MEHKO Application Guide: How to legally sell home-cooked food in LA
On November 1st, Los Angeles legalized the sale of home-cooked food! Home chefs can now apply for a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation license.
This passage paves the way for thousands of people to become entrepreneurs and finally sell food in a cost-effective way. However, navigating the licensing process can be challenging, so we created a step-by-step guide to get started.
Overview of the licensing process
Steps: To get your MEHKO license, you’ll need to:
Get your food safety manager certification
Fill out paperwork about your business and menu
Send your paperwork to the LA Department of Health
Get an inspection done by the LA Department of Health
Get your state and city business license
Start selling!
Timeframe: ~30-45 days (from filling out paperwork to getting approved)
Fees: Up to $1000 between certificates, inspections, and the application
Pro tip: You can save $597 in application fees through June 2026. The LA Department of Health is covering the application fee for MEHKOs with less than $50,000 in ‘annual net revenue’ (total earnings minus expenses). This likely covers most MEHKOs, so be sure to indicate you’d like the participate in the subsidy on your MEHKO application!
Step 1: Food Safety Manager Certificate
You’ll need to get an ANSI-approved Food Safety Manager certificate. You can find a full list of approved courses list here.
Some more affordable options we’ve found on this list are: Responsible Training, Trust 20, or State Food Safety.
Any employee of your MEHKO will also need a “food handlers card.”
Step 2: Fill out your paperwork
You’ll fill out a few pieces of paperwork for your application:
Public Health Permit Application: basic business and billing information
Pro tip: The LA County Department put together a guide on filling out this application here if you need extra help.
Standard Operating Procedure form (SOP): menu and operations info
Pro tip: It’s best to submit as many menu items and ingredients as you think you’ll use in the future, even if you rotate items seasonally. This way, you can do one inspection vs. a new inspection for each new menu.
Step 3: Submit your application
Email your application to homebasedfoods@ph.lacounty.gov or submit in-person at the LA Department of Public Health. Your full list of materials should include:
Food Safety Manager Certificate
Food Handlers Card for any employees
Standard Operating Procedure form (SOP)
Public Health Permit Application
When submitting your application, be sure to confirm if any payment is due, as some MEHKOs will qualify for the $597 application subsidy and some won’t.
Step 4: Inspection
Once approved, the Los Angeles Health Department will reach out to schedule an inspection of your home kitchen.
You can check the self-inspection checklist to prepare yourself!
Once you’ve passed the inspection, you’ll be invoiced $347 for the MEHKO Public Health Permit Fee.
Step 5: Get your sellers business licenses
You will likely need to get both a state seller’s license and city business licenses.
We recommend using this guide provided by the City of LA to confirm what licenses you need. You can reach out to the LA Office of Finance at 844-663-4411 if you have questions about obtaining a seller’s license.
Once you’ve gotten your licenses and are approved by the county, you’ll be ready to sell!
Ready to get started?
Hotplate will be supporting the MEHKO application fees for 5 chefs in LA. We’ll cover up to $1,000 of direct application fees and provide 1:1 support. Use this form here to let us know you’re interested in the program!
Looking for next steps on how to market and sell your food? Check out our blog content here. We’re building out guides to demystify the process of running a high-margin, low-waste, and scalable food business.
And of course, if you’re ready to sell food, you can join the thousands of other home food restaurants and bakeries selling on Hotplate today.
About Hotplate: Hotplate is a leading platform for food entrepreneurs, powering thousands of successful home-based food businesses across California. As a California-certified IFSI (Internet Food Service Intermediary), we are committed to helping MEHKOs succeed with powerful tools for menu management, marketing, and operations.
Information on this page is not intended to be legal advice. Always check with your appropriate local legal entities if you have any questions.