How to Start an Event Planning Business in Georgia: Alcohol Permits, Tents and Local Rules
If you want to know how to start an event planning business in Georgia, the short answer on licensing is that the state does not issue an event planner license. What you do need is an entity filing, a local occupation tax certificate, and the permits that match the services you provide. Wedding planners, day-of coordinators and corporate event firms all face the same core steps, plus the local rules for alcohol, venues and outdoor setups. This guide puts those steps in order of importance.
This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, deadlines and local rules change, and each city and county sets its own requirements. Confirm every figure with the agency named, and talk with a qualified attorney or CPA before you sign contracts or choose a tax structure.
What You Need Before You Start
- A business name checked in the Secretary of State business search at https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch
- A registered office with a Georgia street address (a P.O. box does not qualify) and a registered agent
- Your office or home address, so you know whether a city or county issues your occupation tax certificate
- A Georgia Tax Center login at https://gtc.dor.ga.gov/ if you will sell taxable goods or have employees
- Contract templates with deposit, payment schedule and cancellation terms
- Insurance quotes for general liability and professional liability coverage
- A list of caterers, bar services and venues, with their licenses on file
- An event calendar noting guest counts, outdoor setups, generators and open flames
Step 1: Build Your Licensing Foundation
Georgia issues no general statewide business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and registering for sales tax with the Department of Revenue is not a business license. For an event planning business, the basic stack is an entity filing with the Secretary of State, a local occupation tax certificate, a Department of Revenue registration if you sell taxable goods or have employees, and workers' compensation once you reach three workers. A planner who only plans and coordinates needs no alcohol license.
1a. File your LLC or corporation
Most small planners organize as an LLC by filing Articles of Organization with the Corporations Division at https://sos.ga.gov/corporations-division. Corporations file Articles of Incorporation. You can file online through eCorp at https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/ or on paper.
| Item | Cost | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation | $110 total | $100 filing fee plus $10 service charge |
| Name reservation | $35 | Holds the name for 30 days |
| Expedited review | $120, $275 or $1,200 | $120 for 2 business days; $275 for same day if received by noon; $1,200 for one hour on business days |
| Annual Registration | $60 total | $50 plus $10 service charge, due January 1 to April 1 |
| Reinstatement after administrative dissolution | About $260 | Applies only if the entity stays delinquent |
Online filings take about 7 to 10 business days, and paper filings about 15 business days. An LLC name must include a designator such as Limited Liability Company, LLC or L.L.C., and it must be distinguishable on state records. An LLC files its first Annual Registration in the year after it forms, and a new corporation files within 90 days of incorporating. Check the Secretary of State for the current window and late penalty.
Georgia levies no franchise tax on a typical single-member or partnership LLC. Corporations, and LLCs taxed as corporations, owe a net worth tax of $0 to $5,000 depending on net worth. Ask a CPA which structure fits your situation.
1b. Register a trade name if you operate under another name
If you plan events under a name different from your LLC name, you need a trade name registration. Trade names are not filed with the Secretary of State. File with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the business is chiefly carried on. The clerk fee is about $165, plus a newspaper notice that runs once a week for two weeks. Confirm the exact amounts with your county clerk. Background is at https://sos.ga.gov/page/business-division-faq.
1c. Get your local occupation tax certificate
The occupation tax certificate, which many people call a business license, comes from local government. Georgia has 159 counties and about 537 cities, and each sets its own formula, deadlines and prerequisites. A business inside city limits pays the city, not the county. A business outside city limits pays the county. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so many planners apply to their county. If you have more than 10 employees, you must also file an E-Verify affidavit to get the certificate (O.C.G.A. 36-60-6).
1d. Register with the Department of Revenue
Register through the Georgia Tax Center if you sell taxable goods or have employees. Sales tax registration is free. Georgia issues no separate resale permit. Buyers purchasing items for resale provide Form ST-5, the certificate of exemption. The main agency site is https://dor.georgia.gov/.
1e. Plan for workers' compensation
Workers' compensation is required at three or more workers, and that count includes part-time staff. Georgia has no state paid sick leave or family leave mandate, so any paid leave you offer is your own policy decision.
Step 2: Get the Alcohol Rules Right
Alcohol is where planners most often make expensive mistakes. The regulator is the Georgia Department of Revenue Alcohol and Tobacco Division. A planner may arrange for a licensed caterer or bar service, but you must not sell or serve alcohol without a license. If your contract has you buying, reselling or pouring alcohol, treat that as a licensing question and confirm it with the Alcohol and Tobacco Division before you sign.
