Winery permits in Atlanta, Georgia

The city and county permits, taxes, and inspections a winery needs in Atlanta (Fulton and DeKalb counties), on top of the statewide Georgia and federal credentials covered on their own pages.

Local feesLocal first-year fees commonly run about $7,000 to $15,000 before construction, driven mostly by the two Atlanta Police alcohol licenses ($2,250 for wine manufacturing plus $2,500 for the tasting room, with a $300 filing fee and per-person fingerprints), alongside the occupational tax registration, the $100 zoning letter, building and occupancy fees, a $600 to $1,500 sewer capacity certification, and a county food permit only if you serve food.CountyFulton and DeKalb counties

This page covers only the Atlanta city and county permits for wineries. The statewide Georgia credentials and the federal credentials every winery needs are on their own pages.

All Georgia requirementsWineries in Georgia Federal requirementsEvery winery nationwide

What you need to run a winery in Atlanta

Credential	Level	Fee	Renewal
Fulton County Food Service Permit and Plan Review (only if you serve food, Fulton addresses)	County	Plan review of $450 (Type I), $600 (Type II), or $750 (Type III) by food complexity, an annual permit at the same tiers plus $150 per extra bar or satellite kitchen, and a $220 administrative fee for the liquor license review; confirm current amounts with the Fulton County Board of Health at 404-613-1301	Annual
DeKalb County Food Service Permit and Plan Review (only if you serve food, DeKalb addresses)	County	Confirm current plan review and annual permit fees with DeKalb Public Health at 404-508-7900; plans are due at least 14 business days before construction	Annual; DeKalb permits expire June 30
City of Atlanta Local Alcohol License (Wine Manufacturing)	City	$2,250 a year, prorated to $1,125 if you apply after July 1, plus a one-time $300 non-refundable application filing fee and a $20 per-person fingerprint fee (for a company, the agent plus the first five officers or major stockholders)	Annual; the license year ends December 31 and renewal is due by then
City of Atlanta Local Alcohol License (Wine Tasting Room)	City	$2,500 a year; the $300 filing fee and fingerprint fees are shared with the Wine Manufacturing application when you file both together	Annual; expires December 31
City of Atlanta Business Occupational Tax Certificate	City	A $75 non-refundable registration fee plus a $50 zoning fee at new application, then an annual tax of $50 on the first $10,000 of Georgia gross receipts, a NAICS class-based rate above that, and $25 per employee after the first	Annual; the renewal is due February 15 with payment due April 1, and filing late adds a $500 fee
City of Atlanta Zoning Verification Letter	City	$100 for a standard Zoning Verification Letter or $300 for a Non-Conforming version, paid at submission	One-time per request
City of Atlanta Building Permit, Tenant Improvement, and Certificate of Occupancy	City	A $150 minimum building permit plus a $25 technology fee, scaling with construction valuation, with a Certificate of Occupancy at $100 per story for an interior tenant build-out; trade permits are billed separately, and a Watershed sewer capacity certification ($600 under 2,500 gallons a day, $1,500 at or above) must clear first	One-time per project or change of use
Atlanta Fire Life Safety Plan Review and CO2 Operational Permit	City	Plan review is bundled into the building permit; the CO2 operational permit and any assembly permit carry their own fees, so confirm current amounts with Atlanta Fire Rescue at 404-546-7000	Plan review is one-time per permit; the CO2 and assembly operational permits are periodic
City of Atlanta Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit (Production Water)	City	An Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit fee plus a high-strength surcharge billed by formula on the actual pollutant load under Atlanta Code Section 154-278; confirm current amounts with the Division of Industrial Pretreatment at 404-546-1150	Annual permit, with ongoing monthly surcharge billing
City of Atlanta Food Service Wastewater (Grease and FOG) Permit (only with a commercial kitchen)	City	Confirm the current grease trap permit fee with the Department of Watershed Management	Annual
City of Atlanta Right-of-Way Sidewalk Dining Permit (only with public-sidewalk seating)	City	Set under Atlanta Code Chapter 138; a fee-waiver ordinance has applied to the program, so confirm the current application and annual fees with ATLDOT at ROWDining@AtlantaGA.gov	Annual, conditional on keeping seating in the public right-of-way

A typical winery in Atlanta, Georgia needs 35 separate credentials to operate legally, and that is for one location. Federal, statewide, and local Atlanta requirements all stack on the same winery, each with its own renewal date, fee, and issuing agency.

