Brewery Permits in Georgia: Every License You Need

The Decatur brewery that lost three months waiting for a city license that the state had already issued

A friend of mine signed a lease for a 7,000-square-foot production brewery in downtown Decatur in early 2024. He had his federal TTB Brewer's Notice in hand, his Georgia Department of Revenue Alcohol & Tobacco Division brewery manufacturer's license approved, his state Beer Tax registration open, his Decatur business occupational tax certificate filed, and the entire team ready to brew. What he did not have — and did not realize he needed as a separate, fully duplicative approval — was a City of Decatur alcohol license issued by the Decatur City Commission. Georgia is a "dual licensing" state: every alcohol-licensed business needs both a state license issued by the Georgia Department of Revenue and a local license issued by the city or county where the brewery operates, and the two processes are run by entirely separate agencies on entirely separate timelines. He assumed the state license was the meaningful approval and the local filing was a formality. It wasn't. The city's review included a posted notice period, a public hearing before the City Commission, distance-from-school and distance-from-church measurements under Georgia OCGA § 3-3-21 and the city's own buffer ordinance, a background check run separately from the state's GCIC check, and a vote that only happened at the second Commission meeting of the month. His state license issued in 11 weeks; his city license took another 14 weeks on top of that, almost all of it spent waiting for the next Commission agenda. The brewery sat idle for three months with rent, utilities, and a finished buildout but no legal authority to sell a single pint.

Opening a brewery in Georgia means stacking at least four layers of licensing — federal TTB Brewer's Notice, Georgia Department of Revenue Alcohol & Tobacco Division Brewery Manufacturer's License and Beer Tax registration, city or county alcohol license (dual licensing, mandatory, separate process), and an occupational tax certificate, Certificate of Occupancy, and Department of Public Health food service permit (if you serve food) — before you can legally sell a single pint. Add a Georgia Department of Agriculture food sales license if you package food, an industrial wastewater discharge permit from Atlanta DWM, DeKalb County, or your local POTW, Georgia EPD air and stormwater screening, Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation coverage, Georgia Department of Labor employer registration, a fire marshal occupancy and CO2 approval, federal and state bonds, and event-specific Special Event Use permits, and the typical Georgia brewery deals with 8 to 11 separate agencies in the first year. This is the full breakdown.

Every permit a Georgia brewery needs

Permit/License	Issuing Agency	Cost	Renewal
Federal Brewer's Notice (Form TTB F 5130.10)	U.S. Treasury — Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)	Free	Permanent (amendments required for any change)
Federal Brewer's Bond (Form TTB F 5130.22)	TTB via approved surety	$0-$1,000+ depending on production	Continuous
Georgia Brewery Manufacturer's License	Georgia Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco Division	$1,000 annually	Annual (calendar year, expires December 31)
Georgia Brewpub License (if combined with restaurant)	Georgia Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco Division	$1,000 annually	Annual (calendar year, expires December 31)
Georgia Beer Wholesaler License (if self-distributing under HB 879)	Georgia Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco Division	$4,000 annually	Annual (most small breweries do NOT self-distribute — they use a wholesaler under the three-tier system)
Local City or County Alcohol License (dual licensing — mandatory)	City Council or County Commission (Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Athens-Clarke, Macon-Bibb, Columbus consolidated governments)	$1,000-$5,000+ annually depending on city	Annual (calendar year in most jurisdictions)
Georgia Beer Tax registration	Georgia Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco Division	Free (folded into Brewery License)	Permanent (monthly returns)
Georgia Sales Tax Number	Georgia Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Division (via Georgia Tax Center)	Free	Permanent (monthly ST-3 returns for most breweries)
Local Occupational Tax Certificate (business license)	City finance/revenue department (Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Athens-Clarke, Macon-Bibb, Columbus, Decatur, etc.)	$50-$2,000+ annually depending on gross receipts and city	Annual (most renewals due March 31 or April 1)
Georgia Secretary of State LLC or Corporate filing	Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division	$100 LLC / $100 Corp filing fee	Annual Registration $50, due April 1
Local zoning approval / Use Permit / Special Use	City or County Planning Department (Atlanta DCP, Savannah MPC, etc.)	$0-$3,500+	One-time
Certificate of Occupancy	City or County Building Department	$200-$4,000	One-time per buildout
Georgia Department of Public Health Food Service Permit (if serving food)	County Board of Health under Georgia DPH (Fulton, DeKalb, Chatham, Richmond, Clarke, Bibb, Muscogee, etc.)	$100-$700 annually	Annual (county-set renewal dates)
Georgia Department of Agriculture Food Sales Establishment license (if packaging food)	Georgia Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Division	$100-$300 annually	Annual (June 30 renewal)
Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit / Significant Industrial User (SIU) Permit	Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM), DeKalb County Watershed Management, Fulton County Public Works, Cobb County Water System, Savannah Water Resources, Augusta Utilities, Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities, etc.	$1,000-$6,000+ annual plus sampling	5-year permits
Georgia EPD NPDES Industrial Stormwater General Permit (NGR050000)	Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), Watershed Protection Branch	$200-$1,500	5-year permits
Georgia EPD Air Quality Permit / Permit-by-Rule (boilers above threshold)	Georgia EPD, Air Protection Branch	$0-$2,500 depending on threshold	5-year permits when required
Fire Marshal Operational Permits (CO2, place of assembly, hot work)	City or County Fire Marshal (Atlanta Fire Rescue, Savannah Fire, Augusta Fire, Athens-Clarke Fire, Macon-Bibb Fire, Columbus Fire & EMS)	$100-$500 per permit annually	Annual
Federal EIN	IRS	Free	Permanent
Georgia Department of Labor employer registration (unemployment)	Georgia DOL, Unemployment Insurance	Free	Permanent (quarterly DOL-4N filings)
Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation coverage	Private insurer (Georgia has a private market, unlike Ohio)	Premium varies	Annual
Georgia Special Event Use Permit (off-site events)	Georgia Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco Division	Varies per event	Per event

