Can I sell home-cooked food in San Francisco?
Not yet for cooked meals. San Francisco has not yet authorized home kitchen (MEHKO) permits. File 261052, the ordinance that would allow them, was introduced on Sept 22, 2026. As of Nov 2, 2026 it was still pending in the Board of Supervisors' Budget and Finance Committee, with a hearing scheduled for Nov 4, 2026. Until an ordinance passes, there is no MEHKO application to file in SF. You can still sell approved shelf-stable foods from home with a San Francisco Cottage Food permit, or sell cooked food at events with a Temporary Food Facility permit prepared in a permitted kitchen.
Key facts
- MEHKO in SF
- Not available yet. The ordinance that would allow it (File 261052) is pending in committee, with a hearing set for Nov 4, 2026
- Available now
- Cottage Food (Class A / Class B) for approved shelf-stable foods
- Cottage food application
- Online with SFDPH; up to 8 recipes per application
- Cottage food fees
- $172 Class A, $599 Class B a year (until Mar 31, 2027)
- Cooked food option
- Shared commercial kitchen or commissary + food facility permit
- Events
- Temporary Food Facility permit per event
Step by step
- Get your San Francisco Business Registration Certificate. SF asks for a copy with your cottage food application.
- Get a California food handler card.
- For each recipe (up to 8), fill in SF's written operational procedures form and make a product label.
- Draw a floor plan of your home on 8.5 x 11 paper showing the kitchen, food prep and storage areas, and the square footage.
- Apply online for a Cottage Food permit with SFDPH, with a copy of your government photo ID.
- If you cook meals, rent time in a commercial kitchen and apply for a food facility permit instead.
- Watch File 261052 — Regulatory OS will update this page if it passes.
Questions
Is MEHKO legal in San Francisco?
San Francisco has not yet authorized home kitchen (MEHKO) permits. File 261052, the ordinance that would allow them, was introduced on Sept 22, 2026. As of Nov 2, 2026 it was still pending in the Board of Supervisors' Budget and Finance Committee, with a hearing scheduled for Nov 4, 2026. Until an ordinance passes, there is no MEHKO application to file in SF.
What can I legally sell from my San Francisco home kitchen today?
Approved shelf-stable cottage foods — such as bread, cookies, jams and dried fruit — under a Cottage Food permit (Class A or Class B) from SFDPH.
What do I need to apply for a cottage food permit in San Francisco?
Written operational procedures and a product label for each recipe (up to 8), a California food handler card, a copy of your government photo ID, a floor plan, a declaration of safe and healthy working conditions, and a copy of your SF business registration. You apply online, and SF says to expect a first health inspection within 45 days of approval.
How much is a cottage food permit in San Francisco?
San Francisco's annual cottage food license is $172 for Class A and $599 for Class B, for April 2026 to March 2027. From Apr 1, 2027 it is $189 and $659. Your business registration and food handler card are extra.
Official sources
- Board of Supervisors File 261052 (MEHKO ordinance, pending in committee) — San Francisco Board of Supervisors
- Budget and Finance Committee meeting, Nov 4, 2026 (File 261052 on the agenda) — San Francisco Board of Supervisors
- Sell food you make at home (Cottage Food permit) — San Francisco Department of Public Health — Environmental Health
- Environmental Health fee schedule FY27 (Cottage Food Operations, Tier A and Tier B) — San Francisco Department of Public Health — Environmental Health
- Written Operational Procedures for Cottage Food Operation (form, one per product) — San Francisco Department of Public Health — Environmental Health
- Starting a business in San Francisco (Business Registration Certificate) — San Francisco Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector
- Cottage Food Operations — California Department of Public Health
- Cottage Food Operation 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.