Hemp Manufacturers

About this License 

Individuals or business entities that manufacture consumable or industrial hemp products in this state must obtain this license with the Department. Consideration, issuance, and revocation of retail consumable hemp establishment licenses will be accomplished in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 2-5-1 et seq. (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-6.4)

License Overview

Information Required:

  • Name of the applicant
  • Business address of the applicant
  • Complete telephone number and email address of the applicant
  • The location of the facility where the applicant will manufacture hemp products in Georgia and whether such facility is owned or leased by the applicant
  • If the applicant is a business entity, the name of the owners, partners, members, or shareholders of the entity.

Fees:

  • Manufacturer licenses shall be issued by the Department for one (1) calendar year at an annual fee of $5,000.00.
    • Any applicant who holds a processor permit issued by the Department will be exempted from the annual manufacturer license fee.
  • Each license issued by the Department will be issued in connection with a single facility where the licensee will manufacture consumable hemp products. If a person or business entity would like to manufacture at multiple facilities, they will need to obtain a separate wholesale license for each facility.

Denial of a License:

  • Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 2-5-5, which governs the denial of ALL Department issued registrations, licenses, and permits, any applicants that fall into the following categories are eligible for the denial of their license:
    • Applicants with a criminal record
    • Applicants found by the Commissioner to have violated any law administered by the department or any regulation or quarantine of the department
    • A corporation, when any of its officers has a criminal record or is found by the Commissioner to have violated any law administered by the department or any regulation or quarantine of the department
    • Any person who is less than 18 years of age on the date of his or her application.
  • In the case of a partnership, all parties shall be considered applicants.
  • No license will be denied without the opportunity for a hearing.

How to Apply for or Renew your License

Complete your applications and renewals for Hemp Manufacturer Licenses online through the GDA Hemp Licensing and Reporting System using the links below. 

Before you start, please read the Hemp Manufacturer License Application Guide.

What Happens When You Apply for a License

  1. When you apply online for your license, you will first have to create an account in the system.
  2. There are several sections to this application.  While you are working on your application, you may save your progress and return at any time.
  3. Once you submit your application, our staff will review your S&V paperwork.
  4. When the S&V paperwork has been approved, Hemp program staff will review your application. They may have questions or need to discuss further, so please make sure that your contact information is correct and that you respond promptly if someone tries to reach you.
  5. To pay your fee, you will log in to the Hemp Licensing System and pay online. Once you have paid, your license certificate will immediately be available for saving or printing.

Respond promptly to any questions or notifications, and make sure GDA can contact you if needed!

Apply for a new Hemp Manufacturer License

Log in with your email and password to renew. License renewals open November of each calendar year. 

  1. Login to the GDA Hemp Licensing and Reporting System and start a renewal application
  2. Review all of your contact information and make sure it is still correct. Change other information as needed (for instance, if you add or remove a site), then submit the renewal for program staff to review.
  3. Once program review is complete, you will receive an email with instructions on how to complete a background check. Everyone listed as a "key participant" must complete the check each year.
  4. GDA will get the results electronically.  After the program staff has reviewed the results you will receive an email letting you know that the renewal application has been fully approved and you can pay your application fee.
  5. To pay your fee, you will log in to the Hemp Licensing System and pay online. Once you have paid, your license certificate will immediately be available for saving or printing.

Manufacturing Consumable Hemp Products

Products Prohibited and Provided For

  • Flower: Flowers or leaves of the Cannabis sativa L. plant, regardless of the total delta-9-THC concentration in such flowers or leaves are unlawful to offer for retail sale in Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-4).
  • Food Products and Alcohol: Consumable hemp products that constitute or are a component of food products, or beverages containing alcohol or constituting an alcoholic beverage are prohibited for sale or distribution in Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-9.2).
  • Consumable Hemp Products in the Form of Gummies: Hemp contained within gummies, are permitted for sale and distribution in Georgia, so long as the gummy is not a component of a food product (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-9.2). 
  • Consumable Hemp Products in the form of Oil Based Tinctures: Hemp contained within consumable base oils that are not components of a food product are permitted for sale and distribution in Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-9.2).

Contents, Labeling, Packaging, and Advertising

Content Labeling and Contaminant Limits

  • No consumable hemp products are permitted for sale or distribution in Georgia unless the processor or manufacturer has, within the last 12 months, contracted for a full panel certificate of analysis (‘COA’) to be conducted on the products and such analysis has been made available to the public. The COA must, at a minimum, attest:
    • To the presence and amount, in each product’s final packaged form, of the following compounds:
      • THC;
      • Cannabidiol (CBD);
      • Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA);
      • Cannabigerol (CBG);
      • Cannabigerolic acid (CBGA);
      • Cannabinol (CBN);
      • Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC); AND
      • Any other compound that the Department determines, through rule, is necessary to protect the health and safety of consumers
    • That each product, in its final packaged form, does not contain any contaminants in excess of the maximum levels established by the Department through rule. (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-9.1)

Labeling: COA and Universal Symbol

  • All consumable hemp products must bear:
    • A sticker, approved by the Department through rule, warning potential consumers that such product contains THC; AND
  • A conspicuous label providing the information from the COA or allowing access to this information using a QR code. (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-9.1)
  • Universal Symbol: Department approved THC Warning Sticker required on all consumable hemp products in zip file containing: PDF, PNG, JPEG, EPS, and Adobe Illustrator Formats
    (Available once the rules are approved)

Packaging & Advertising Restrictions:

  • To be sold or distributed in Georgia, consumable hemp products must be packaged in containers that:
    • Are not attractive to children
    • Do not bear any reasonable resemblance to any existing candy, snack, or other food product that is widely distributed to the public (look-a-like products)
    • Do not infringe on any trade dress, trademarks, branding, or other related materials as described in O.C.G.A. § 10-1-450 or Chapter 22 of Title 15 of the U.S.C.; and
    • Are tamper evident and child resistant. (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-9.2)
  • To be sold or distributed in Georgia, consumable hemp products must not be advertised in any manner that:
    • Is attractive to children
    • Bear any reasonable resemblance to any existing candy, snack, or other food product that is widely distributed to the public (look-a-like products)
    • Infringes on any trade dress, trademarks, branding, or other related materials as described in O.C.G.A. § 10-1-450 or Chapter 22 of Title 15 of the U.S.C.; and
    • Suggests that the product constitutes or contains: low THC oil, as defined in O.C.G.A. § 16-12-190, medical marijuana, or medical cannabis. (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-9.2)

Still have questions?