Georgia has roughly 145 active craft breweries — a count that has tripled since 2017 thanks to two pivotal laws, Senate Bill 85 (2017) and House Bill 879 (2017, with further expansion under subsequent legislation) — and the state's regulatory framework under Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia (Alcoholic Beverages) is unique among southeastern states. Georgia operated for decades under a strict three-tier system that prohibited breweries from selling directly to consumers at all; SB 85 changed that, allowing breweries to sell up to 3,000 barrels per year directly to consumers for on-premises consumption and up to 288 ounces per consumer per day for off-premises consumption (the "growler and crowler" allowance, now expanded to canned and bottled package sales as well). This single legislative change transformed the Georgia craft brewery landscape — production breweries that were previously dependent entirely on wholesale distribution could finally build sustainable taproom-driven business models. Georgia's $0.32 per gallon state Beer Tax — about $9.92 per barrel — is one of the higher state Beer Tax rates in the country, meaningfully higher than Pennsylvania ($0.08), Ohio ($0.18), or Texas (effective rate around $0.20/gallon for most breweries), but lower than the outlier southeastern rates of Tennessee ($1.29) and Alabama ($1.05). Georgia's dual state-and-local licensing structure — every alcohol licensee needs both a state DOR license and a local city or county alcohol license, with each issued through entirely separate processes — is the single most important Georgia regulatory feature for new brewery operators to understand. Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Athens-Clarke, Macon-Bibb, and Columbus all run their own local alcohol-license processes with their own application packets, public hearing schedules, distance-buffer measurements, and renewal dates.

1. Federal TTB Brewer's Notice — the federal foundation every Georgia brewery starts with

Before the Georgia Department of Revenue Alcohol & Tobacco Division will issue a Brewery Manufacturer's License, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) must approve a Brewer's Notice — the federal authorization to operate a brewery. File via the TTB's Permits Online portal at ttbonline.gov using Form TTB F 5130.10 (Brewer's Notice) and Form TTB F 5130.22 (Brewer's Bond if you owe more than $50,000 in federal excise tax annually; small brewers under 2 million barrels and under that threshold are exempt under the Craft Beverage Modernization Act made permanent in the 2020 tax legislation).

The Brewer's Notice application requires:

• Legal business entity formation documents — most Georgia breweries are LLCs filed with the Georgia Secretary of State for a $100 filing fee. Georgia LLCs file an Annual Registration each year by April 1 for $50, one of the lower annual registration fees among brewery states
• EIN from the IRS (free, instant at irs.gov)
• Source of funds documentation — the TTB asks for a "Statement of Investment" detailing every dollar of startup capital and where it came from
• Plant diagram showing every tank, fermenter, brewhouse, packaging line, taproom, and the bonded vs unbonded portions of the premises
• Process flow narrative — exactly how raw ingredients move through the brewery and where federal excise tax attaches
• Lease agreement or proof of property ownership — the TTB will not issue a Brewer's Notice for a premises you do not yet have legal control of
• Personnel disclosures for every officer and 10%+ owner, including FBI fingerprint cards (TTB Form 5630.5d) and a Personnel Questionnaire (Form 5000.9)
• Power of Attorney if anyone other than the principal will sign TTB filings

The Brewer's Notice itself is free. Processing time runs 3 to 6 months for a typical Georgia small brewery — about average among states. Once issued, the Brewer's Notice is permanent — it does not "renew" annually — but every material change (new tanks, new owner, new address, new entity name, change of premises layout) requires an Amendment to the Notice filed before the change takes effect. Operating outside the scope of an approved Notice is a federal violation under 27 CFR Part 25 carrying civil penalties and potential revocation.

2. Georgia Department of Revenue Alcohol & Tobacco Division — Brewery Manufacturer's License

Georgia regulates beer manufacturing through the Georgia Department of Revenue, Alcohol & Tobacco Division (ATD), under Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA). Georgia's brewery license structure is simpler than Ohio's or Pennsylvania's tiered systems — there is essentially one production brewery license, with optional add-ons for brewpub and self-distribution:

• Brewery Manufacturer's License: The core production brewery license. No volume cap. Authorizes the manufacture, storage, and sale of malt beverages from a licensed premises. Allows direct-to-consumer on-premises sales (up to 3,000 barrels per year, per OCGA § 3-5-24.1, the SB 85 allowance) and direct-to-consumer off-premises package sales (up to 288 ounces per consumer per day, expanded under HB 879 to include cans, bottles, and growlers, not just growlers as under SB 85). $1,000 annually. This is the workhorse Georgia brewery license that virtually every production brewery in the state holds.
• Brewpub License: The combined restaurant-and-brewery license under OCGA § 3-5-36. Capped at 10,000 barrels per year. Requires the licensee to operate a restaurant on the premises and derive at least a portion of revenue from food sales. $1,000 annually. Used by establishments like Max Lager's (downtown Atlanta), 5 Seasons Brewing (Sandy Springs, Westside), and other restaurant-first operations.
• Beer Wholesaler License: Required only if a Brewery Manufacturer licensee wants to self-distribute directly to retailers without using a separate wholesaler. $4,000 annually. The vast majority of Georgia breweries do NOT self-distribute — Georgia's three-tier system was loosened on the consumer-direct side (SB 85, HB 879) but remains strict on the wholesale tier, and most production breweries continue to work with a Georgia beer wholesaler (Eagle Rock, Empire, United, Savannah Distributing, etc.) for retail and on-premises wholesale distribution.

The Georgia Brewery Manufacturer's License application requires:

• Approved (or pending) federal Brewer's Notice — Georgia ATD will accept an application alongside a pending TTB Notice but will not issue the Georgia license until the federal Notice is issued
• Premises diagram matching the TTB plant diagram
• Lease or property ownership documentation
• Personal History Questionnaire and GCIC (Georgia Crime Information Center) background check for every officer, director, and 10%+ owner — Georgia runs its background checks through the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) GCIC system, separate from the FBI background checks the TTB requires
• Application for Manufacturer's License with the correct license class
• Proof of completed local approval — Georgia ATD typically requires evidence that the city or county has approved (or is in the process of approving) the local alcohol license before issuing the state license
• Proof of $5,000 license-and-tax bond posted with Georgia DOR — a Georgia-specific requirement separate from the federal Brewer's Bond
• Surety bond covering Georgia Beer Tax obligations

Processing time for a Georgia Brewery Manufacturer's License averages 8 to 14 weeks from the date a complete application is filed. Georgia ATD's issuance is meaningfully faster than California ABC or New York SLA timelines, comparable to Florida ABT or Texas TABC, and slightly faster than Ohio Division of Liquor Control.

