Marin MEHKO: the home kitchen ordinance (2026)
Marin County is creating a Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation (MEHKO) program. A three-year pilot would start March 1, 2027, with a December 8 public hearing coming up. Here is what the county has actually announced.
Marin County news release — Home Cooking in Marin ordinance
What is MEHKO?
MEHKO stands for Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operation. It is a state program California created in 2019 that lets people cook and sell food from their home kitchens without building out a commercial kitchen or renting restaurant space. The county has to opt in — it is not automatic.
Marin is now working on an ordinance to bring MEHKO here. The Board of Supervisors approved the first reading of the ordinance on September 29, 2026. A public hearing is scheduled for December 8.
What the pilot would allow
If the ordinance passes, Marin would run a three-year pilot starting March 1, 2027. Home cooks could apply for a permit to sell meals directly to customers — up to 30 meals a day or 90 a week, with gross sales capped at $100,000 per year. Those are state limits, not county limits.
The county plans to cap permits at 100 per year during the pilot. Thirty percent of those would be reserved for residents of lower-resource areas of the county.
After two years, the Board can consider making the program permanent.
Who this is for
The county frames this as a stepping stone: home cooks, small caterers, mobile vendors with a permitted cart, and budding entrepreneurs who want to start a food business without the upfront cost of brick-and-mortar space or a commercial kitchen build-out.
The county also announced $156,000 in grant funding to help home chefs with the permitting and application process.
Timeline
- September 29, 2026: Board of Supervisors approved the first reading of the draft MEHKO ordinance.
- December 8, 2026: Public hearing scheduled.
- March 1, 2027: Pilot program would begin if the ordinance passes.
- After two years: Board can consider making the program permanent.
How to follow
The program is still in the ordinance process. The county has not published an application, fees, or detailed requirements yet. If you want to apply when it opens, the place to watch is the Marin County Community Development Agency and Environmental Health Services. Greg Pirie, Deputy Director of Environmental Health Services, is the contact on the release: 415-473-6907.
Other counties that have MEHKO
Seventeen California counties and two city health jurisdictions have already authorized MEHKO programs. Neighbors with programs include Sonoma, San Mateo, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, and Santa Clara. San Francisco is considering it.
Related
Food in Marin — restaurants and food facilities with current inspection records.
Caterers in Marin — the directory of licensed catering businesses.