Cottage Food Laws by State

Georgia Cottage Food Laws

Georgia has a welcoming cottage food law that allows home producers to sell a broad range of shelf-stable products without a permit. HB 398 (effective July 1, 2025) removed the cap and expanded permitted venues including retail and restaurants. ANSI food safety training is still required.

Annual cap

No cap

Permit required

No

Venues

3

Last updated

2026

What You Can Sell

The following product types are permitted under the Georgia cottage food law.

Baked Goods

Permitted
  • Cakes and cupcakes
  • Cookies and brownies
  • Muffins and quick breads
  • Yeast breads and rolls
  • Fruit pies (cream and custard pies require refrigeration and are not permitted)
  • Cake pops and dipped treats
  • Donuts and pastries

Candies and Confections

Permitted
  • Chocolates and fudge
  • Hard candies and lollipops
  • Toffee and caramel (shelf-stable)
  • Cake truffles

Preserved and Dry Goods

Permitted
  • Jams, jellies, and preserves
  • Honey and honeycomb
  • Dried herbs and spices
  • Roasted nuts and trail mix
  • Granola and cereal
  • Popcorn and flavored popcorn
  • Dried pasta (no egg)
Note: Items must be shelf-stable.

Beverages

Permitted
  • Coffee (roasted or ground, not brewed)
  • Dry tea blends
Note: Brewed beverages and juices are not permitted.

What You Cannot Sell

These product types are not covered by the Georgia cottage food law and require a commercial kitchen license.

  • Meat, poultry, and seafood products
  • Dairy products (milk, cheese, butter)
  • Items requiring refrigeration (cream pies, cheesecakes)
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Fruit and vegetable juices
  • Canned low-acid vegetables

Where You Can Sell

Georgia permits cottage food sales at the following venues.

Direct from your home

Farmers markets

Roadside stands

Allowed when selling directly to consumers.

Annual Sales Cap

No cap

No annual revenue cap. HB 398 effective July 1, 2025 removed the cap.

Permit and Registration

No permit or registration required

No permit or license is required to sell cottage food in Georgia. ANSI food safety training is required.

What a Compliant Georgia Label Looks Like

Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list, detects allergens, and adds the required disclosure automatically.

Product

Chocolate Cake Pops

Ingredients

Devil's Food Cake Mix Betty Crocker
Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers Ghirardelli
Rainbow Jimmies Sprinkles Wilton
Red Food Color McCormick

Chocolate Cake Pops

Net Wt: 8 oz (227g)

Sunflower Home Bakery

412 Maple Ave, Springfield, GA

Ingredients:

Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Corn Starch, Salt, Soybean Oil; Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla; Sugar, Corn Starch, Vegetable Oil (Palm), Confectioner's Glaze, Carnauba Wax, FD&C Colors; Water, Propylene Glycol, FD&C Red 40.

Contains:

Wheat Milk Soy

MADE IN A COTTAGE FOOD OPERATION THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO STATE FOOD SAFETY INSPECTIONS

Label Requirements

Every cottage food product sold in Georgia must have a label that includes the following.

Required field
All 9 FDA major allergens present
Complete ingredient list, in descending order by weight
Business name
Business address
Product name
Net weight
"Not inspected" disclosure statement

Required Label Disclosure

This exact text must appear on every label you sell in Georgia.

MADE IN A COTTAGE FOOD OPERATION THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO STATE FOOD SAFETY INSPECTIONS

Quickly Cottage adds this to your label automatically.

Generate your Georgia label in minutes

Ingredient lists, allergens, and the required disclosure — built in automatically.

Georgia Cottage Food — Common Questions

No. Georgia does not require any permit or license for cottage food producers.

You can take orders online, but sales must be completed as direct in-person transactions. Carrier shipping is not permitted under the cottage food law.

Yes. Farmers markets are a fully permitted venue for Georgia cottage food sellers.

Georgia requires the label to read: 'Homemade food product, not for resale.' This is different from most other states.

Law reference: Georgia Cottage Food Law (Georgia Code, Title 26, Chapter 2, Article 2) · Last updated 2026 · Always verify requirements with your state's department of agriculture before selling.

Generate your Georgia labels in minutes

Quickly Cottage builds your ingredient list from the brands you actually use, and generates a label with the Georgia-required disclosure already included. Start free.