Annual renewal cycle — Georgia state alcohol licenses expire December 31. Every Georgia DOR-issued alcohol license runs on the calendar year, expiring December 31 regardless of when it was issued. The Department of Revenue sends renewal notices in October; renewals must be filed before December 31. Late renewal carries a penalty and the license is technically expired during the lapse period — meaning the brewery cannot legally sell beer until the renewal is processed. Operating with an expired Georgia state license is a violation under OCGA § 3-3-2 and can trigger an Alcohol & Tobacco Division enforcement action. For broader Georgia liquor licensing context, see our Georgia liquor license guide and Georgia liquor license cost guide.

3. Local alcohol license — the dual-licensing requirement that catches every out-of-state operator

Here's the section that catches almost every Georgia brewery operator coming from another state. Georgia is a dual licensing state — every alcohol licensee must hold both a state license from Georgia DOR and a separate local alcohol license from the city or county where the brewery operates. Unlike Texas (where the TABC license is the only required alcohol approval) or Ohio (where the Division of Liquor Control license is largely sufficient), Georgia's local license is a fully independent approval with its own application packet, fee schedule, public hearing process, distance-buffer measurements, and renewal cycle. The state license does NOT replace or substitute for the local license, and the local license does NOT replace or substitute for the state license — both are mandatory, and the brewery cannot legally operate without both in hand.

City-by-city local alcohol-licensing treatment of breweries:

• Atlanta: The City of Atlanta Department of Finance, License & Revenue Division processes alcohol-license applications under Atlanta Code Chapter 10. Atlanta requires a separate Brewery (Class 7) license at $5,000 annually for the manufacturer license, plus an On-Premises Consumption (Class 1) endorsement for taproom sales. Application requires a posted notice on the premises for 30 days, public-hearing review by the License Review Board, and final approval by the Mayor's office. The Atlanta process typically takes 12 to 20 weeks from complete application to issued license. Atlanta has its own distance-buffer measurements under Atlanta Code § 10-46: 100 feet from schools, churches, and parks measured by the shortest route a person could reasonably travel. Atlanta-area brewery clusters include the Westside (Monday Night Brewing, Wild Heaven), West Midtown, Cabbagetown, East Atlanta Village, and Old Fourth Ward. The Beltline corridor has been the most active recent brewery development zone.
• Savannah: The City of Savannah Revenue Department processes alcohol licenses under the Savannah Code of Ordinances Title 5. Savannah Brewery License at $1,500-$3,000 annually depending on capacity. Public-hearing review by the Mayor and Aldermen typically takes 8 to 14 weeks. Savannah's brewery cluster runs through the Historic District, Starland District, and Eastside (Service Brewing, Southbound Brewing, Two Tides), with Savannah's Historic District zoning patterns favoring smaller-footprint brewpub operations.
• Augusta-Richmond County: The Augusta-Richmond County Planning & Development Department and Augusta Commission process alcohol licenses for the consolidated city-county government. Brewery License $1,000-$2,500 annually. Commission review typically takes 6 to 12 weeks. Augusta's brewery cluster is concentrated downtown and in the Harrisburg-West End neighborhoods, with Riverwatch Brewery and Savannah River Brewing as anchor operations.
• Athens-Clarke County: The unified Athens-Clarke County Government processes alcohol licenses through the Tax Office. Brewery License $1,000-$2,500 annually. Commission review typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. Athens has one of the densest small-brewery clusters per capita in the southeast, with Creature Comforts, Terrapin (originally Athens, now Athens + Madison), Akademia, and Southern Brewing Company all operating in the downtown-and-east-side cluster.
• Macon-Bibb County: The consolidated Macon-Bibb County government processes alcohol licenses through the Business Tax Office. Brewery License $1,000-$2,000 annually. County Commission review typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. Downtown Macon and Vineville have seen the most brewery development, with Macon Beer Company as the anchor.
• Columbus-Muscogee County: The Columbus consolidated government processes alcohol licenses through the Finance Department. Brewery License $1,000-$2,500 annually. Columbus Council review typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. The Uptown district and the riverwalk area have been the dominant Columbus brewery development zones.
• Decatur, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Marietta, Smyrna, Suwanee, and other ATL metro cities: Each operates its own independent alcohol-licensing process under municipal home-rule authority. License fees run $1,000 to $4,000 annually depending on city. Public hearing schedules vary — Decatur's City Commission meets twice monthly and votes on alcohol licenses only at the second meeting; Roswell, Sandy Springs, and Alpharetta have different cadences. Always check the specific city's alcohol-license ordinance, application packet, hearing schedule, and distance-buffer rules before signing a lease.
• DeKalb County, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, Fulton County (unincorporated areas): Each county runs its own alcohol-license process for breweries located in unincorporated portions of the county. Brewery License $1,000-$3,500 annually. Commission review typically takes 6 to 12 weeks. Distance buffers, public-hearing rules, and Sunday sales authority vary by county.

Georgia's distance-buffer rules under OCGA § 3-3-21 establish state-level minimum buffers: 100 yards from schools and 100 yards from churches measured "in a straight line" by default, though cities and counties can adopt different (typically stricter) local buffers under their home-rule authority. Atlanta's 100-foot pedestrian-route measurement is much shorter than the state's 100-yard straight-line measurement — but Atlanta requires the pedestrian-route measurement instead. Always have a licensed Georgia surveyor measure both ways before signing a lease; the wrong measurement can disqualify an otherwise-perfect location at the eleventh hour.

The most expensive Georgia brewery mistake on the local-licensing side: signing a lease and starting buildout before confirming that the city or county will issue the local alcohol license at that address. Local alcohol licenses involve public hearings, neighborhood objections, distance-buffer measurements, and discretionary city-council or county-commission votes — none of which are guaranteed at the lease-signing stage. Always confirm preliminary alcohol-license eligibility with the city or county clerk before signing anything, and budget for the local approval process to take as long as (or longer than) the state license process.

