Can I sell home-cooked meals in Alameda County?
Yes. Alameda County issues Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) permits that let you cook and sell meals from your home kitchen. The permit fee is $696. You submit the county application with Standard Operating Procedures by mail or walk-in, then pass an inspection at your home. You can make up to 30 meals a day and 90 a week. The 2026 sales limit is $110,442 a year, the state figure the county's MEHKO application uses; the county's FAQ page still lists the $100,000 base amount.
Key facts
- Permit fee
- $696 (paid with the application)
- Meal limits
- 30 a day, 90 a week
- Sales limit
- $110,442 a year in 2026 (state figure, also in the county's application; its FAQ page lists $100,000)
- Application
- County MEHKO Application / Standard Operating Procedures
- Inspection
- Initial inspection at your home before the permit is issued, then one routine inspection a year
- Certification
- Food safety manager certificate for the operator; food handler cards for helpers
Step by step
- Write your menu and estimate your meals per day and per week.
- Pass an accredited food safety manager course.
- Complete the county MEHKO application and Standard Operating Procedures.
- Mail or walk in the application with the $696 fee — the county won't process it until payment clears.
- Pass the initial inspection at your home.
- Receive your Permit to Operate, then register with your city.
Questions
How much does a MEHKO permit cost in Alameda County?
The Alameda County MEHKO permit fee is $696, paid when you submit the application.
How many meals can a MEHKO sell?
Alameda County allows up to 30 meals a day and 90 a week. Alameda County's MEHKO application (revised Sept 3, 2026) uses the 2026 state limit of $110,442 a year, but the county's MEHKO FAQ page still lists $100,000, the base amount in state law before CDPH's yearly inflation adjustment. If you plan to sell more than $100,000 a year, confirm the limit with the county first.
Can I run a MEHKO in Berkeley?
Berkeley has its own environmental health department and its own rules. Check with the City of Berkeley before preparing an application.
Official sources
- Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO) — Alameda County Department of Environmental Health
- MEHKO Application & Standard Operating Procedures (revised Sept 3, 2026) — Alameda County Department of Environmental Health
- MEHKO frequently asked questions (limits and training) — Alameda County Department of Environmental Health
- Environmental Health fee schedule (fees 2091, 2092, 2093) — Alameda County Department of Environmental Health
- Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (state page) — California Department of Public Health
- MEHKO Adjusted Gross Annual Sales Limit 2026 — California Department of Public Health
Last checked against official sources on . Regulatory OS explains official requirements and prepares applications; it is not a government agency and does not give legal advice. Agencies make all permit decisions.