State rules

Can you sell backyard eggs in California?

Yes, but only after you register with CDFA as an egg handler. There is no small-flock exemption from registration, and eggs sold off the farm must be graded and fully labeled.

Read from 7 official sources19 passages quotedChecked October 6, 2026

At a glance

License

Registration

Small-flock line

None; 500 hens get fee relief

Farmers markets

With conditions

Cartons

Not stated

In plain English

California has no small-flock exemption from registration: anyone who produces, packs or sells eggs, a backyard flock included, must register with CDFA's Egg Safety and Quality Management Program as an egg handler. A flock of 500 hens or fewer selling to household consumers on the premises where the eggs were laid skips the per-case assessment fee and, without advertising, the size, grade and name-and-address carton markings. Eggs sold anywhere else must be graded, sized and fully labeled. Farm stands and certified farmers' markets are excused from the state's 45°F egg-handler holding rule, though county environmental health still regulates refrigeration at markets.

A sourced reading of California's rules, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) ((916) 900-5062) before you sell.

Do you need a license?

Registration requiredNone; 500 hens get fee relief
  • Register with CDFA ESQM as an egg handler before selling (every location where eggs are handled; certificate is non-transferable and must be displayed). No fee amount is stated on the sources fetched.
  • Fee exemption: eggs sold to household consumers on the premises where produced, flock of 500 hens or fewer (FAC 27551(e)); otherwise the assessment is $0.10 per 30-dozen case through June 30, 2026, rising to $0.13 on July 1, 2026 (statutory cap $0.15).
  • Marking exemption (per CDFA Quick Reference Guide): size, grade, name and address are not required on containers if sold to household consumers without advertising by the producer on the premises where produced, from a flock of 500 hens or less.
  • Everywhere else (farmers' markets, off-farm, retail): eggs must be graded (AA, A or B) and sized, no eggs below Grade B sold for human consumption, and containers fully marked including 'Keep Refrigerated', sell-by date and Julian pack date.
  • Eggs from ducks, quail and other non-chicken fowl: no size/grade standards, but containers must be marked with I.R.Q. (identity/species, responsibility/producer name-address-zip, quantity).
  • Unregistered handling can draw fines of up to $1,000 for a first offense (CDFA FAQ).
The exact wording
“Eggs sold to household consumers on the premises where produced from a total flock size of 500 hens or fewer are exempt from these fees.”

Where you can sell

From home or the farm

With conditions

Registration is still required. With 500 hens or fewer, eggs sold to household consumers on the premises where produced are exempt from the assessment fee (FAC 27551(e)) and, if sold without advertising, from the size/grade/name-address marking (Quick Reference Guide). Restricted eggs (checks and dirts) may be sold at the site of production by the producer from his own flock, properly labeled, in quantities not over 30 dozen per sale. Direct marketing (farm stands, CSA, community food producers) is excused from the 45°F holding rule of FAC 27643(a).

Farmers markets

With conditions

Allowed for a registered egg handler; the 500-hen fee and marking relief do not apply off the premises, so eggs must be graded, sized and fully labeled. CDFA inspects eggs at farmers' markets. FAC 27643(c) exempts certified farmers' markets from the 45°F handler holding rule, but county environmental health departments regulate refrigeration at market and retail (Shell Egg Handler Information sheet). CDFA says to contact its Direct Marketing Program (916-900-5030) and the county agricultural commissioner.

Stores and restaurants

License needed

Sales to stores and restaurants are ordinary egg-handler sales: registration, assessment fee, full grading/sizing/labeling and 45°F handling all apply. It is unlawful to sell ungraded eggs to any retailer, consumer or institutional consumer except under a CDFA-proclaimed emergency (FAC 27651). The retailer itself need not register if it only acts as a retailer.

Also check with: City or county business license may be required (CDFA FAQ); county environmental health regulates refrigeration at retail and farmers' markets.

Cartons, labels and handling

Cartons

The sources we read don't set a carton rule.

No new-carton rule appears in the statute or CDFA guidance fetched. FAC 27634 makes it unlawful to sell or use any container of eggs bearing a name, trademark or trade name unless the seller is entitled to use it, which rules out reusing another brand's cartons as-is. Containers must carry the required markings (see labels).

Refrigeration

45°F or colder where the rule applies.

“(1) At an average ambient temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or lower. … (c) Direct marketing activities, including certified farmers’ markets, … and farm stands, … are not required to comply with subdivision (a).”