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Each winery credential in Atlanta, explained

Grouped by the level of government that issues it, county then city. Every credential here is specific to operating a winery in Atlanta, Georgia.

County level

2 credentials

Fulton County Food Service Permit and Plan Review (only if you serve food, Fulton addresses)

Conditional, and only for a Fulton County address. A pour-only tasting room needs no food service permit, but once staff prepare or serve food, cheese and charcuterie plated on site or a real kitchen, Fulton's Board of Health permits and inspects it. Even a no-kitchen wine bar can draw a county health review during the building permit, because the Office of Buildings requires health sign-off for any food or bar service. Fulton does not set grease trap sizing for sewer-connected sites; that sits with the city.

Issued by: Fulton County Board of Health, Environmental Health Services
Fee: Plan review of $450 (Type I), $600 (Type II), or $750 (Type III) by food complexity, an annual permit at the same tiers plus $150 per extra bar or satellite kitchen, and a $220 administrative fee for the liquor license review; confirm current amounts with the Fulton County Board of Health at 404-613-1301
Renewal: Annual
Processing: At least 6 weeks of plan review after a complete submission, with a passing pre-opening inspection before the permit issues

DeKalb County Food Service Permit and Plan Review (only if you serve food, DeKalb addresses)

Conditional, and it applies when a food-serving tasting room sits on the DeKalb side of Atlanta, including parts of Kirkwood and East Atlanta. DeKalb Public Health, not Fulton, issues the permit there, decided purely by the building's physical address. You submit scaled floor plans, an equipment list, and the menu, and DeKalb County Fire and Rescue approval plus a Certificate of Occupancy come before the final inspection. A pour-only room does not trigger it.

Issued by: DeKalb Public Health, Division of Environmental Health
Fee: Confirm current plan review and annual permit fees with DeKalb Public Health at 404-508-7900; plans are due at least 14 business days before construction
Renewal: Annual; DeKalb permits expire June 30
Processing: At least 14 business days after a complete plan submission, with Fire Marshal approval and a Certificate of Occupancy required before the final inspection

City level

9 credentials

City of Atlanta Local Alcohol License (Wine Manufacturing)

This is the local production license and the first half of Georgia's two-tier system for a wine maker, and the state Winery or Farm Winery license cannot issue until you hold it. Atlanta lists Wine Manufacturing as its own license class, separate from any restaurant pour license, and approval runs a fixed sequence: zoning verification, a certified distance survey confirming setbacks from schools, churches, and government buildings, an in-person NPU vote, a public notice banner posted at least 15 days out, a License Review Board hearing, then final Mayor's Office sign-off. Pay by cashier's check or money order to the City of Atlanta.

Issued by: Atlanta Police Department, License and Permit Unit
Fee: $2,250 a year, prorated to $1,125 if you apply after July 1, plus a one-time $300 non-refundable application filing fee and a $20 per-person fingerprint fee (for a company, the agent plus the first five officers or major stockholders)
Renewal: Annual; the license year ends December 31 and renewal is due by then
Processing: Roughly 3 to 6 months from the first interview to Mayor's Office approval, paced by the monthly NPU calendar and the License Review Board schedule

City of Atlanta Local Alcohol License (Wine Tasting Room)

If visitors will taste and buy wine on site, you need this second local license on top of the manufacturing one, so the combined local alcohol cost is $4,750 a year before filing and fingerprint fees. Atlanta Code Chapter 10 defines a tasting room as an outlet a farm winery runs to pour complimentary samples and sell its wine at retail, and this is the class that matches a farm winery tasting operation. A restaurant-style consumption-on-premises license is the wrong fit and carries food-sales ratios that do not apply to a winery tasting room.

