"Cottage food" laws let home cooks and bakers make certain low-risk foods in their own kitchen and sell them legally, without a licensed commercial kitchen. Every state writes its own version of this exemption, and the rules on sales caps, licensing, and food safety training vary widely — see our full cottage food laws by state guide for the complete picture. This page covers Georgia specifically, including the major changes from House Bill 398.
HB 398 Rewrote Georgia's Cottage Food Rules
Paid License, Capped Sales
Cottage food operators applied for a paid annual Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) license, renewed each calendar year, and operated under a sales limit.
Free Registration, No Cap
The paid license requirement is gone. GDA states plainly that "the Georgia Department of Agriculture does not have any limits on gross sales or the number of units that can be produced" for cottage food operations.
Instead of the old paid license, operators now file a free Identification Number Registration Form with GDA. HB 398 also opened the door to selling through retail stores, something the prior license framework didn't allow.
What You Can (and Can't) Sell in Georgia
Potentially Hazardous Foods
Anything requiring refrigeration for safety falls outside the cottage food exemption. Pet food and treats need a separate feed license, not a cottage food registration.
Shelf-Stable Home Foods
Breads, rolls, biscuits, cakes, pastries, cookies, candies, fruit pies, jams, jellies, preserves, dried fruit, dry herbs and seasonings, cereals, trail mixes, granola, coated and uncoated nuts, vinegar, popcorn and popcorn balls, and cotton candy.
Do You Need a Food Handler Card in Georgia?
Effectively, yes. Georgia is one of the states where cottage food registration and food safety training are linked: GDA requires cottage food operators to complete an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited food safety training program, and it specifically confirms that a standard food handler certificate satisfies this requirement. In practice, that means you'll want to complete a course before you start selling — see our Georgia food handler card requirements page for approved course options, and our guide on whether home bakers need a food handler card for more context on how this plays out across states.
Registration Steps
A food handler certificate from an accredited provider satisfies this requirement.
Submitted to the Georgia Department of Agriculture in place of the old paid license application.
Include your name/ID, product name, ingredients, net weight, allergens, and a required home-kitchen disclosure statement.
Farmers markets, online orders, and non-profit or for-profit events are all allowed; retail store sales are newly permitted under HB 398.
💲 Confirm current fees and forms directly with GDA before you register — HB 398 is a recent, major rewrite of the program, and some paperwork or portal details may still be catching up to the new law.
Where You Can (and Can't) Legally Sell
Georgia cottage food sales must go to the end consumer. GDA's own guidance states sales must be "to the end consumer" and expressly prohibits distribution or wholesale, "including hotels, restaurants, or institutions." Direct-to-consumer channels include in-person events, online orders, and — since HB 398 — retail store sales, but always as a consumer-facing sale rather than wholesale supply. Cross-border sales carry the same caution as other states: cottage food operators are permitted to sell to end consumers within Georgia, and selling into interstate commerce can trigger federal FDA oversight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Georgia require a food handler card for cottage food operators?
Yes, in effect. Georgia requires cottage food operators to complete an ANSI-accredited food safety training program, and the Georgia Department of Agriculture confirms a standard food handler certificate satisfies that requirement.
Is there a sales cap for cottage food in Georgia?
No. Since House Bill 398 took effect July 1, 2025, the Georgia Department of Agriculture states there is no limit on gross sales or the number of units a cottage food operation can produce.
Do I need a license to sell cottage food in Georgia?
Georgia removed its paid cottage food license requirement under HB 398. Operators now complete a free Identification Number Registration Form instead of applying for a license.
Can I sell my Georgia cottage food products wholesale or to restaurants?
No. Georgia cottage food sales must go directly to the end consumer. Wholesale distribution and sales to restaurants, hotels, or institutions are not allowed.
Get the ANSI-accredited food safety training Georgia cottage food operators need.
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