California regulates "processed pet food" under the Pure Pet Food Act of 1969 — the short title for Health and Safety Code Chapter 10 (Processed Pet Foods), within Division 104 (Environmental Health) and Part 6 (Wholesale Food). The Act's Chapter "shall be known, and may be cited, as the Pure Pet Food Act of 1969" (§113055).
A "processed pet food" is defined as "a food for pets that has been prepared by heating, drying, semidrying, canning, or by a method of treatment prescribed by regulation of the department"; the term "includes, special diet, health foods, supplements, treats and candy for pets, but does not include fresh or frozen pet foods subject to the control of the Department of Food and Agriculture of this state" (§113025). A "pet" is "any household animal including but not limited to cats or dogs and other carnivores whether or not for exhibition" (§113030).
Manufacturing is licensed, not free: "Every person who manufactures a processed pet food in California shall first obtain a license from, and every person who manufactures a processed pet food for import into California from another state shall first obtain a registration certificate from, the department" (§113060). "Each license or registration certificate is good for one calendar year from the date of issue and is nontransferable. An application for a license or registration certificate shall be made on an application form provided by the department" (§113060).
On the fee side, "A separate license shall be required for each processing plant located in California" (§113065). "The annual license fee shall be one hundred dollars ($100). The annual registration fee shall be one hundred dollars ($100)" (§113065). Late renewal is penalized: "The penalty for failure to apply for renewal of a license or registration certificate within 30 days after the expiration is thirty dollars ($30) and shall be added to the renewal fee and be paid by the applicant before the renewal license or registration certificate may be issued" (§113065). A "pet food canner also licensed under Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 112650)" pays "additional fee is payable by such a person for a license issued to him or her under that chapter" (§113065).
A license or registration certificate is issued only when conditions are met (§113070): "(a) Inspection of the manufacturing facilities demonstrates that they are properly equipped and are operated in a sanitary manner"; "(b) In the case of an out-of-state manufacturer, the application for a registration certificate is accompanied by a certificate issued by a federal, state, or local health agency certifying that the processed pet foods manufactured conform to the requirements of this chapter or the regulations adopted hereunder"; and "(c) The applicant submits to the department the label that would be attached to the container of each type of processed pet food and a complete list of the pet food ingredients thereof in their order of predominance by weight."