Issued by: Atlanta Police Department, License and Permit Unit
Fee: $2,500 a year; the $300 filing fee and fingerprint fees are shared with the Wine Manufacturing application when you file both together
Renewal: Annual; expires December 31
Processing: Filed and heard alongside the Wine Manufacturing license on the same 3 to 6 month path

City of Atlanta Business Occupational Tax Certificate

Every business inside Atlanta city limits carries this general registration, and for a winery the Office of Revenue sets the rate from the NAICS class covering beverage manufacturing or the retail tasting room. Most of the bill rides on Georgia gross receipts and headcount rather than a flat fee, so a busy winery owes well beyond the registration line. Applications now run through the ATLBIZ portal that replaced ATLCORE in September 2025, and a zoning review rides along with the new-business filing.

Issued by: City of Atlanta Department of Finance, Office of Revenue
Fee: A $75 non-refundable registration fee plus a $50 zoning fee at new application, then an annual tax of $50 on the first $10,000 of Georgia gross receipts, a NAICS class-based rate above that, and $25 per employee after the first
Renewal: Annual; the renewal is due February 15 with payment due April 1, and filing late adds a $500 fee
Processing: 7 to 10 business days after the registration and zoning fees are paid, filed through the ATLBIZ portal

City of Atlanta Zoning Verification Letter

For a winery this letter is the document to pull before you sign anything, because wine production is an industrial use and not every address allows it. It confirms the property's zoning district, overlays, and any conditions in writing. The cleanest fit is the I-MIX (Industrial Mixed Use) district, which names a winery with an accessory tasting or eating and drinking use as permitted by right; I-1 Light Industrial can work, but the Zoning Administrator has to agree the tasting room reads as an accessory use, and a production-free retail tasting room instead needs commercial zoning.

Issued by: City of Atlanta Department of City Planning, Office of Zoning and Development
Fee: $100 for a standard Zoning Verification Letter or $300 for a Non-Conforming version, paid at submission
Renewal: One-time per request
Processing: 7 to 10 business days once the request is complete, longer if it needs extra research

City of Atlanta Building Permit, Tenant Improvement, and Certificate of Occupancy

Any build-out or change of use needs a permit, and you cannot open without a Certificate of Occupancy. A producing winery is a mixed-occupancy job under the 2024 building code Georgia adopted for projects submitted from February 1, 2026: the production area with tanks, a crush pad, and barrels is a Factory-Industrial (F-2) space, while the tasting room flips to Assembly (A-2) once it holds 50 or more people, which pulls in occupancy separation, egress width, and sprinkler details. Plans need a Georgia-registered architect or engineer, and building sign-off waits on the sewer certification, zoning approval, and, for any food or bar service, county health review.

Issued by: City of Atlanta Department of City Planning, Office of Buildings
Fee: A $150 minimum building permit plus a $25 technology fee, scaling with construction valuation, with a Certificate of Occupancy at $100 per story for an interior tenant build-out; trade permits are billed separately, and a Watershed sewer capacity certification ($600 under 2,500 gallons a day, $1,500 at or above) must clear first
Renewal: One-time per project or change of use
Processing: About 4 to 8 weeks for commercial tenant-improvement review, with the fire life safety review running alongside

Atlanta Fire Life Safety Plan Review and CO2 Operational Permit

A winery brings fire-code exposure a restaurant does not. Any liquid CO2 system over 100 pounds, common for tank blanketing and line purging on top of fermentation off-gas, needs both an install permit and an ongoing operational permit, with mechanical ventilation, CO2 detection and alarms at breathing height, and an emergency shutoff. Table wine at 12 to 15 percent ABV is not a flammable or combustible liquid, so wine tanks usually clear storage thresholds, but confirm classification with Fire Life Safety for anything higher-proof. The tasting room also triggers assembly requirements once it reaches 50 occupants.