4. Georgia Beer Tax and sales tax — Georgia Tax Center registrations

The Georgia Department of Revenue administers Georgia Beer Tax through the Alcohol & Tobacco Division (bundled into the Brewery License) and Georgia sales tax through the Sales and Use Tax Division (separate registration through the Georgia Tax Center at gtc.dor.ga.gov).

Georgia Beer Tax. $0.32 per gallon — roughly $9.92 per barrel — payable monthly by the 10th of the month following production under OCGA § 3-5-60. Georgia's Beer Tax is administered through the Alcohol & Tobacco Division's monthly reporting forms (Form ATT-11 or its electronic equivalent through the Georgia Tax Center). The federal CBMA reduced excise rates ($3.50/bbl on the first 60,000 barrels for small brewers) do not reduce the Georgia state Beer Tax. Georgia counties impose an additional county-level beer excise tax of $0.05 per 12-ounce container ($0.5333 per gallon) and an additional uniform county malt-beverage tax under OCGA § 3-5-80 — the county tax is collected by the brewery from the wholesaler or from the consumer on direct-to-consumer sales and remitted to the county. Total Georgia state-plus-county Beer Tax can reach $25-$28 per barrel at the consumer level once all layers are included, one of the higher effective beer-tax burdens in the southeast.

Georgia Sales Tax Number. Required for any business making retail sales of tangible personal property in Georgia. Beer sold by the glass in your taproom or by the package for off-premises consumption is taxable at the combined state-plus-local rate. Register through the Georgia Tax Center at gtc.dor.ga.gov for free. Georgia sales tax is a base 4% state rate plus a county Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), Education SPLOST, and where applicable a Transportation SPLOST or MARTA tax:

• Fulton County (most of Atlanta): 4% state + 3% MARTA + 1% LOST = 8.9% in most of Fulton (varies by city)
• DeKalb County (East Atlanta, Decatur, Brookhaven): 4% state + 1% MARTA + 1% Homestead Option Sales Tax + Education SPLOST = 8% total
• Cobb County (Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw): 4% state + 1% LOST + Education SPLOST = 6% total
• Gwinnett County (Lawrenceville, Duluth, Suwanee): 4% state + 1% LOST + Education SPLOST = 6% total
• Chatham County (Savannah): 4% state + 1% LOST + 1% SPLOST + Education SPLOST = 7% total
• Richmond County (Augusta): 4% state + 4% local = 8% total
• Clarke County (Athens): 4% state + 4% local = 8% total
• Bibb County (Macon): 4% state + 4% local = 8% total
• Muscogee County (Columbus): 4% state + 4% local = 8% total

Georgia sales tax returns (Form ST-3) are filed monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on liability. Most production breweries file monthly, due by the 20th of the month following the reporting period.

One Georgia-specific tax structure benefit worth noting: Georgia has no state-level gross receipts tax, unlike Ohio's Commercial Activity Tax (CAT). Georgia operators do not have a hidden gross-receipts obligation lurking behind their sales tax and Beer Tax filings — once you've covered state and local sales tax, state Beer Tax, county Beer Tax, federal excise, and Georgia corporate income tax (5.39% as of 2024, dropping over the next few years under HB 1437), you've covered the entire state-and-county tax burden. For an operator coming from Ohio, this is a meaningful simplification.

5. Local zoning approval — Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and beyond

Georgia cities treat brewery operations as a "manufacturing" or "industrial" land use, separate from a restaurant or bar — with the same general structure as Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Texas. Georgia's strong municipal home-rule tradition means each city handles brewery zoning differently, and the patchwork can be confusing.

City-by-city zoning treatment of breweries:

• Atlanta: Breweries are permitted as a "Brewery" land use under the Atlanta Zoning Ordinance in I-1 (Light Industrial) and I-2 (Heavy Industrial) districts as-of-right, and as Special Use Permits in many mixed-use districts including the Beltline Overlay districts (BL-1, BL-2), MR (Mixed Residential), and certain SPI (Special Public Interest) districts. Atlanta's Department of City Planning processes zoning approval; Special Use Permit applications go through the Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) review, the Zoning Review Board (ZRB), and finally City Council. As-of-right industrial applications take 4 to 10 weeks; Special Use Permit applications take 4 to 9 months. The NPU process — Atlanta's neighborhood-based review of every zoning and licensing action — is a distinctive feature of Atlanta land use and is often the longest single delay in the brewery approval timeline.
• Savannah: Breweries are permitted in I-G (General Industrial), I-L (Light Industrial), and certain B-N (Business Neighborhood) districts under the Savannah Zoning Ordinance. The Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC), which jointly serves Savannah and Chatham County, processes zoning approval. As-of-right industrial applications take 4 to 8 weeks; Special Use applications can take 3 to 6 months including MPC and council review.
• Augusta-Richmond County: Breweries are permitted in M-1 (Light Industrial), M-2 (General Industrial), and B-2 (General Business) districts under the Augusta-Richmond County Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. The Augusta-Richmond County Planning & Development Department processes zoning approval in 4 to 10 weeks.
• Athens-Clarke County: Breweries are permitted in I (Industrial), C-G (Commercial-General), and C-D (Commercial-Downtown) districts under the Athens-Clarke County Code of Ordinances. The Athens-Clarke County Planning Department processes approval in 4 to 10 weeks. The downtown Athens cluster around Hancock Avenue and the East Side along Boulevard have been the dominant brewery zones.
• Macon-Bibb County: Breweries are permitted in M-1, M-2, and C-2 districts under the Macon-Bibb County zoning ordinance. The Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission processes approval in 4 to 10 weeks.
• Columbus-Muscogee County: Breweries are permitted in LMI (Light Manufacturing) and GMI (General Manufacturing) districts under the Columbus Unified Development Code. The Columbus Department of Inspections and Code processes approval in 4 to 10 weeks.
• Decatur, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Marietta, Smyrna, Suwanee: Each operates its own zoning ordinance and brewery treatment. Most permit breweries in industrial and limited industrial districts as-of-right, with brewpub (combined restaurant-brewery) uses permitted in mixed-use and certain commercial districts. Always confirm with the specific city before signing a lease.