When a caterer or event provider sells alcohol at an event, Department of Revenue Rule 560-2-13-.01 requires all three of the following:
- A state retail license: retailer of distilled spirits, retail consumption dealer, retailer of malt beverages or retailer of wine.
- A local alcohol license.
- A local catering event permit from the jurisdiction where the event is held. The exception applies only if that jurisdiction authorizes catering events but does not issue permits.
Under O.C.G.A. 3-11-3, the local event permit fee is $50 only when the event jurisdiction differs from the jurisdiction that licensed the caterer. Check each city and county where you will hold events for its fee and excise tax.
Rule 560-2-13-.02 also governs the event itself:
- Caterer staff who handle alcohol must be 21 or older.
- Sales at catered events follow the cash rule, and checks and cards count as cash.
- Spirits over 10 percent alcohol by volume cannot be sold at the event in containers smaller than 750 milliliters.
Georgia has no statewide server permit. Some cities and counties issue their own server or pouring permits, so ask the office that issues your local licenses.
Step 3: Vet Venues for Zoning, Occupancy and Noise
Venue rules are local. Before you book or recommend a venue, confirm the following with the right office:
- Zoning: confirm the property is allowed to host events, which matters for barns, farms, historic homes and private residences.
- Occupancy: the fire marshal and building department set occupancy limits. Ask for the posted occupancy before you finalize a guest count.
- Noise and parking: each city or county sets its own noise rules, and parking capacity affects shuttle and vendor plans.
This section also covers wedding venue questions, since there is no separate wedding venue guide. Get venue answers in writing.
Step 4: Handle Tents, Fire and Special Event Permits
Tents, stages, generators, open flames and large outdoor gatherings fall under city or county building and fire offices. Do not assume a tent is exempt because it is temporary. Call the local fire marshal, ask for the size and setup thresholds that apply, and get the answer in writing. Thresholds differ by jurisdiction, so confirm them with the office that enforces them.
A 2024 law (SB 443, signed April 8, 2024) allows local governments to recover public service costs from promoters or organizers of unpermitted events. Treat that as a practical reason to secure local event permits for larger outdoor or public events, and check with the city or county about its process and cost policy.
Step 5: Write Contracts and Carry the Right Insurance
Your contract is your first line of protection. Include the deposit, payment schedule, cancellation terms, a weather and emergency plan with clear decision authority, and each vendor's duty to provide licenses and insurance certificates.
Ask an insurance agent about general liability coverage, since many venues require a certificate of insurance before load-in. Professional liability coverage addresses claims that your planning or coordination caused a loss. Get quotes from more than one carrier, and have an attorney review your templates. Premiums and coverage limits depend on your services and staffing, so get them from an agent.
Step 6: Understand Sales Tax on Goods and Services
Services generally are not subject to Georgia sales tax, so planning and coordination fees are usually not taxed as sales. Goods are different. If you rent tents or linens, or buy decor and sell it to clients, those transactions may be taxable. The state rate is 4%, and combined state and local rates run from 6% to 9% depending on county and city (Atlanta is 8.9%). For state tax rates and background, see the Georgia business taxes guide on this site. Ask the Department of Revenue how your specific rentals and resales are treated.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Searching for a Georgia event planner license. None exists, so file your entity and local certificate instead.
- Letting a caterer sell alcohol without a state retail license and local catering event permit on file.
- Booking a venue before confirming zoning, occupancy and noise rules.
- Filing a trade name with the Secretary of State. Trade names go to the county clerk of superior court.
- Using a P.O. box as the registered office, which Georgia does not accept.
- Missing the April 1 Annual Registration deadline.
- Applying to the county for a business inside city limits, which belongs to the city.
- Signing contracts without cancellation and weather clauses.
Tips
- Keep a binder for each event with caterer licenses, venue occupancy letters, fire approvals and insurance certificates.
- Maintain a spreadsheet of each jurisdiction's permit checklist and fee schedule.
- If you bake desserts or favors, cottage food needs no state license since July 1, 2025 (HB 398), but local business licensing and zoning still apply.
Expected Results
Following these steps may help you open with your filings, certificates and permits in place before your first booking. Many planners find that a permit binder and written contracts make client conversations easier. Results depend on your market, services and local jurisdiction, and this guide cannot promise approval times or client volume. Use it as a checklist, and confirm each item with the agency that controls it.
Disclaimer: This article is informational content only, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Georgia and local rules change, and fees and deadlines can differ by county and city. Consult a qualified attorney or CPA before you form your business, sign contracts or choose a tax treatment.