Issued by: City of Atlanta Office of Buildings, Fire Life Safety Division (plan review); Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, Inspections Division (operational permits)
Fee: Plan review is bundled into the building permit; the CO2 operational permit and any assembly permit carry their own fees, so confirm current amounts with Atlanta Fire Rescue at 404-546-7000
Renewal: Plan review is one-time per permit; the CO2 and assembly operational permits are periodic
Processing: Runs concurrently with the building permit review, about 4 to 8 weeks

City of Atlanta Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit (Production Water)

Winery process water from fermentation, crush-pad rinsing, press washdown, tank cleaning, and bottling flush is nothing like restaurant grease. Its biochemical oxygen demand can run from a few thousand to well over 20,000 mg/L, many times normal sewage, so the Department of Watershed Management may require an industrial wastewater discharge permit and bills a high-strength surcharge on top of ordinary sewer rates. It is a separate form and program from the grease and FOG permit, and the production side triggers the pretreatment inquiry even for a pour-only tasting room with no kitchen.

Issued by: City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, Division of Industrial Pretreatment
Fee: An Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit fee plus a high-strength surcharge billed by formula on the actual pollutant load under Atlanta Code Section 154-278; confirm current amounts with the Division of Industrial Pretreatment at 404-546-1150
Renewal: Annual permit, with ongoing monthly surcharge billing
Processing: Confirm with the Division of Industrial Pretreatment; the related sewer capacity certification is a hard prerequisite for the building permit

City of Atlanta Food Service Wastewater (Grease and FOG) Permit (only with a commercial kitchen)

Conditional, and tied to food rather than wine. A tasting room that only pours wine and sets out sealed cheese or charcuterie does not trigger it, but the moment a hood-equipped commercial kitchen cooks to order, you need a correctly sized grease interceptor approved by the city plumbing department and a Food Service Wastewater Discharge Permit. This is a wholly separate waste stream from the production wastewater the winery already discharges.

Issued by: City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, Grease Management Program
Fee: Confirm the current grease trap permit fee with the Department of Watershed Management
Renewal: Annual
Processing: Confirm with the Department of Watershed Management; a sized grease interceptor and plumbing approval come first

City of Atlanta Right-of-Way Sidewalk Dining Permit (only with public-sidewalk seating)

Only needed if the tasting room puts tables in the public right-of-way, the sidewalk or an on-street parking lane. Seating on the winery's own private lot skips this permit but goes through a zoning review instead. It is separate from the alcohol license, and outdoor wine service also extends your licensed premises to cover the area.

Issued by: Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT)
Fee: Set under Atlanta Code Chapter 138; a fee-waiver ordinance has applied to the program, so confirm the current application and annual fees with ATLDOT at ROWDining@AtlantaGA.gov
Renewal: Annual, conditional on keeping seating in the public right-of-way
Processing: Confirm with ATLDOT; you submit a to-scale site plan and insurance documentation

See how other wineries in Atlanta are managing every permit, license, and renewal in one place with CredentiAlert.

Atlanta-specific things to watch for

1The county line decides your health department, and it is not obvious. Most of Atlanta is Fulton County, but parts of Kirkwood and East Atlanta sit in DeKalb, and the two health agencies are entirely separate, with different fee schedules and even different renewal dates (Fulton runs the calendar year, DeKalb permits expire June 30). Which one applies comes down to the building's physical address, not the neighborhood or zip, so pull a plat or tax-parcel lookup before you start.

2Where you can make wine and where you can pour it are different zoning answers. Wine production is an industrial use; a tasting room is retail. The I-MIX district is the only Atlanta zone that names a winery with an accessory tasting or eating and drinking use as permitted by right. On an I-1 site you have to convince the Zoning Administrator the tasting room is a legitimate accessory use, and a production-free retail tasting room needs commercial zoning instead, so confirm the fit with a Zoning Verification Letter before signing a lease.

