How to get your MEHKO permit and cook legally in LA.
California law lets you sell home-cooked meals from your own kitchen, legally, once you hold a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation permit. Here is the whole process, in plain English: the rules, the steps, the real costs, the inspection, and how to pass it the first time.
Written for Los Angeles County · Last reviewed June 2026
What a MEHKO permit actually is
A Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation, or MEHKO, is a real public-health permit that lets you cook, store, and sell full meals out of your home kitchen: hot food, cold food, plates people eat the same day. It was created by California Assembly Bill 626 in 2018 and expanded by AB 1325 in 2023. Once you are permitted, selling your food is completely legal.
MEHKO vs. Cottage Food: which one are you?
People mix these up constantly. If you sell meals, you want a MEHKO. If you only sell shelf-stable goods like cookies or jam, that is the separate Cottage Food program.
MEHKO
- Hot meals, curries, tamales, plate lunches, soups
- Perishable, refrigerated food
- Sold direct: pickup, dine-in, or your own delivery
- Requires a county inspection & opt-in
Cottage Food (CFO)
- Baked goods, jams, granola, candy
- Shelf-stable, non-perishable only
- Can sell to some shops & events
- Legal statewide, no opt-in needed
You can only run one or the other from a given home at a time. Silo cooks use a MEHKO.
What a MEHKO lets you do, by the numbers
These are the current limits after AB 1325 (2023). Heads up: many older blog posts still cite the original 2019 figures of 60 meals a week and $50,000. Those are out of date.
Same-day only. Food must be made and sold (or thrown out) the same day. No cooking Monday's batch on Sunday.
You deliver, not DoorDash. Pickup, dine-in, and delivery are allowed, but delivery has to be done by you or your household. Third-party couriers are not.
Direct to eaters only. No farmers markets, catering, wholesale, or selling to restaurants and stores.
Your home, one permit. The kitchen must be in your primary residence, and a household gets one MEHKO.
What you can and can't cook
Allowed
Almost any meal you'd cook at home: stews, rice plates, dumplings, birria, pasta, roasted meats, salads, soups, sides, desserts, and non-alcoholic drinks. AB 1325 made clear that appetizers, sides, baked goods, and beverages all count as part of a meal.
Not allowed
- Raw oysters and shellfish
- Raw milk or raw-milk products
- Homemade ice cream
- Smoked, cured, fermented, or acidified foods
- Vacuum-sealed / reduced-oxygen packaging
- Cannabis (THC/CBD) products
- Anything needing a HACCP plan
Alcohol is possible but needs a separate California ABC license, and those sales count toward your revenue cap.
Is MEHKO legal where you live?
Here's the catch that trips people up: MEHKOs are illegal by default. Each county (or independent city) has to formally opt in before anyone there can be permitted.
Los Angeles County: yes, you can.
LA County opened its MEHKO pilot program in November 2024. It covers unincorporated LA County and participating cities. The three exceptions are Pasadena, Long Beach, and Vernon, which run their own health departments (Long Beach approved its own program in 2026). The pilot was set to run through mid-2026, so confirm the current status on the county site before you apply.
Riverside, San Diego, Alameda, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Sonoma, Monterey, and a dozen more, plus the City of Berkeley.
San Bernardino, Orange County, San Francisco, and Sacramento County, as of mid-2026. The list changes, so always check your specific city and county first.
Getting permitted, step by step
Here's the whole path in LA County, in order. Most cooks get through it in a few weeks once their documents are ready.
Confirm you're eligible
Make sure your kitchen is in unincorporated LA County or a participating city (not Pasadena, Long Beach, or Vernon), and that you'll cook in your primary residence. If you rent or are in an HOA, get written permission now, before you spend a dollar.
Earn your food-safety credentials
Two things, and you need both before you apply:
- A California Food Handler Card for you and everyone who handles food. Online, about $8, takes an hour, good for 3 years.
- A Certified Food Protection Manager certificate for you, the operator. About $70 to $200 and good for 5 years. LA County offers the training free through its workshops.
Build your application packet
The big one here is your Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) document. It describes exactly how you'll handle, cook, cool, store, and clean. The reviewer reads it closely, so be thorough and honest. You'll also include the permit application form, your menu, and copies of your certificates. (Full checklist below.)
