Standard CMFOs must conduct only "limited food preparation" and are often required to operate in conjunction with a permitted commissary or Mobile Support Unit for cleaning and storage.
This section was significantly modified by California Senate Bill 972 (2022) to lower barriers for sidewalk vendors, allowing certain home-based kitchens to serve as support facilities for these carts. Other Notable References 114368
Bill Text: CA SB972 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Chaptered Standard CMFOs must conduct only "limited food preparation"
While the California law is the primary regulatory topic, "114368" appears in other specialized contexts: Operations with less than 25 square feet of
Under this section of the California Retail Food Code , a CMFO is defined as a non-motorized mobile food facility—such as a pushcart, stand, or pedal-driven cart—used for limited food preparation or the sale of prepackaged food.
Operations with less than 25 square feet of display area selling only prepackaged, non-potentially hazardous food or whole produce are generally exempt from standard permit requirements but must still adhere to basic health and safety standards.