The label must show

  • name, address and zip code of packer
  • quantity
  • Keep Refrigerated (or federal safe-handling statement)
  • size (unabbreviated) and grade (AA, A or B) in ¼-inch type
  • sell-by date (not more than 30 days after pack)
  • Julian pack date
  • USDA plant number or CDFA handler code
  • CA SEFS Compliant statement

The carton label maker prints these lines with the federal safe handling statement.

Grading

Eggs must be graded.

Ungraded eggs may not be sold to retailers, consumers or institutions except during a CDFA-proclaimed emergency (FAC 27651), and CDFA's quick reference guide says no eggs lower than Grade B may be sold for human consumption. Eggs from fowl other than chickens have no size or grade standards but must be marked with identity, responsibility and quantity.

Washing

No washing rule in the sources fetched. CDFA: all Grade AA and Grade A eggs must be clean (shell free from adhering foreign material, visible stains or discoloration); dirty eggs cannot be sold to consumers; moderately stained eggs may be sold as Grade B.

Federal rules apply on top of California's: the four federal egg rules. Pricing your dozen? The egg price calculator works it out from your feed bill.

What changed recently

  1. 2026-07-01 · CDFA assessment fee rises from $0.10 to $0.13 per 30-dozen case sold (statutory maximum $0.15, FAC 27551). Not charged on eggs sold on-premises to household consumers from flocks of 500 hens or fewer. Source
  2. 2015-01-01 · AB 1990 (Stats. 2014, ch. 580) amended FAC 27643 to exempt direct-marketing activities — certified farmers' markets, community food producers, CSAs and farm stands — from the egg-handler 45°F holding rule. Source

Common questions

Do I need a license to sell eggs from my backyard chickens in California?
Yes, but only after you register with CDFA as an egg handler. There is no small-flock exemption from registration, and eggs sold off the farm must be graded and fully labeled. Small-flock line: none; 500 hens get fee relief. The conditions, and the law they come from, are on this page.
Can I sell eggs at a farmers market in California?
Allowed with conditions. Allowed for a registered egg handler; the 500-hen fee and marking relief do not apply off the premises, so eggs must be graded, sized and fully labeled. CDFA inspects eggs at farmers' markets. FAC 27643(c) exempts certified farmers' markets from the 45°F handler holding rule, but county environmental health departments regulate refrigeration at market and retail (Shell Egg Handler Information sheet). CDFA says to contact its Direct Marketing Program (916-900-5030) and the county agricultural commissioner. Also check with City or county business license may be required (CDFA FAQ); county environmental health regulates refrigeration at retail and farmers' markets..
Can I reuse egg cartons in California?
The sources we read do not say; ask the state agriculture department before reusing cartons for eggs you sell.
What has to be on the carton label in California?
name, address and zip code of packer, quantity, Keep Refrigerated (or federal safe-handling statement), size (unabbreviated) and grade (AA, A or B) in ¼-inch type, sell-by date (not more than 30 days after pack), Julian pack date, USDA plant number or CDFA handler code, CA SEFS Compliant statement. The rule reads: "Each container or sub container of processed shell eggs shall be marked with name, address, and zip code of the person or company by or for whom the eggs were graded and packed, the Julian packing date, sell by date, the words “Keep Refrigerated” or the “safe handling instructions” language, and the UNABBREVIATED designation of one of the following sizes and grades … font must be a minimum of ¼-inch in height. Exception: size, grade, name and address markings are not required if sold to household consumers without advertising by the producer on the premises where produced, from a flock size of 500 hens or less." The federal safe handling statement applies as well; our carton label maker prints all of it.
Do eggs I sell in California have to be refrigerated?
Yes, at 45°F or colder. The rule reads: "(1) At an average ambient temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or lower. … (c) Direct marketing activities, including certified farmers’ markets, … and farm stands, … are not required to comply with subdivision (a)."
Sources
Read the 19 passages this page is built on
  • ““Egg handler” means a person engaged in the business of producing, candling, grading, packing, or otherwise preparing shell eggs or pasteurized in-shell eggs for market or who engages in the operation of selling or marketing eggs that he or she has produced, purchased, or acquired from a producer”

    Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 27510 · read 2026-10-06

  • “Any person engaged in business in this state as an egg producer or egg handler, or any out-of-state egg handler or egg producer selling eggs into California, shall register with the secretary. A new registration shall be submitted if any current information changes.”

    Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 27541 · read 2026-10-06

  • “Anyone involved in producing, candling, grading, packing, or otherwise preparing eggs, or anyone selling or marketing eggs must register as an egg handler. … Each location where eggs are handled must be registered. … There are no exemptions to the registration requirement.”

    California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) · read 2026-10-05

  • “I have a small flock of chickens on my property. Do I need to register? Yes, you are considered an egg handler and therefore must register.”

