Georgia’s New Hemp Rules One Year In: Age-21 Sales, Milligram Caps, and GDA Enforcement Trends

The enactment of Georgia SB 494 reshaped the state’s hemp landscape starting October 2024, introducing stricter age limits, potency caps, and labeling standards for consumable hemp products. As we approach the end of 2025, businesses and consumers now face a markedly more regulated market, with the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) actively auditing and enforcing the new rules.

This post reviews the Georgia SB 494 hemp regulations 2025 framework, summarizes enforcement actions from GDA’s first year of oversight, and provides a compliance checklist for hemp brands and retailers entering Q4 2025.

Understanding Georgia SB 494: Key Provisions

SB 494, signed into law in April 2024 and fully implemented by October that year, set out to address a rapidly growing and sometimes controversial market for hemp-derived THC and related consumables. The law’s principle objectives include:

• Restricting sales of consumable hemp products to adults 21 and older
• Establishing THC milligram caps per serving and per package
• Enhancing packaging, labeling, and testing requirements
• Authorizing the GDA to conduct random inspections, enforce recalls, and penalize violations

To see the full bill, view the SB 494 text (PDF). For current rules and license info, see the Georgia Department of Agriculture Hemp Program.

Age 21+ Restriction

The sale of all consumable hemp products, whether high-CBD or those containing delta-8/9 THC, is prohibited to anyone under 21. Retailers are now required to conduct strict ID verification at point of sale. Early GDA audits have cited stores for both failure to check ID and insufficient employee training on age gate compliance.

THC Milligram Caps

SB 494 authorized the GDA to set explicit milligram caps for hemp-derived THC in consumable products. According to the GDA’s published guidance:

• Tinctures: Maximum 1mg delta-9 THC per serving; package must not exceed 10 oz.
• Topicals: Up to 1,000mg delta-9 THC per package.
• All products: May not exceed 0.3% total delta-9 THC by dry weight (in line with federal law); the lower of federal or state limits applies.

These limits are enforced through lab certificates of analysis (COAs) and spot testing during inspections. For rule text, see the GDA Consumable Hemp Product Rule and Updated Terms & Definitions.

Packaging, Labeling, and Testing

SB 494, as interpreted and expanded by the GDA, lays out robust requirements for all consumable hemp item packaging:

• Child-resistant packaging to prevent accidental consumption
• No child-appealing branding, shapes, or colors
• Clear display of total THC and serving sizes
• Batch-specific COA accessible via QR code on the package
• List of ingredients and expiration date

Each batch must be tested for potency and contaminants by a GDA-registered laboratory. Failure to link an active COA through the QR code has resulted in product recalls and shop warnings in GDA’s first year of enforcement.

Retail & Manufacturing Licensing

Businesses involved in producing or selling consumable hemp must obtain one of the following licenses from the GDA:

• Hemp Grower License
• Hemp Processor License
• Retail Consumable Hemp Establishment License

License renewal and reporting deadlines—typically by December 1st annually—are strictly enforced; late filings can result in suspension or fines.

For licensing details, see the GDA Hemp Program.

GDA Enforcement in 2025: Key Trends and Violations

A year into implementation, GDA compliance teams are highly visible in the retail environment, emphasizing:

1. Age Verification Failures

Shop audits have identified several retailers without adequate employee protocols for age checks. Verbal ID requests alone have been cited as insufficient unless paired with a point-of-sale system that records age verification.

2. Packaging & Branding Violations

The GDA has flagged products for:

• Packaging featuring cartoon characters, bright colors, or similarities to popular candy brands (deemed child-appealing).
• Lack of required batch-specific COAs or functional QR codes.

3. Potency Overages and Lab Error

Products exceeding the 1mg/serving cap (in tinctures) or 0.3% delta-9 THC dry weight are routinely pulled from shelves. Some recalls have been based on differences between labeled and tested THC concentrations, or the use of unregistered labs for COA generation.

4. Inaccurate or Outdated COAs

The GDA has recalled SKUs where the public-facing QR code led to COAs from a previous batch, or where a COA had incomplete contaminant panels. Retailers are expected to verify COA links and update them if labels or batch data change.

Enforcement Tools Used by the GDA

• Random shelf audits and spot product testing
• Review of video and point-of-sale records for age checks
• Mandated product recalls and embargoes
• Administrative fines or license suspensions

More on enforcement activities can be found at GDA Hemp Inspections & Enforcement.

Compliance Checklist: Operating in Georgia’s Hemp Market (Q4 2025)

For hemp businesses and brands, staying compliant with Georgia SB 494 hemp regulations 2025 is essential. Here’s a summary checklist for continued success:

For Retailers

• Require and record ID checks for every consumable hemp purchase
• Ensure employees are trained on age restrictions and compliance tools
• Regularly review SKU packaging for child-appeal risks
• Maintain current batch COAs for each SKU; verify QR code functionality
• Audit shelves for products exceeding milligram/serving caps
• Respond quickly to any GDA recall or warning notice
• Renew retailer license and submit required reports before December 1st

For Brands & Manufacturers

• Test all batches with GDA-registered labs for potency and contaminants
• Update product labels to fully meet the new requirements (QR code, THC per serving, child-resistant features)
• Adjust formulations to stay under 1mg/serving THC (for tinctures) and other specified limits
• Avoid any marketing that could be perceived as targeting minors
• Monitor GDA notices and enforcement bulletins to stay ahead of recalls or rule updates
• Renew manufacturing/processing licenses and keep compliance records on-site

Key Takeaways for Georgia’s Hemp Industry and Consumers

The first full year of Georgia SB 494 hemp regulations 2025 enforcement has demonstrated the GDA’s commitment to protecting consumers, especially youth, while supporting a regulated adult-use marketplace. Most enforcement actions have focused on straightforward compliance issues—ID protocols, potency limits, and transparent labeling—meaning that diligent operators can steer clear of penalties by staying vigilant.

Both businesses and consumers should expect regulatory vigilance to persist. For companies seeking to enter or expand in Georgia’s hemp market, careful operational planning and ongoing compliance monitoring are non-negotiable.

Need help navigating Georgia’s evolving hemp rules? Visit CannabisRegulations.ai for the latest resources, compliance checklists, and professional support.