Zoning approval fees in Georgia's major brewery cities run from $0 (some smaller cities have no zoning fee for as-of-right applications) to $3,500+ (Atlanta Special Use Permits). Atlanta's NPU + ZRB + City Council Special Use Permit process is the longest land-use approval in Georgia and can run 6 to 9 months for complex applications. As-of-right industrial zoning applications in Atlanta and most other Georgia cities skip the NPU and council review and are processed administratively in 4 to 8 weeks.

6. Certificate of Occupancy

Every brewery in Georgia needs a Certificate of Occupancy from the local building department before the Georgia ATD will issue the Brewery Manufacturer's License. The Certificate of Occupancy confirms that the buildout complies with the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes — Georgia has adopted the International Building Code, International Mechanical Code, and International Plumbing Code under the Georgia State Minimum Standard Codes administered by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) — plus the local fire code and accessibility requirements.

• Atlanta Office of Buildings: Atlanta Certificates of Occupancy are processed through the Office of Buildings within the Department of City Planning. The filing process requires a Georgia-licensed Registered Architect or Professional Engineer to file the plans, pull permits for construction work, schedule and pass inspections (foundation, framing, plumbing, electrical, fire alarm, sprinkler, final), and ultimately file the Certificate of Occupancy. Atlanta brewery buildouts typically run 3 to 8 months from lease signing to final Certificate of Occupancy. Plan for $3,000 to $20,000 in filing, expediter, and architectural fees alone, separate from construction costs.
• Savannah Development Services Department: Savannah Certificates of Occupancy run through Development Services. Brewery buildouts typically run 3 to 7 months. Filing fees run $200 to $4,000 depending on project value. Savannah's Historic District buildouts require Historic District Board of Review approval on top of the standard CO process — a meaningful additional timeline that often runs 4 to 10 weeks in parallel with construction document review.
• Augusta-Richmond County Planning & Development: Augusta-Richmond Certificates of Occupancy run 3 to 7 months. Filing fees run $200 to $4,000.
• Athens-Clarke County Building Permits & Inspections: 3 to 6 months. Filing fees $200 to $3,500.
• Other Georgia cities (Macon-Bibb, Columbus, Decatur, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Marietta): Certificate of Occupancy timelines run 4 to 12 weeks once the buildout is complete. Plan for $200 to $3,500 in filing fees.

For broader context on the Certificate of Occupancy process, see our full Certificate of Occupancy guide and the what is a Certificate of Occupancy overview.

7. Occupational Tax Certificate — the local "business license"

Beyond the alcohol license, every Georgia business needs a local Occupational Tax Certificate (commonly called a "business license") from the city or county where it operates. Atlanta calls it a Business Tax Certificate; Savannah, Augusta, and other Georgia cities use variations of "Occupational Tax Certificate." Fees scale with gross receipts and employee count under OCGA § 48-13-7 (the state-level enabling statute) and the specific city or county ordinance.

• Atlanta Business Tax Certificate: Calculated on gross receipts under Atlanta's classification schedule. Typical brewery operations in Class 4 (manufacturing) run $200 to $2,500+ annually depending on gross receipts. Renewal due March 31.
• Savannah Occupational Tax Certificate: Calculated on gross receipts plus a per-employee component. Typical brewery operations run $300 to $2,000+ annually. Renewal due April 1.
• Augusta-Richmond County Occupational Tax: $50-$1,500+ annually depending on gross receipts.
• Athens-Clarke County Occupational Tax: $50-$1,500+ annually.
• Decatur, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Marietta: Each city sets its own occupational tax schedule. Brewery operations typically run $200 to $2,000+ annually.

The local Occupational Tax Certificate is fully separate from the local alcohol license — both are required, both renew on (often different) schedules, and both must be kept current. For broader Georgia business licensing context, see our Georgia business license guide, Georgia restaurant permits guide, and business license renewal fees by state.

8. Georgia Department of Public Health and Department of Agriculture (if you serve food)

If your taproom serves food — even pre-packaged snacks, food trucks parked outside that you advertise as "your" food, or a small kitchen serving sandwiches and pizza — you need a food service permit from the county Board of Health, and potentially a separate Food Sales Establishment license from the Georgia Department of Agriculture if you package food for off-premises sale.

• Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Food Service Permit: Administered locally through county Boards of Health under Chapter 511-6-1 of the Rules of the Georgia Department of Public Health. Required for any restaurant, brewery taproom, or food retailer that prepares or serves food for immediate consumption. Permit fees run $100 to $700 annually depending on county and risk classification. Inspections at least twice per year for higher-risk operations; once per year for lower-risk operations. Common county Boards of Health for major brewery areas: Fulton County DOH, DeKalb County DOH, Cobb & Douglas Public Health, Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale Public Health, Chatham County Health Department (Savannah), Richmond County Health Department (Augusta), Northeast Health District (Athens-Clarke), North Central Health District (Macon-Bibb), West Central Health District (Columbus). Brewery taprooms that serve only pre-packaged commercially-packaged snacks (chips, peanuts, prepackaged sausages) may qualify as a "limited food service" license at a lower fee tier — confirm with the county Board of Health before opening.
• Georgia Department of Agriculture Food Sales Establishment license: Required for any business that packages food for retail or wholesale sale beyond the immediate point of preparation. Most brewery taprooms do not need this registration if they only serve food for immediate consumption — but a brewery that bottles, jars, or packages its own snacks (pretzels with brewery branding, brewery-branded mustard, peanut brittle, etc.) does need it. $100 to $300 annually. Inspections by the Georgia Department of Agriculture Food Safety Division happen at least once annually. Renewal due June 30.

See our health inspection prep guide and food handler permit guide for what inspectors check.

9. Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit

This is the permit most aspiring Georgia brewery owners do not see coming. Brewery wastewater is high in biological oxygen demand (BOD) — typically 2,500 to 10,000 mg/L versus 200 to 400 mg/L for normal domestic wastewater — and high in total suspended solids, due to spent grain rinse, yeast, hop matter, and CIP chemistry. Every Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) in Georgia regulates brewery discharges as "industrial users" under the federal Clean Water Act (40 CFR Part 403) and the corresponding Georgia EPD pretreatment program.