Submit it and pay the fee
Send the packet plus the $597 application review fee to LA County Environmental Health, by email, mail, or in person. First-time applicants earning under $50,000 net can have that fee waived through June 30, 2026, while spots last. You then get up to about three months to finish any remaining documents.
Pass your home kitchen inspection
Once your packet is complete, an inspector schedules a visit. They look at your handwashing setup, your refrigeration, how you store food, and your safety habits, not whether your kitchen is fancy. See the checklist below to walk in ready.
Get your permit and start cooking
Pass, pay the $347 annual permit fee, and post your permit in your kitchen. That's it, you're a licensed operation. Add your permit number to Silo and list your first drop. We verify it and your kitchen goes live.
The documents you'll submit
- Public Health Permit Application — the LA County MEHKO form.
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) — the core document. Describe your handling, cooking, cooling, storage, and cleaning. Sketch your kitchen layout here; a simple diagram helps.
- Your menu — what you plan to sell.
- Food Protection Manager certificate — a copy of yours.
- Food Handler Cards — for every person who handles food.
- Well-water test results — only if your home runs on private well water (most don't).
What the inspector checks
You don't need commercial equipment. You need a clean, safe home kitchen with a few specific things in place. Here's the layout an inspector walks through:
Handwashing station with warm water (100°F+), pump soap, and single-use paper towels. No bar soap, no cloth towels.
A working fridge that holds at or below 41°F, plus a calibrated probe thermometer you can show them.
Proper storage — food off the floor, covered, with raw meat kept separate from ready-to-eat food.
No pests, no pets in food areas during operation, and screened windows and doors.
Hot water & warewashing — enough hot water to wash, rinse, and sanitize your dishes.
No smoking in food-prep areas, and your permit posted while you operate.
The temperatures to live by
This is the heart of safe cooking and the one chart worth taping to your wall. The zone between 41°F and 135°F is where bacteria grow, so keep cold food cold, hot food hot, and don't let anything sit in the middle for more than two hours.
Cook to these internal temps
Checked with a probe thermometer.
What it actually costs
Budget around $1,000 for your first year in LA County, or closer to $400 to $500 if you qualify for the fee waiver and take the free manager course.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| California Food Handler Card (per person, 3 yrs) | ~$8 |
| Food Protection Manager cert (5 yrs, free via county) | $0–$200 |
| MEHKO application review fee (one-time) | $597 · $0 if waived |
| Annual public-health permit fee | $347/yr |
| CDTFA seller's permit | Free |
| City / county business license | ~$50–$150 |
| Realistic first-year total | ~$1,000 |
Add ~$100–$200 only if your home runs on private well water and needs a water test. There's no separate restaurant-style plan-check fee; the application review fee covers document review.
The other paperwork
The permit is the big one, but a real business has a few more pieces:
Seller's permit (CDTFA)
Hot prepared meals are taxable, so register for a free seller's permit at cdtfa.ca.gov.
Business license
Your city (or the county, if unincorporated) issues this. Some cities also want a home-occupation permit.
Landlord & HOA sign-off
No state law overrides your lease or HOA rules. Get written permission before you apply.
Insurance
Not required by law, but homeowner's and renter's policies usually exclude business activity. A small liability policy is smart.
How to pass the first time
Do this
- Take the county's self-inspection quiz first
- Write a thorough, honest SOP
- Buy a probe thermometer; confirm your fridge reads ≤41°F
- Set up pump soap + paper towels at the sink
- Deep clean and clear pets from the kitchen
- Have permits, certs, and cards on hand
Avoid this
- Any unresolved code violation on the property (auto-denial)
- Submitting an incomplete packet (the #1 delay)
- Bar soap or cloth towels at the handwash sink
- A fridge running warm or no thermometer
- Pets or pest evidence in the kitchen
- Finding out late that your HOA says no
Don't do this alone.
Silo helps our cooks get their MEHKO permit, free. A real founder reads every message and replies within a day. Tell us what you cook and we'll help you get licensed and selling.
Official links
We keep this guide current, but rules and fees change. Always confirm the latest on the county's own pages before you apply.
This guide is for general information, reviewed June 2026, and isn't legal advice. MEHKO rules, fees, and which counties participate change over time, and the revenue cap is adjusted for inflation each year. Confirm the current details with the LA County Department of Public Health before you apply.