    California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) · read 2026-10-05

  • “My child is raising chickens and selling eggs as a hobby. Does she/he need to register? I donate my flock's eggs to a food bank. Do I need to register? Yes, both situations are considered egg handling. It is for consumer safety that we require the registration of all egg handlers.”

    California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) · read 2026-10-05

  • “In order to be compliant with the State of California, you only need the registration. However, your city may require a business license. Contact the city and county in which you will be selling and ask what they require.”

    California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) · read 2026-10-05

  • “Eggs sold to household consumers on the premises where produced from a total flock size of 500 hens or fewer are exempt from these fees.”

    Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 27551 · read 2026-10-06

  • “The current assessment fee is 0.10 (ten cents) per 30-dozen case of eggs sold through June 30, 2026. The assessment fee will increase on July 1, 2026, to 0.13 (thirteen cents) per 30-dozen case of eggs sold.”

    California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) · read 2026-10-05

  • “Size, grade, name and address markings are not required on containers or sub containers: … 3. If sold to household consumers without advertising by the producer on the premises where produced, from a flock size of 500 hens or less”

    3 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 1350–1358.7 — NOT FETCHED · read 2026-10-05

  • “Each container or sub container of processed shell eggs shall be marked with name, address, and zip code of the person or company by or for whom the eggs were graded and packed, the Julian packing date, sell by date, the words “Keep Refrigerated” or the “safe handling instructions” language, and the UNABBREVIATED designation of one of the following sizes and grades”

    3 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 1350–1358.7 — NOT FETCHED · read 2026-10-05

  • “The sell-by date shall not exceed 30 days from the date on which the eggs were packed, excluding the date of packing.”

    Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 27633 · read 2026-10-06

  • “(1) At an average ambient temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or lower. … (c) Direct marketing activities, including certified farmers’ markets, as defined in Section 113742 of the Health and Safety Code, community food producers, as defined in Section 113752 of the Health and Safety Code, community-supported agriculture, as defined in Section 47060, and farm stands, as defined in Section 47050, are not required to comply with subdivision (a).”

    Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 27633 · read 2026-10-06

  • “It is unlawful for any person to sell to any retailer, consumer, or institution consumer, any eggs which are ungraded as to quality and size, except that the director, upon the written application of any producer, may find and proclaim that an emergency exists which prevents the normal marketing of eggs”

    Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 27651 · read 2026-10-06

  • “No eggs lower than Grade B shall be sold for human consumption”

    3 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 1350–1358.7 — NOT FETCHED · read 2026-10-05

  • “Properly labeled restricted eggs (checks and dirts) may be sold directly to consumers ONLY as follows: 1. By a shell egg producer from his OWN flock’s production, AT the site of production or segregation … 4. Are sold to the final consumer for exclusive use by his or her household and nonpaying guests in quantities not to exceed 30-dozen per sale”

    3 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 1350–1358.7 — NOT FETCHED · read 2026-10-05

  • “Size and grade standards are not currently in place for eggs from other species of fowl, like ducks or quail. Such eggs do not have the same labeling requirements as chicken eggs. Containers of eggs from other species of fowl offered for sale must be marked with "I.R.Q." standards.”

    California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) · read 2026-10-05

  • “It is unlawful for any person to sell or use any container or subcontainer of eggs which bears a name, a trademark, or a trade name unless the seller or user is entitled to use the name, trademark, or trade name.”

    Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 27633 · read 2026-10-06

  • “You can face fines of up to $1,000.00 for the first offense. You may also be cited for other code violations and charged additional fines.”

    California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) · read 2026-10-05

  • “This section shall not apply to any purchaser who is a retailer and who does not handle eggs in any other capacity, except as a retailer.”

    Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 27510 · read 2026-10-06

What we couldn't confirm
  • 3 CCR §§ 1350–1358.7 (the shell egg regulations that hold the 500-hen marking exemption and restricted-egg rules) were not fetched; those points rest on CDFA's own Quick Reference Guide summary of the regulations.
  • Registration fee amount and renewal cycle are not stated on the sources fetched (the registration application form was not opened).
  • Proposition 12 / Health & Safety Code § 25990 et seq. (cage-free housing for eggs sold in California) is a separate regime under CDFA's Animal Care Program and was not researched; the ESQM page links to it.
  • The 'without advertising' limb of the 500-hen marking exemption comes from the Quick Reference Guide, not the statute; the fee exemption in FAC 27551(e) has no advertising condition.
  • Statute text was read from leginfo via browser on 2026-10-06; curl fetches of leginfo on 2026-10-05 returned empty pages. Bill-tracking for pending 2025–2026 egg bills was not done.

Other states

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