The process for general licenses will be announced soon. In the meantime, OCM recommends preparing your proposed business plan, security plan, and business capitalization table, as well as standard operating procedures for: quality assurance; inventory control, storage, and diversion prevention; and accounting and tax compliance. This will help you be ready when the application period for general licenses opens.
OCM will provide additional materials to help guide you through all the steps. Watch for updates on timelines for general licensing.
Available license types
These are general descriptions of license types. More details will be available in guidance materials.
Application fees, initial licensing fees, and renewal licensing fees are nonrefundable.
Note: License types labeled with an asterisk are available for license preapproval for social equity applicants who meet requirements.
Cannabis microbusinesses can grow, make, sell, and buy cannabis (including plants and seedlings) and lower-potency hemp products. They can also have on-site lounges where customers can use cannabis.
Early cultivation opportunity: Social equity applicants with a preapproved cannabis microbusiness license and appropriate local approval may be allowed to grow cannabis plants under existing rules for medical cannabis cultivators and prior to adoption of adult-use rules.
Cannabis mezzobusinesses can grow, make, sell, and buy cannabis (including plants and seedlings) and lower-potency hemp products. This license type is available in limited quantities, and licensees will be selected through a vetted lottery.
Early cultivation opportunity: Social equity applicants with a preapproved cannabis mezzobusiness license and appropriate local approval may be allowed to grow cannabis plants under existing rules for medical cannabis cultivators and prior to adoption of adult-use rules.
Cannabis cultivators can grow cannabis plants from seed to maturity. Cultivators are allowed to harvest, package, label, and transport fully grown cannabis plants to manufacturers. They can also package, label, and transport seedlings. This license type is available in limited quantities, and licensees will be selected through a vetted lottery.
Early cultivation opportunity : Social equity applicants with a preapproved cannabis cultivator license and appropriate local approval may be allowed to grow cannabis plants under existing rules for medical cannabis cultivators and prior to adoption of adult-use rules..
Cannabis manufacturers process raw cannabis plants into various products, such as edibles, concentrates, wax, oils, and tinctures. Manufacturers can buy cannabis flowers, cannabis products, and lower-potency hemp products from other cannabis businesses. They turn these materials into cannabis products, then package and sell them to other cannabis businesses. This license type is available in limited quantities, and licensees will be selected through a vetted lottery.
Cannabis retailers sell packaged cannabis products to the general public and medical patients. They can buy cannabis (including plants and seedlings) and lower-potency hemp products from other cannabis businesses and sell them to customers. This license type is available in limited quantities, and licensees will be selected through a vetted lottery. A cannabis retailer may operate up to five retail locations; however, no person, cooperative, or business may hold a license to own or operate more than one cannabis retail business in one city and three retail businesses in one county.
Cannabis wholesalers buy cannabis, cannabis products, and lower-potency hemp products from cannabis businesses and then sell them to other cannabis business.
Cannabis testing facilities receive cannabis, cannabis products, and lower-potency hemp products from manufacturers and cultivators to test. They ensure these products meet safety standards.
Cannabis event organizers plan and host events featuring cannabis, and may allow for the sale of cannabis, cannabis products, and lower-potency hemp products to consumers at events like festivals (an event cannot last more than four days). They can also provide spaces for consumers to use cannabis. An event organizer must receive local approval, including obtaining any necessary permits or licenses issued by a local unit of government.
A cannabis delivery service purchase cannabis and lower-potency hemp products from specific cannabis businesses and sell and deliver those products directly to consumers.
Lower-potency hemp edible manufacturers produce edibles from hemp. These manufacturers can create, package, and label lower-potency hemp products, and sell them to cannabis businesses. This license type cannot hold any cannabis business licenses.
Lower-potency hemp edible retailers sell packaged lower-potency hemp edibles to consumers. This license type cannot hold any cannabis business licenses.
Medical cannabis combination businesses can grow, manufacture, package, label, and sell cannabis products (including cannabis plants and seedlings) to both medical patients and adult consumers. These businesses can package and sell medical cannabis products to other eligible cannabis businesses. They are allowed to cultivate up to 60,000 square feet of medical cannabis plant canopy for distribution into the medical market, and depending upon the total amount of medical sales the year prior, up to an additional 30,000 square feet of cannabis plant canopy for distribution into the adult-use market.
