Does Georgia require a commissary for food trucks?

Yes. Georgia Department of Public Health requires a commissary or base of operations for most mobile food service permits, with implementation at the county level. Fulton-Atlanta, DeKalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett all require commissary agreement letters at plan review.

How much does a commissary cost in Georgia?

There is no official rate; commissary rent is a private agreement with the kitchen. The price depends on monthly membership versus hourly access, how much dry and cold storage you need, whether water fill, waste disposal and electrical hookups are included, whether truck parking is bundled, and how close the kitchen is to where you work. Metro Atlanta quotes tend to run above Savannah, Athens or Columbus, where restaurant partnerships dominate. Get two written quotes before you sign.

Can I use my catering kitchen as my commissary in Georgia?

Yes, if the catering kitchen holds a current Georgia DPH or county health department license and the owner signs the commissary agreement letter. Many Atlanta-area food truck operators partner with catering kitchens for off-hours access (typically before 4pm or after 11pm).

Do I need a commissary letter for Atlanta food truck permits?

Yes. Fulton County Board of Health and the City of Atlanta both require a commissary agreement letter for mobile food service permit applications. The letter must specify services, schedule, and the commissary's license number.

Food Truck Commissary Requirements in Georgia (2026): DPH Rules, Atlanta Specifics

Georgia Commissary Requirements at a Glance (BLUF)

Georgia DPH requires a "commissary or base of operations" for most mobile food service permits, with the actual rule implementation handled at the county level. What the commissary costs is set by the kitchen, not by DPH: metro Atlanta (Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett) quotes run above suburban and secondary markets like Savannah, Athens, and Columbus, where restaurant partnerships dominate.

Atlanta has one of the deepest commissary supplies in the southeast. Operators in metro Atlanta typically find a workable commissary within 2 weeks of starting their search, which is the operator's leverage when comparing quotes.

How Georgia's Commissary Rule Works

Georgia DPH Rules Chapter 511-6-1 (Food Service Rules) requires mobile food service permits to identify a base of operations. The base must:

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Be a permitted food service establishment under Georgia rules (a licensed commercial kitchen)
Provide the standard 6 services (prep, sink, water, waste, storage, often parking)
Be located in Georgia (out-of-state commissaries are typically rejected)
Be operationally accessible to the truck on a daily or near-daily basis

The implementation is at the county level. Each county's health department reviews the commissary letter at plan review and again at every renewal.

County-by-County Requirements

Fulton County (Atlanta)

Fulton County Board of Health and the City of Atlanta both review commissary letters at mobile food permit applications.

Where to look: South Atlanta near Hartsfield-Jackson, Buckhead industrial pockets, West End

DeKalb County

DeKalb County Board of Health requires the standard commissary letter at plan review. DeKalb has a strong food truck scene driven by the Decatur area and Atlanta-suburban demand.

Where to look: Tucker, Stone Mountain industrial, Chamblee

Cobb County

Cobb County Public Health requires commissary letters at plan review and renewal. Cobb has been one of the fastest-growing food truck markets in Georgia since 2023.

Where to look: Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw industrial corridors

Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County Public Health follows the standard Georgia pattern with no county-specific quirks beyond the DPH rules.

Where to look: Norcross, Duluth, Lawrenceville

Chatham County (Savannah)

Savannah's food truck scene has grown significantly since 2022. Chatham County Health Department applies the standard rules.

Where to look: West Savannah, Pooler, near Garden City

Clarke County (Athens)

Clarke County has a smaller food truck scene driven by University of Georgia game days and downtown Athens demand.

Where to look: West Athens industrial, Bogart

What Sets the Price of a Georgia Commissary

DPH Chapter 511-6-1 tells you that you need a base of operations; it says nothing about what one costs, because the rent is a private agreement with the kitchen. When you compare quotes, these are the things that move the number:

Monthly membership vs hourly access. A flat monthly fee usually buys a block of hours plus storage; hourly access is cheaper for light prep and more expensive once you are in the kitchen daily or near-daily, which is what DPH expects.
Storage. Dry shelving versus walk-in cooler space is usually priced separately. Size your cold storage to your menu before you ask.
Hookups. Potable water fill, gray water dump, grease disposal, and electrical hookup are the services the county is checking for. Some kitchens include them; some bill per use.
Parking. Secured truck parking bundled with the kitchen removes a second lease and a daily drive. Ask whether it is in the quote.
Proximity to your events. A Lawrenceville kitchen priced below a West End one is not cheaper once you add 40 minutes of Atlanta traffic each way. Price the drive, not just the rent.
Kind of kitchen. A dedicated truck commissary, a shared commercial kitchen, a catering-kitchen or restaurant partnership, and a church or community kitchen all price differently and include different services.

The cheapest lawful options in Georgia are usually an off-hours restaurant or catering-kitchen partnership with a kitchen that already holds a Georgia food service permit, then a shared commercial kitchen, then a dedicated truck commissary. Get two written quotes, and ask each kitchen what your county health department needs on the agreement before you sign.

What Georgia Health Departments Want in the Letter

Across Georgia counties, the commissary letter needs:

1.Operator's legal name and truck name

2.Commissary business name, address, current Georgia DPH or county license number

3.Specific services provided

4.Operator's days and hours of access

5.Effective and end dates

6.Both parties' signatures

Pro tip for Georgia: keep the commissary letter as a PDF on your phone. Georgia inspectors regularly ask for it during on-site visits.

Where Georgia Operators Typically Find Commissaries

Atlanta-area operators have three main paths:

1.Dedicated food truck commissaries. Several facilities operate in metro Atlanta, one of the largest concentrations in the southeast. Usually the most expensive option, but tailored to truck workflows.

2.Catering kitchen partnerships. Many Atlanta catering companies rent out kitchen space during off-peak hours. Pattern is especially common for trucks doing both food truck service and catering events.

3.Restaurant off-hours. Several Atlanta restaurants rent their kitchens between 10pm and 5am to food trucks. Usually the cheapest option, but less flexible on hours and equipment access.

Outside Atlanta, restaurant partnerships dominate. Savannah, Athens, and Columbus operators routinely partner with a local restaurant for monthly off-hours access.

Common Georgia Operator Mistakes

1.Out-of-state commissary letters. Georgia rejects letters from commissaries in Tennessee, Alabama, or the Carolinas. Stay in-state.

2.Catering kitchen license confusion. Verify the catering kitchen holds a current commercial food service license, not just a catering business license.

3.Suburban-to-Atlanta commute math. A Lawrenceville commissary is 40 minutes from a Midtown event in Atlanta traffic. Build that into your daily plan or look for a closer option.

4.Missing the annual renewal letter. Georgia counties require an updated commissary letter at every annual renewal, not just initial application.

How Georgia Commissary Costs Affect Operations

Commissary rent is a fixed monthly cost, so the number that matters is what it works out to per event: take the monthly figure from your quote and divide it by the events you actually work in a month, not the events you hope to work.

The PitStop profit calculator does this division for you and models how commissary cost interacts with event volume and revenue mix. For Georgia operators, the leverage is usually driving more catering and weekly recurring events, where the fixed cost spreads efficiently.

For the broader Georgia permit picture (DPH license, county health, sales tax registration, food handler cards, fire inspection), see Food Truck Permits in Georgia. For Atlanta-specific details, see Food Truck Permits in Atlanta.

Before you apply

Verify every fee in this guide with the issuing agency before you pay it; fee schedules change mid-year and the agency's own page is the only number that counts. Run your first few events through the per-event profit calculator, and start the paperwork 3–4 months before opening day: inspection slots, commissary letters and certifications take longer than the application itself.