Guide
Cottage food in Georgia: the checklist
What cottage food covers in Georgia, whether sales are capped, and why a ticketed micro hospitality dinner needs a different route. Checked Sep 2026.
Tenseats · Updated September 25, 2026
Not legal advice. This is a starting checklist, checked 2026-09-25. Rules change and differ by county and city. Talk to a lawyer and confirm with GDA before you sell a ticket or open your space.
At a glance
- Covers: foods that are safe unrefrigerated, like breads, jams, candy, granola, coffee beans and dill pickles. HB 398
- Sales cap: none. HB 398
- Registration and fee: no state licence, $0. You do need an ANSI-accredited food-handler course. FAQ GDA
- Doesn't cover: your braised short rib. Ticketed or plated dinners need refrigeration and count as food service, run by county health. Rule 40-7-19
- Home-kitchen meal law: none. HB 287 died in committee in 2023 to 2024. Georgia House
Quick answers
What does Georgia's cottage food law cover? Foods that are safe unrefrigerated, like breads, jams, candy, granola, coffee beans and dill pickles. No state licence or fee, but you need an ANSI-accredited food-handler course. HB 398 GDA
Is there a cottage food sales cap in Georgia? No. Georgia sets no cottage food sales cap. HB 398
Does Georgia cottage food cover a ticketed dinner? No. Ticketed or plated dinners count as food service, run by county health, and need a county health food permit. Rule 40-7-19 DPH manual
What this means for a dinner
- Start with a free dinner for friends at home. The licence question starts when you serve the public, and word of mouth can make it public. DPH manual
- Selling tickets to a micro hospitality night? You need a county health food permit instead: temporary event (unverified: usually tied to a community event; call first), caterer, or a licensed venue's own permit. DPH manual
- State rules ban food service in a private home kitchen, so your stove sits this one out. Cook in a permitted kitchen or venue. DPH rule
- Selling take-home treats? Label them with your name, address or GDA ID, phone, and a 10-point "exempt from state inspection" notice. HB 398
Your city
- Atlanta: organizer checklist · venue host checklist
Learn more
Not legal advice. Confirm with a lawyer and GDA before you act.
Guides by city in Georgia
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