Georgia's HB 398 (July 2025) transformed the state into one of America's most seller-friendly markets. No license. No sales cap. Now allowed in retail stores and restaurants.
The key facts every Georgia home food seller needs to know. Use the guide pages below to go deeper on each topic.
Each page covers one topic in depth — from what you can sell to how to form your business and get your labels right.
Georgia's approved product list, how the "non-potentially hazardous" standard works, and common edge cases — including cakes, jams, spice blends, and what's off the table.
Baked goods, jams and jellies, candies, nuts, dry mixes, granola, and other shelf-stable products. What qualifies, what doesn't, and how to navigate common questions.
Cooked foods, sauces, salsas, and hot sauce are restricted under Georgia law. Learn why these categories are excluded and what cottage food alternatives exist.
Kombucha, juices, flavored vinegars, and dry beverage mixes — what's allowed, what's restricted, and how to explore the beverage category within Georgia's rules.
No state license required under HB 398. What training you still need, the optional GDA address-privacy registration, local permits, sales tax, and water testing if on a private well.
What must appear on every Georgia cottage food label — the required disclaimer, allergen statements, ingredient lists, and address or GDA identifier options.
Sole proprietor or LLC — pros, cons, and costs. Georgia's $100 LLC filing, $50/year annual report, flat income tax rate, EIN setup, and naming your food business.
Georgia-specific products: Vidalia onion foods, peach preserves, honey rules, pecan products, boiled peanuts, and selling at farmers markets and retail stores under HB 398.
As of July 1, 2025, Georgia requires no state license, no annual renewal fee, and no gross sales limit for cottage food operators. You can start selling the day you complete food safety training and have compliant labels — no paperwork, no waiting, no application.
HB 398 opened a door almost no other state has unlocked: cottage food operators can now sell directly to grocery stores, restaurants, and convenience stores. Third-party vendors must display your products in a separate, labeled section. Always verify whether your local government has passed an opt-out ordinance first.
Accepting orders online is permitted for Georgia residents. You can sell through your own website, social media storefronts, or platforms that allow in-state fulfillment. Interstate shipping triggers federal FDA requirements that cannot be met from a home kitchen — keep your online sales to Georgia customers for now.
Instead of printing your home address on every label, you can optionally register with GDA to receive a unique identifier number for label use. Download the Identification Number Registration Form from GDA's cottage food page. There is no fee for this registration.
Georgia's agricultural heritage runs deep — and many of its most beloved products translate beautifully to cottage food businesses.
The GDA's Retail Food Division is your primary contact for all cottage food questions. They regulate cottage food operations, issue optional address-privacy identifier numbers, and investigate complaints. Regulations are currently being revised to align with HB 398 — when in doubt, contact them directly.