5 rules for unincorporated Columbia County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
You can run a business from a Columbia County home if it stays incidental to living there: it occupies under 20 percent of the dwelling, adds no more than 12 vehicle trips a day, and is worked only by resident family.
Columbia County, GA, Code of Ordinances ch. 90, § 90-142(a) (Home occupations)
A home occupation is a business or profession carried on by an occupant of a dwelling as a secondary use, which is incidental to the main residential use.
A home business in unincorporated Columbia County cannot change how the house looks. Section 90-142 requires no change to the exterior appearance from that of a residence, so an exterior business sign is not allowed.
Columbia County, GA, Code of Ordinances ch. 90, § 90-142(c)(1) (Home occupations)
The operation of the business produces no change to the character or exterior appearance of the principal building or property from that of a residence.
Columbia County caps a home business at 12 extra vehicle trips to the residence per day. The point is to keep a home from drawing customer traffic that turns a quiet street into a commercial destination.
Columbia County, GA, Code of Ordinances ch. 90, § 90-142(b)(2) (Home occupations)
A home occupation may not produce more than 12 additional vehicle trips to the residence per day.
Georgia's HB 398 removed the state cottage food license and the sales cap, so you can bake and sell non-hazardous foods from a Columbia County home kitchen with no state permit. Direct and retail sales are both allowed now.
Georgia Dept. of Agriculture, Cottage Food Update: House Bill 398 FAQ (HB 398, eff. July 1, 2025)
Cottage food operators no longer need to obtain a license with the Georgia Department of Agriculture ("GDA") or pay a licensing fee to the state.
Home child care in Columbia County is licensed by the state, not the county. Georgia's DECAL licenses a family child care learning home for three to six children; watching one or two needs no license.
Columbia County, GA, Code of Ordinances ch. 90, § 90-142(c)(3) (Home occupations)
where personal care or daycare is provided, the business may occupy more than 20 percent of the dwelling
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