The major Georgia brewery cities and their wastewater authorities:

• Atlanta (City of Atlanta sewer service area): Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM). Significant Industrial User (SIU) permits required for breweries discharging over 25,000 gallons per day OR exceeding BOD/TSS sewer-discharge thresholds. SIU permits run $2,500 to $6,000+ annually plus sampling costs; smaller Categorical Industrial User permits run $1,000 to $3,500. Atlanta DWM charges high-strength surcharges for BOD over 250 mg/L and TSS over 250 mg/L, which can run thousands of dollars per month for a brewery without pretreatment. Plan for $25,000 to $200,000+ in pretreatment equipment (flow equalization, pH neutralization, screening, sometimes biological pretreatment) for any brewery over about 1,000 bbl/yr. Atlanta DWM permit application and review typically take 8 to 14 weeks.
• DeKalb County (Decatur, Brookhaven, Tucker, Stone Mountain): DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management. Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permits required for over-threshold breweries. Permit fees $1,000 to $5,000 annually.
• Cobb County (Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth): Cobb County Water System. Industrial Discharge Permits required for over-threshold breweries. Permit fees $1,000 to $4,500 annually.
• Gwinnett County (Lawrenceville, Duluth, Suwanee, Norcross): Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources. Industrial Discharge Permits required for over-threshold breweries. Permit fees $1,000 to $4,500 annually.
• Fulton County (Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton — unincorporated): Fulton County Department of Public Works. Industrial Discharge Permits required.
• Savannah and Chatham County: City of Savannah Water Resources and Chatham County Public Works. Industrial Discharge Permits required for over-threshold breweries. Permit fees $1,000 to $4,000 annually.
• Augusta-Richmond County: Augusta Utilities. Industrial Discharge Permits required. Permit fees $500 to $3,500 annually.
• Athens-Clarke County: Athens-Clarke County Public Utilities Department. Industrial Discharge Permits required. Permit fees $500 to $3,500 annually.
• Macon-Bibb County: Macon Water Authority. Industrial Discharge Permits required. Permit fees $500 to $3,000 annually.
• Columbus-Muscogee County: Columbus Water Works. Industrial Discharge Permits required. Permit fees $500 to $3,000 annually.

Pretreatment requirements often include flow equalization tanks, pH neutralization (to bring CIP-chemistry-driven pH swings back into the acceptance window — Atlanta DWM requires pH between 5.5 and 10.5), screening for spent grain and trub, and in some cases biological pretreatment for larger operations. Capital costs for adequate pretreatment range from $20,000 (small nano-brewery with a simple pH neutralization tank) to $250,000+ (Atlanta production breweries with full pretreatment trains). The wastewater permit can take 8 to 14 weeks to issue, and the agency cannot meaningfully start the review until you have engineered drawings and equipment specs.

Start the wastewater application as early in the design phase as you start the TTB Brewer's Notice. The two timelines align well — both average 3 to 6 months from start to approval, both require detailed engineering documentation, and both must be in place before the brewery can lawfully operate.

10. Georgia EPD — NPDES stormwater and air-permit screening

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD), housed within the Department of Natural Resources, administers two programs that affect breweries: the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program for stormwater discharges and the Air Protection Branch's permitting program for air emissions.

NPDES Industrial Stormwater General Permit (NGR050000). Breweries are listed under Sector U (Food and Kindred Products Manufacturing) of the Georgia EPD Industrial Stormwater General Permit. Breweries with industrial activity exposed to stormwater (outdoor grain silos, outdoor packaging staging, outdoor CO2 tanks, outdoor wastewater pretreatment) must file a Notice of Intent and prepare a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Filing fee is $200 to $1,500 depending on production scale. The general permit runs on a 5-year cycle. Breweries with all industrial activity indoors and no stormwater exposure can submit a No Exposure Certification and avoid the SWPPP requirement entirely.

Georgia EPD Air Quality Permit. Boilers and steam generators used for hot liquor tanks and direct-fire kettles can trigger Georgia EPD air-permit requirements. Most small brewery boilers fall below the registration threshold of 10 million BTU/hr aggregate under the Georgia Air Quality Control Rules (Chapter 391-3-1), but breweries operating multiple boilers or steam-jacketed kettles can cross the threshold. Title V permits apply to very large production breweries; State-only Synthetic Minor permits apply at intermediate scales; Permit-by-Rule and exemption thresholds cover smaller operations. Most craft breweries are exempt from individual air-permit review.

VOC emissions from fermentation are generally below the de minimis thresholds for Georgia EPD review, but brewery operators in the metro Atlanta nonattainment area for ozone (the 15-county metro Atlanta ozone nonattainment area under the 2015 ozone NAAQS) should screen fermentation tank capacity against the New Source Review thresholds before installing new fermenters. Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, Coweta, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Cherokee, and Bartow counties are all in the metro Atlanta ozone nonattainment area, where PTI thresholds are tighter than in the rest of the state.

11. Fire Marshal Operational Permits

Brewery operations trigger several local fire-department operational permits because of the hazardous-materials profile: pressurized CO2 storage (typically 750 to 4,500 pounds onsite), pressurized glycol systems, propane or natural gas burners for direct-fire kettles, high-piled storage of grain bags and packaging materials, and finished alcohol product inventory.

The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, Savannah Fire Department, and Augusta Fire Department run the three most active brewery permitting regimes in Georgia, but every Georgia city follows substantially similar rules under the Georgia State Minimum Fire Safety Standards (adopted under the Georgia Fire Code, which adopts the International Fire Code with Georgia-specific amendments). Common brewery permits:

• Compressed Gas Storage Permit: For liquid CO2 above the Georgia Fire Code thresholds (currently 1,000 cubic feet aggregate). $100 to $400 annually.
• Place of Assembly Permit: Required if the taproom capacity exceeds 50 occupants under the Georgia Fire Code. $200 to $500 annually. The Place of Assembly permit requires a separate Fire Marshal inspection.
• High-Piled Storage Permit: Required if grain or packaging materials are stored higher than 12 feet. $100 to $400 annually.
• Hot Work Permit: Required for welding, cutting, or other hot work during installation or maintenance. $50 to $150 per project.
• Flammable Liquid Storage Permit: If cleaning chemicals, sanitizer concentrates, or other flammable liquids exceed de minimis quantities. $100 to $400 annually.