3The local alcohol license runs through an NPU vote and gates the state license. You cannot get the Georgia Winery or Farm Winery license until Atlanta approves your local license, and that approval clears a monthly Neighborhood Planning Unit meeting you attend in person, a posted public notice, and a License Review Board hearing before the Mayor's Office signs off. A slow NPU calendar cascades through the whole opening timeline, so it is the first thing to start, not the last.

4Production wastewater and grease-trap wastewater are separate regulated streams. Crush-pad, press, and tank-wash water carries biochemical oxygen demand many times higher than normal sewage, so the Watershed Division of Industrial Pretreatment handles it under an industrial discharge permit with a high-strength surcharge billed on measured load. The grease and FOG program is a different system triggered only by a cooking kitchen. A pour-only tasting room still triggers the production inquiry; a full kitchen triggers both.

5Bulk CO2 triggers a fire permit most winery owners never expect. Between fermentation off-gas and the tank CO2 used for blanketing and purging lines, any liquid CO2 system over 100 pounds indoors needs both an install permit and an ongoing operational permit from Atlanta Fire Life Safety, with mechanical ventilation, CO2 detection and alarms at breathing height, and an emergency shutoff. The 2024 Life Safety Code governs applications filed on or after its May 27, 2025 effective date in Georgia.

How long does it take?

Plan on roughly 12 to 18 months from signed lease to opening, longer than a restaurant because two tracks stack. The Atlanta Police alcohol licensing runs its own 3 to 6 month path through a certified distance survey, a monthly NPU meeting you attend in person, a posted public notice, a License Review Board hearing, and final Mayor's Office approval, and the state Winery or Farm Winery license cannot issue until that local approval lands. Running alongside it, the building permit review takes about 4 to 8 weeks once a Watershed sewer capacity certification clears, then 3 to 6 months of build-out and a Certificate of Occupancy, plus a county health plan review only if you serve food. Start the alcohol licenses and the zoning letter the day you sign, because the NPU calendar and the License Review Board are the pieces most likely to stall everything else.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a winery license in Atlanta?

At the local level a producing winery with a tasting room needs two separate Atlanta Police alcohol licenses: Wine Manufacturing at $2,250 a year and Wine Tasting Room at $2,500 a year, for $4,750 combined, plus a one-time $300 application filing fee and $20 per person fingerprinted. These are city fees only; they stack on top of the Georgia Department of Revenue state license fees and the local occupational tax.

Can you open an urban winery in Atlanta?

Yes. The cleanest path is the I-MIX (Industrial Mixed Use) district, whose ordinance names a winery, and an accessory tasting or eating and drinking use in the same tenant space, as permitted by right. I-1 Light Industrial can also work if the Zoning Administrator agrees the tasting room is an accessory use for that specific site. A commercial-only location does not work, because wine production is a manufacturing use that cannot sit in a commercial district without a rezoning or variance.

Do you need a separate permit for a tasting room in Atlanta?

Yes. On top of the Wine Manufacturing license, a tasting room needs its own Wine Tasting Room local alcohol license, $2,500 a year, from the Atlanta Police License and Permit Unit, and both move through the same NPU and License Review Board process. Atlanta Code Chapter 10 defines a tasting room as a farm winery outlet for samples and retail wine sales. If the room also serves prepared food, a Fulton or DeKalb county food service permit applies on top, depending on where the building sits.

Does a winery tasting room in Atlanta need a county health permit?

It depends on food. A pour-only tasting room serving wine and sealed, pre-packaged snacks does not trigger a Fulton or DeKalb food service permit. Once staff prepare or serve food on site, the county where the building sits requires one, Fulton County Board of Health or DeKalb Public Health. Even a no-kitchen wine bar can draw a county health review during the building permit, since the Office of Buildings requires health sign-off for any food or bar service.

Official sources

Last verified 2026-07-11. Requirements change. Always confirm with the issuing department before applying.