Cottage food rules
Georgia Cottage Food Law Requirements
A plain answer on Georgia cottage food rules, so you can bake and sell without guessing.
On this page
What to remember
- Only food that is not potentially hazardous can be sold as cottage food in Georgia.
- The Retail Food section of the Georgia Department of Agriculture regulates home kitchen food operations.
- No cottage food license and no licensing fee since July 1, 2025 under House Bill 398.
- No cap on gross sales or on how many units you produce.
- You can sell to grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants unless your city or county has opted out.
If you have been putting off selling because you assumed a license application was waiting for you, the ground has moved. Here is what the rules actually say now, what still applies to your kitchen, and the one local phone call worth making before you take a big order. For the paperwork side in more detail, see our guide to the Georgia cottage food license.
What you can make, and who is in charge
Start with the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s cottage food page. It states plainly that cottage food sales are allowed under Georgia regulations, and that the Retail Food section of the Department regulates cottage food producers. The same page draws the line that matters most for your menu: cottage food operators are permitted to make only food that is not potentially hazardous.
The license is gone, but the rules are not
Georgia removed its cottage food license and licensing fee effective July 1, 2025 under House Bill 398. If you are setting up now, there is no license application and no license fee standing between you and your first paid order.
There is no ceiling to plan around either. The Georgia Department of Agriculture does not have any limits on gross sales or the number of units that can be produced under the cottage food program. If you have read about sales caps in other states, Georgia does not have one, so a busy wedding season does not push you into a different set of rules.
Selling to stores and restaurants
House Bill 398 opened a door that used to be shut. Under the bill, Georgia cottage food operators can sell to grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants in addition to selling directly to consumers. That means a standing weekly order from a coffee shop or a shelf at a small grocer is on the table, not just market Saturdays and porch pickups.
Your kitchen, your water, your county
The Cottage Food Safety Directives represent the minimum best practices required in the production of cottage food products. Treat them as your floor rather than your goal, and keep a copy where you can see it while you work.
If your home runs on a private septic system, there is one more call to make. Cottage food operators on a private septic system should contact their county health department to be sure the home’s septic system is acceptable for cottage food operations. Better to ask in a quiet week than the week a big order is due.
Rules change at state lines, and orders do not always respect them. If you sell near the border, read the South Carolina cottage food license and the Alabama cottage food license guides before you accept an order there.
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Common questions
Do I need a cottage food license in Georgia?
No. Georgia removed its cottage food license and licensing fee effective July 1, 2025 under House Bill 398.
Is there a cap on how much I can sell?
No. The Georgia Department of Agriculture does not have any limits on gross sales or the number of units that can be produced under the cottage food program.
Can I sell my bakes to a grocery store or restaurant?
Under House Bill 398, cottage food operators can sell to grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants in addition to selling directly to consumers. Each city or county may choose to pass an ordinance prohibiting sales through third-party vendors, so confirm locally first.
What foods am I allowed to make?
Only food that is not potentially hazardous. The Georgia Department of Agriculture's cottage food page states that cottage food operators are permitted to make only food that is not potentially hazardous.
Who regulates cottage food producers in Georgia?
The Retail Food section of the Georgia Department of Agriculture regulates cottage food producers, also known as home kitchen food operations.
I am on a septic system. Does that matter?
It might. Cottage food operators on a private septic system should contact their county health department to be sure the home's septic system is acceptable for cottage food operations.
Sources
- Georgia Department of Agriculture: Cottage Food
- Georgia Department of Agriculture: Cottage Food FAQ
- Cottage Food Law Library: Georgia
- Georgia Department of Agriculture: Cottage Food Update HB 398 Frequently Asked Questions
- Georgia Department of Agriculture: Starting a Cottage Food Business
- Georgia Department of Agriculture: Cottage Food Safety Directives
This is general information about Georgia cottage food rules, not legal or tax advice. Rules can change, and cities and counties can add their own ordinances. Confirm the current requirements with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and your local officials before you sell.