Fire marshal inspections happen at least annually and often during initial Certificate of Occupancy review. Common Georgia brewery fire-marshal findings: improper CO2 sensor placement (the Georgia Fire Code requires a CO2 sensor with audible and visual alarm in any enclosed area where CO2 may accumulate), missing fire-extinguisher signage, improperly rated egress doors at the taproom, inadequate exit signage when the taproom is reconfigured for events, and missing or expired Place of Assembly inspections.

12. Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation and Georgia DOL — workers' comp and unemployment

Once you hire your first employee, two new registrations come into play:

Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation. Unlike Ohio's state-monopoly system, Georgia has a private workers' compensation insurance market. Any Georgia employer with 3 or more employees (regular or part-time) must carry workers' compensation insurance under OCGA § 34-9-2. Brewery operations are generally classified under NCCI code 2121 (Brewery — All Operations). Georgia base rates for brewery operations run roughly $2.00 to $4.50 per $100 of payroll through the standard market, with experience modifiers adjusting the rate up or down based on claims history. Georgia's competitive private market generally produces lower premiums than California, New York, or Florida for an equivalent brewery, comparable to Texas and Tennessee. Failure to maintain workers' comp coverage exposes the operator to personal liability for employee injuries plus civil penalties under OCGA § 34-9-126.

Georgia Department of Labor unemployment registration. Register at dol.georgia.gov. Georgia's unemployment compensation rate for new employers in 2026 is 2.7% on the first $9,500 of each employee's annual wages. After three years, the employer rate becomes experience-rated, ranging from 0.04% to 8.10% depending on layoff history. File Form DOL-4N quarterly.

13. Georgia Special Event Use Permits and satellite locations

The Georgia Department of Revenue Alcohol & Tobacco Division issues event-specific permits for off-site beer sales, and several recent legislative changes have expanded what a Georgia brewery can do off-premises:

• Special Event Use Permit: Per-event permit for off-site events where the brewery sells beer for on-premises consumption at the event location (festivals, farmers markets, fundraising events). Fees vary per event under OCGA § 3-5-24.2. Widely used by Georgia breweries participating in regional beer festivals like the Atlanta Beer Festival, Savannah Craft Brew Fest, Athens Burger Battle Beer Garden, and Macon's Craft Beer Festival.
• Brewery Satellite Locations / Retail Outlets: Georgia breweries can operate one or more brewery retail outlets under their Brewery Manufacturer's License, but each satellite location requires Department of Revenue approval AND its own local alcohol license from the city or county where the satellite operates — the dual-licensing structure applies at every additional location, not just the original brewery.
• Direct Shipment under HB 1175 (2022): Georgia breweries can now ship malt beverages directly to consumers in Georgia under specific Department of Revenue rules. Direct shipment requires a separate Direct Shipper License and compliance with age-verification and quantity-limit rules.

Estimated total Georgia brewery startup permit cost

A typical small Georgia brewery (3,000 to 5,000 bbl/yr production, taproom seating 50-100, no full restaurant) will incur the following first-year regulatory costs:

• Federal Brewer's Notice: Free (fingerprint and background check costs roughly $100 per principal)
• Federal Brewer's Bond (most small brewers exempt under CBMA): $0
• Georgia Brewery Manufacturer's License: $1,000 first year
• Georgia state license-and-tax bond ($5,000 surety): $100-$300 annual premium
• Local alcohol license (Atlanta $5,000; Savannah/Augusta/Athens/Macon/Columbus $1,000-$3,000; suburban metro cities $1,000-$4,000): $1,000-$5,000+ first year
• Georgia Sales Tax Number: Free
• Georgia Secretary of State LLC formation + first Annual Registration: $150 first year
• Local zoning approval / Use Permit: $0-$3,500 one-time (Atlanta Special Use Permits at the high end)
• Certificate of Occupancy: $200-$4,000 one-time (Atlanta buildouts often $3,000-$20,000 including architect/expediter fees)
• Local Occupational Tax Certificate (every Georgia city): $50-$2,500 first year
• Industrial Wastewater Permit + pretreatment design/install: $20,000-$250,000+ one-time (Atlanta DWM at the high end)
• Georgia EPD NPDES Industrial Stormwater General Permit (or No Exposure Certification): $0-$1,500
• Georgia Department of Agriculture Food Sales license (if packaging food): $100-$300
• County DPH Food Service Permit (if serving food): $100-$700 first year
• Fire Marshal Operational Permits (CO2 storage, place of assembly, high-piled, hot work): $300-$1,500 first year
• Workers' compensation coverage (private market): $2,000-$8,500 first year (scales with payroll)
• Georgia DOL unemployment registration: Free
• Commercial general liability + liquor liability + property: $4,500-$13,000 first year
• Commercial auto (if delivery vehicles): $2,000-$6,500 first year
• Federal EIN: Free

Total first-year permits, fees, and insurance for a Georgia small brewery: roughly $30,000 to $290,000+, before equipment, lease, buildout, payroll, or inventory. The wide range reflects the spread between a small brewery in Macon, Columbus, or a smaller metro Atlanta city (low end) and an Atlanta production brewery with full DWM pretreatment, a Special Use Permit application, and a multi-month buildout (high end). Georgia's regulatory cost is roughly comparable to Pennsylvania, Ohio, or North Carolina for an equivalent brewery, meaningfully lower than New York or California, and the $1,000 Brewery Manufacturer's License plus the lack of a Georgia gross-receipts tax make Georgia one of the more cost-friendly states in the southeast for a small-to-mid-size craft brewery on a pure-permits basis. The dual state-and-local alcohol licensing is the biggest timeline surprise for out-of-state operators, and Atlanta's NPU + ZRB + City Council Special Use Permit process is the longest single approval in the state.

