Georgia · Direct-to-Consumer Compliance · Category 01 of 24

Aromatics

Candles, essential oils, potpourri, diffusers, incense, and room sprays sold direct to consumer in Georgia

General Consumer Product

None (GDA)

License

CPSC / FTC

Agency

Not applicable

Cottage Food

Candle labeling

Fire Code

What's Covered / What Needs More

✓ Generally Covered

Selling candles, wax melts, potpourri, and diffuser blends without a GDA food or feed license
Making unverified aromatherapy 'cures' claims disease-treatment or health claims
Selling at markets, online, pop-ups, and through retail wholesale
Using standard local business license + Georgia sales tax registration

✕ Needs More / Watch Out

Federal cosmetic status if the product touches skin with a fragrance/therapeutic claim (FDA)
Candle/wax flammability and wick-labeling standards (ASTM F2417 voluntary, but expected by retailers)
Any health, medical, or 'treats anxiety/insomnia' style claims — these are illegal disease claims
County or city fire-code sign-off if you manufacture candles in volume at home

Three Steps to Compliance

Register the business

Get a Georgia sales tax ID from the Dept. of Revenue and a local occupational tax certificate (business license) from your city or county. No GDA registration applies to non-ingestible aromatic products.

Label correctly

List net contents, ingredients (INCI names for wax/oil blends are best practice), a business name/address, and any burn/use safety warnings. Do not claim to treat, cure, or prevent any condition.

Keep it non-food, non-drug

If you cross into skin-applied 'therapeutic' claims, you become an FDA-regulated cosmetic or drug and lose the simple general-product path — keep language to scent and ambiance only.

Quick Reference

Home production allowed?	Yes — no GDA license for non-ingestible aromatic goods
State agency	None specific; FTC/FDA at federal level if claims are made
Cottage Food Act apply?	No — not a food product
Retail/wholesale allowed?	Yes, no special permit
Labeling	Net weight, ingredients, safety warning, business name/address
Biggest risk	Making implied medical claims (turns product into a drug)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a state license to sell candles in Georgia?

No. Candles, wax melts, and potpourri are general consumer products — Georgia does not require a GDA food, feed, or cosmetic license for them.

Can I say my blend 'relieves stress'?

Avoid it. Structure/function or treatment claims can shift FDA classification toward a drug or cosmetic, adding a whole new compliance layer.

Do essential oils themselves need a license?

No, as long as they're sold as fragrance/aromatic oils and not represented as treating a condition or applied as a drug.

What about selling at a farmers market?

Allowed — most markets only require your business license/tax ID and their standard vendor agreement.

Printable Checklist

Georgia sales tax ID obtained
Local business license / occupational tax certificate
Ingredient list finalized (INCI names for wax/oil blends)
Net weight + safety warning on every label
No disease, cure, or treatment language anywhere
Vendor agreement on file for markets/pop-ups

MarketStand · Georgia Producer Compliance Series

This guide is general information, not legal advice, current as of September 2026. Georgia's cottage food, meat inspection, dairy, egg, plant, feed, and alcohol rules change — always verify current requirements with the Georgia Department of Agriculture (agr.georgia.gov), Georgia Dept. of Revenue Alcohol & Tobacco Division, and your local health department before selling.

Primary sources: Georgia Dept. of Agriculture (Cottage Food, Meat Inspection, Egg Law, Live Plant Program, Feed/Pet Food Program); HB 398 (2025); Georgia Raw Dairy Act, O.C.G.A. §26-2-450 et seq.; Georgia Meat Inspection Act, O.C.G.A. §26-2-60; Georgia Food Act, O.C.G.A. §26-2-20; GA Dept. of Revenue Alcohol & Tobacco Division; FDA (DSHEA, MoCRA, FSMA Produce Safety Rule, 21 CFR 108/111/113/114).