Business Launch Audit.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules change, so please check the linked official pages before you file or pay.
Questions people ask
Can I sell food I make at home in Sacramento County?
Yes, for approved low-risk foods under California's cottage food law. Sacramento County EMD registers Class A operations and permits Class B operations. Class A is direct sales only. Class B can also sell through permitted retailers like cafes or markets.
How much is a cottage food permit in Sacramento County?
EMD lists $306 for a Class A registration and $528 for a Class B permit, both initially and at renewal, for 2026-27. Adding products or labels later costs $120 per submittal.
How much can a cottage food business sell?
There is a yearly gross sales cap that is adjusted for inflation. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources lists 2026 limits of $88,878 for Class A and $177,756 for Class B. The CDPH page we checked still shows the base amounts of $75,000 and $150,000, so confirm the current cap with EMD.
Do food trucks need a commissary in Sacramento County?
Most do. EMD says a commissary is required for all Category B and D mobile food facilities, and for Category A trucks that portion their own ready-to-eat foods or drinks.
Is my Sacramento County food truck permit good in other counties?
No. EMD says each county requires its own mobile food facility permit. Sacramento County permits expire December 31 each year.
We walk Sacramento founders through the filings people usually miss.
See the Launch AuditWords to know
EMD: Sacramento County Environmental Management Department. It runs food and health permits.
Cottage food operation: A small food business that makes approved low-risk foods in a home kitchen.
Commissary: An approved base facility where a food truck stores food, cleans equipment, gets water, and dumps waste.
Plan check: A review of your building or remodel drawings before work starts.
Sources
- Cottage Food Operation - Sacramento County EMD · emd.saccounty.gov
- Environmental Health Division 2026-2027 Fees - Sacramento County EMD · emd.saccounty.gov
- Mobile Food Facility - Sacramento County EMD · emd.saccounty.gov
- Mobile Food/Food Trucks FAQs - Sacramento County EMD · emd.saccounty.gov
- Food Facility Plan Review Application, Mobile Food Facility (PE1740) 2026-2027 - Sacramento County EMD · emd.saccounty.gov
- Cottage Food Operations - California Department of Public Health · cdph.ca.gov
- Cottage Food License fact sheet (2026) - UC Agriculture and Natural Resources · ucanr.edu
This is general information for Sacramento and Northern California businesses. We are not attorneys or tax advisors, and this is not legal or tax advice. Check the official sources, and a local pro, before you act.