Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation

Food vendors and businesses can now prepare and sell meals from home kitchens.  LA County’s Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) Ordinance is now effective countywide and allows individuals to operate a small-scale restaurant from their homes.

The LA County Department of Public Health (DPH) issues and enforces compliance with MEHKO and other food facility permits.

DEO partners with DPH and Imagen Group to provide direct, in-community, and in-language outreach to food vendors and businesses, educate on the new MEHKO Ordinance, and provide technical assistance and access to time-limited permit subsidies to help aspiring and growing businesses sign-up for this permit and access new and compliant pathways into the formal hospitality sector and economy.

One-time permit subsidy available! Learn more here

About MEHKO

A Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation, or MEHKO, is a small-scale, home-based restaurant within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Department of Public’s Health Environmental Health Division – all of LA County except for the Cities of Pasadena, Long Beach, and Vernon.

Food is prepared, handled, and served from a resident’s private home kitchen for on-site consumption, takeout, or delivery. A MEHKO can sell up to 30 meals per day, but no more than 90 meals per week, with an annual sales limit of $100,000.

Need to Know Operational Requirements

Prior to applying for a MEHKO, it is important to get to know key operational requirements.

• Only allows for direct sales on-site, direct delivery, or on approved food cart. MEHKO can’t sell food to stores, wholesales businesses, or at farmers markets.
• Food can only be prepared and stored in permitted areas of the home.
• Equipment must be in good repair, clean, and sanitized; Commercial equipment and/or appliances are not required.
• Food must be prepared, served, or disposed of by the end of the day.
• Oil and grease disposal must be done in an approved manner.
• It is subject to an annual inspection and complaint-based investigations, just like other retail food businesses.
• Limited to one full-time employee (up to 40 hours a week) or multiple employees whose total working hours combined do not exceed 40 hours per week; this does not include a family or a household member.

How to Obtain a MEHKO Permit

MEHKO permits are available for countywide food vendors and businesses. To obtain a MEHKO permit, planned operators of the MEHKO must apply to the Environmental Health Division at DPH that includes the following documents:

1. A completed Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) form. Please visit ph.lacounty.gov/MEHKO for the form (English and Spanish).
2. A copy of the operator’s Food Manager Certificate (full list of Food Manager Certification Programs).
3. Copies of Food Handler Cards for any employees or family/household members assisting in the preparation, storage, or service of food in the MEHKO (full list of Food Handler Card Programs).
4. A copy of the Portable Well and Water Quality test (English ⋅ Español ⋅ հայերեն ⋅ 한국인 ⋅ Tagalog ⋅ 繁體中文 ⋅ Tiếng Việt) results for nitrate, nitrite, and bacteriological water quality, if using well-water.
5. A one-time application review fee of $597 and an annual fee of $347 for a Health Permit through DPH.

Financial Support for Permits and Credentials

No-Cost Credentials: For individuals who need to prepare for and access a Food Manager Certificate and/or a California Food Handler’s Card, join an upcoming, dedicated workshop hosted by DEO and Inclusive Action, where available, or visit an America’s Job Center of California (AJCC) to check eligibility and enroll in a no-cost training program at one’s convenience for the credential. Check out our upcoming workshops here or visit an AJCC near you.

Subsidized Application Review Fee $597: For a limited time through June 30, 2026, Los Angeles County is offering a one-time subsidy on a first-come, first-serve basis for up to 1,000 MEHKO permittees to offset the initial $597 application review fee. Other permit related fees may apply. Learn more here.

Application Support for MEHKOs

DEO and DPH are available to support food vendors and businesses in applying for a MEHKO and starting and growing their business venture.

A couple ways to access support are:

• Visit the DPH website on MEHKO, including details of the permit and inspection process and other food permitting options.
• Participate in an in-person MEHKO workshop with DPH and DEO (English and Spanish). View upcoming events and sign up here.
• Sign up for a class with Cook Academy, an 8-week online program designed to jumpstart home-based food businesses. $3000 cash grant and college credit available upon completion. Limited capacity for interested and eligible individuals. Learn more here.
• Sign up for a Small Business Concierge appointment with the DEO Office of Small Business to discuss MEHKO, understand necessary permits and regulations, apply for the MEHKO and other necessary permits and credentials, and learn about other small business services like legal aid and capital available. Book an appointment here.
• If a vendor in Unincorporated LA County, learn more here about LA County’s Sidewalk Vending Program.

For problems with MEHKO or other home-based food business, or to report any public health issues, call the Environmental Health Division of DPH’s Customer Call Center at (888) 700-9995. Telephone agents are available on Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, or File a Complaint Online.

For help with other employment issues, such as fair wages, breaks, and more, contact the California Labor Commissioner at 320 W. 4th Street, Suite 450, Los Angeles 90013 or call (213) 620-6330.

DPH will not ask about immigration status or names when filing and will offer interpretation services.