Licenses & Permits in Georgia

Before July 1, 2025, Georgia required all cottage food operators to obtain a Cottage Food License from the Georgia Department of Agriculture — an application, kitchen inspection, and annual fee. House Bill 398 eliminated this requirement entirely.

As of July 1, 2025, you do not need a license, a license number, or a GDA-issued permit to sell cottage food in Georgia. There is no fee, no annual renewal, and no application to file to begin operating.

This is one of the most significant changes in Georgia cottage food history. What once required a bureaucratic process now requires only that you complete food safety training, label your products correctly, and follow the product and sales channel rules.

Even with the elimination of state licensing, Georgia still requires cottage food operators to complete an ANSI-accredited food safety training program. This is a meaningful requirement — not a formality — and applies to all sellers regardless of experience or background.

The Food Handler level of certification is sufficient. You do not need a Food Manager certification. GDA accepts any program accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the Conference for Food Protection (CFP) standards.

Three providers are widely accepted and ANSI-accredited. Any ANSI-accredited program qualifies — these are the most commonly used:

Georgia's new law requires cottage food labels to include either the operator's home address or — as an alternative — a GDA-issued identifier number. The identifier number is a privacy feature: it lets you sell branded products without printing your home address on every label.

There is no fee to register for an identifier number. You submit the Identification Number Registration Form to GDA, and GDA issues a unique code you can use on labels in place of your address.

Routine kitchen inspections for licensing purposes have been eliminated under HB 398. GDA will no longer inspect home kitchens as a condition of operating — the inspection-for-licensing model is gone.

GDA retains the right to inspect in response to consumer complaints or investigations into potential foodborne illness. These targeted inspections are limited in scope and, except in emergencies, must be scheduled in advance. A cottage food operator may also request an administrative warrant prior to an inspection.

If your home kitchen uses a private well (not public municipal water), you are required to have your water tested before operating as a cottage food seller. This requirement addresses the fact that private well water quality is not monitored by a utility — testing ensures the water used in food production meets safety standards.

Georgia's state cottage food law does not override local zoning, business licensing, or home occupation rules. Before you start selling, check with your city and county planning and zoning offices to confirm that operating a home-based food business is permitted at your address.

Local governments in Georgia also have a specific new power under HB 398: they may pass an ordinance prohibiting cottage food operators from selling to third-party vendors (grocery stores, restaurants, convenience stores) within their jurisdiction. This opt-out applies only to retail/restaurant sales — not to direct-to-consumer sales, farmers markets, or online sales to Georgia customers.

Cottage food sales in Georgia are subject to Georgia sales tax. Before you make your first sale, register with the Georgia Department of Revenue to obtain a sales tax permit (seller's permit). You will need to collect sales tax from buyers and file regular returns with GDR.