Renewal dates you need to track

Georgia brewery permits run on a mix of cycles. The December 31 state DOR alcohol-license renewal deadline, the April 1 local Occupational Tax Certificate renewal in most Georgia cities, and the June 30 Department of Agriculture Food Sales license renewal are the three dominant rhythms:

• Federal TTB Brewer's Notice: Permanent, but Form 5130.9 Brewer's Report of Operations due monthly. Federal excise tax (Form 5000.24) due semi-monthly. Amendments required for any material change.
• Georgia Brewery Manufacturer's License: Annual, expires December 31. File renewal in October or November. Operating with an expired Georgia state license is a violation under OCGA § 3-3-2.
• Local city or county alcohol license: Annual, calendar year in most jurisdictions (December 31 expiration), but check the specific city — some cities have different renewal cycles.
• Local Occupational Tax Certificate: Annual, due March 31 or April 1 in most Georgia cities.
• Georgia Secretary of State Annual Registration: Annual, due April 1. Late filing carries a $25 penalty and administrative dissolution after extended non-filing.
• Georgia Sales Tax (Form ST-3): Monthly (most breweries), due by the 20th of the following month.
• Georgia Beer Tax: Monthly, due by the 10th of the following month.
• County Beer Tax: Monthly, due to each county where direct-to-consumer or wholesale sales occur.
• Georgia DOL (Form DOL-4N): Quarterly, due by the end of the month after each quarter.
• Industrial Wastewater Permit: 5 years (Atlanta DWM, DeKalb, Fulton, Cobb, and most other POTWs). Self-monitoring reports (typically quarterly) and annual flow declarations required throughout the permit term.
• Georgia EPD NPDES Industrial Stormwater General Permit: 5-year permit cycle. Annual stormwater inspections and SWPPP updates required.
• County Board of Health Food Service Permit (if applicable): Annual, county-set renewal dates.
• Georgia Department of Agriculture Food Sales license (if applicable): Annual, June 30 renewal.
• City fire department permits (CO2 storage, place of assembly, high-piled, hot work): Annual, typically on issuance anniversary.
• Certificate of Occupancy: One-time, but any material change to the buildout requires a new building department filing.
• Workers' compensation policy: Annual, by policy effective date.
• Commercial insurance policies (CGL, liquor liability, property, auto): Annual, often staggered across multiple carriers.

The December 31 Georgia DOR alcohol-license renewal is the single most-missed deadline for Georgia brewery operators — because every Georgia alcohol licensee shares the same calendar-year expiration, the queue gets jammed in November and December every year and operators who file at the last minute end up with their renewals processed after January 1, which technically expires the license during the lapse period. Set calendar reminders 120, 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before December 31 every year. The second most-missed is the local alcohol-license renewal — operators routinely renew the state license and forget that the city or county license is a fully separate process with its own renewal application, often a separate fee, and sometimes a separate posted-notice or hearing requirement on renewal. The third most-missed is the April 1 Georgia Secretary of State Annual Registration — a small $50 filing that, if missed for too long, triggers administrative dissolution of the LLC and forces the operator to reinstate at additional cost and to navigate the gap between dissolution and reinstatement when the entity technically didn't exist. For Georgia business license renewals more broadly, see how to renew your business license and business license renewal fees by state.

Check your full Georgia brewery permit list

Use the free permit checker to see every permit your Georgia brewery needs. Pick your city, select brewery as the business type, and get the full list with fees, deadlines, and links to TTB, the Georgia Department of Revenue Alcohol & Tobacco Division, your city or county alcohol-licensing office, your city Planning and Building departments, your local POTW (Atlanta DWM, DeKalb Watershed, Cobb Water, Gwinnett Water Resources, Savannah Water, Augusta Utilities, Athens-Clarke Public Utilities, Macon Water Authority, or Columbus Water Works), your county Board of Health (for food service), the Georgia EPD, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation, the Georgia DOL, and the Georgia Secretary of State.

Already operating? Our brewery permits overview covers the basics across all states, our California brewery permits guide covers the largest brewery state, our Texas brewery permits guide covers a closer southeastern peer with similar self-distribution rules, our Florida brewery permits guide covers the closest southeastern peer with similar dual-tax structures, our New York brewery permits guide covers the strict three-tier alternative, our Illinois brewery permits guide covers the Midwestern equivalent with Chicago and Cook County excise overlays, our Pennsylvania brewery permits guide covers the closest regulatory peer on the license-fee side, and our Ohio brewery permits guide covers a different control-state framework. The Georgia restaurant side is covered in Georgia restaurant permits, the Georgia food truck side in Georgia food truck permits, and the broader Georgia alcohol licensing in how to get a Georgia liquor license and Georgia liquor license cost. The federal TTB Brewer's Notice that runs 3 to 6 months, the Georgia Brewery Manufacturer's License that runs 8 to 14 weeks, the Atlanta or Savannah Certificate of Occupancy that runs 3 to 8 months (or 4 to 12 weeks in smaller cities), the local alcohol license that runs 6 to 20 weeks depending on city, and the Atlanta DWM or county wastewater permit that runs 8 to 14 weeks all need to start at roughly the same time if you want to open within nine months of signing your lease in Atlanta, or within six months in Savannah, Augusta, Athens, Macon, or Columbus. The single most expensive Georgia brewery mistake is treating the state alcohol license and the local alcohol license as the same approval — they are entirely separate, and a brewery with a valid state license but a delayed or denied local license cannot legally sell a single pint. The PermitDue dashboard puts every Georgia brewery deadline in one place with reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days so the December 31 state DOR alcohol-license renewal, the December 31 local alcohol-license renewal, the April 1 local Occupational Tax Certificate renewal, the April 1 Georgia Secretary of State Annual Registration, the monthly TTB Brewer's Report of Operations, the semi-monthly federal excise return, the monthly Georgia sales tax and Beer Tax filings, the monthly county Beer Tax filings, the quarterly Georgia DOL-4N unemployment filings, the annual workers' compensation renewal, the June 30 Georgia Department of Agriculture Food Sales renewal, the county Board of Health Food Service renewal, and the annual fire department, food service, and insurance renewals never quietly slip past.