Start a Home Kitchen in Georgia

The steps, the costs, where to apply, and how to get inspection-ready — in Georgia's own program terms.

Cottage food law

Sales cap: None — HB 398 sets no sales cap, and GDA's official FAQ states the Department has no limits on gross sales or the number of units produced (effective July 1, 2025). No scheduled future cap changes.

Allowed foods: Allowed (nonpotentially hazardous foods — no temperature control for safety required): loaf breads, rolls, biscuits, cakes (except those whose fillings require refrigeration or have high moisture); jams, jellies, preserves; uncut fruits and vegetables; dried fruits; dry herbs, seasonings, and mixtures; cereals, trail mixes, granola; coated and uncoated nuts; vinegars and flavored vinegars; dill pickles; confections; fudge; dry soup mixes; roasted coffee beans; dry pasta; popcorn, popcorn balls, cotton candy; and nonalcoholic beverages (O.C.G.A. § 26-2-470(7)). Not allowed: any food requiring temperature control for safety — GDA lists meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk and dairy, cooked plant foods, baked potatoes, mushrooms, raw sprouts, tofu/soy-protein foods, untreated garlic-and-oil mixtures; also alcoholic beverages, foods containing cannabis, raw milk (statutorily excluded), fruit butters (where reduced sugar/pectin affects safety), cooked salsas/tomato sauces, apple cider and other beverages, honey/syrup (not classified as cottage foods by GDA), dehydrated meats.

🥧 Cottage track in Georgia

🥧 Cottage Food — Shelf-Stable Cottage food law — the shelf-stable track: preorder / pickup, never reservations.

No permit required in Georgia for this track — makers are not “permitted”; they follow the cottage food rules.

Prohibited foods: any food requiring temperature control for safety — GDA lists meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk and dairy, cooked plant foods, baked potatoes, mushrooms, raw sprouts, tofu/soy-protein foods, untreated garlic-and-oil mixtures; also alcoholic beverages, foods containing cannabis, raw milk (statutorily excluded), fruit butters (where reduced sugar/pectin affects safety), cooked salsas/tomato sauces, apple cider and other beverages, honey/syrup (not classified as cottage foods by GDA), dehydrated meats.

Sales cap (cottage track): None — HB 398 sets no sales cap, and GDA's official FAQ states the Department has no limits on gross sales or the number of units produced (effective July 1, 2025). No scheduled future cap changes.

Labeling (from the published steps):

Optional: request a GDA-issued identification number in writing to use on labels in place of your home address.

Where you may sell (from the published rules):

Choose your channels: sell direct to consumers (farmers markets, events, online, mail order) or to GA grocery stores and restaurants — but check first whether your county/city has adopted an ordinance banning third-party vendor sales, and confirm local zoning allows a home-based food business
farmers markets and venues may still impose their own vendor policies.

🌮 Street track in Georgia

🌮 Street Food — Sidewalk & Mobile

Street and mobile vendors do not cook from home kitchens — a different permit stack, and walk-up sales only.

No distinct street-vendor (sidewalk / mobile) regime is documented in Georgia's published data on this site yet — mobile food is permitted separately from home kitchens; check with the local health department.

The permit steps

No state license, permit, or registration required since July 1, 2025 — the old GDA cottage-food license and renewal system was eliminated by HB 398.
Complete an ANSI-accredited food-safety training program (GDA says the Food Handler level is acceptable).
Optional: request a GDA-issued identification number in writing to use on labels in place of your home address.
Well-water users must test annually for coliform bacteria and nitrates; only potable water may be used.
No routine inspections — the Department may inspect only in response to a consumer complaint, a reported foodborne illness, or another public health emergency (inspection is scheduled in advance except in emergencies; the operator may request an administrative warrant).
Enforcement: first violation gets a written warning; second or subsequent violations carry a civil penalty of up to $75 per violation (O.C.G.A. § 26-2-475).

How it works, start to finish

Confirm your products are nonpotentially hazardous — shelf-stable with no refrigeration needed, and not alcohol, cannabis, or raw milk.
Complete an ANSI-accredited food-safety training program (the Food Handler level is acceptable to GDA).
If you use a private well, have the water tested annually for coliform bacteria and nitrates; use only potable water.
Optional (recommended for privacy): send a written request to the GA Department of Agriculture for an identification number to use on labels instead of your home address.
Label every product: business name, address or GDA ID number, telephone number, and the statement 'This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state inspection. This product may contain allergens.' in at least 10-point font — or show it on a placard at the point of sale or on the product webpage.
Choose your channels: sell direct to consumers (farmers markets, events, online, mail order) or to GA grocery stores and restaurants — but check first whether your county/city has adopted an ordinance banning third-party vendor sales, and confirm local zoning allows a home-based food business.
Start selling — no state license or registration, no sales cap, no routine inspections.
Keep sales inside Georgia (interstate sales trigger FDA/manufactured-food requirements); farmers markets and venues may still impose their own vendor policies.

Where to apply in Georgia

Counties and municipalities CANNOT ban or regulate cottage food production, direct sales, or delivery — state law preempts them (O.C.G.A. § 36-60-33). Their only role is a limited opt-out: a county or municipality may prohibit cottage food operators from selling through third-party vendors (stores/restaurants) within its jurisdiction, and only by adopting an ordinance at a hearing held 15–45 days after published notice, then notifying the state Agriculture Commissioner before the ordinance takes effect (O.C.G.A. § 26-2-478). They may not prohibit commercial delivery companies from delivering cottage food items. Check city/county zoning for home-business rules.

Official sources — start with the agency or department that runs Georgia's program:

Inspection prep (general)

General prep that applies in most programs — your law guide and health department have the specifics for Georgia:

Write your standard operating procedures: foods handled, prep methods, cleaning schedule, refuse disposal, and your time/temperature control plan.
Complete the food safety training your program requires and keep the certificate where an inspector can see it.
Have a calibrated food thermometer, proper cold storage, and labels that meet your program's rules.
Keep pets out of the kitchen during production, and separate household and business ingredients.

Read the full Georgia law guide → · Check your eligibility → · Ask the guide about Georgia →

🎓 Training & money help in Georgia

Links verified from the state's official sources and movement research — confirm current program details with the provider.