Available License Types

The latest license application window closed on March 16. OCM is reviewing applications and will announce dates for the capped license lotteries.

During the latest license cycle, OCM accepted applications both from verified social equity applicants and from any applicant seeking to participate in general licensing in the following license types: microbusiness, mezzobusiness, cultivator, manufacturer, retailer, wholesaler, transporter, testing facility, delivery service, and medical cannabis combination business. Applications for cannabis event organizer licenses will be accepted later this summer; applications for lower-potency hemp edible manufacturer licenses and lower-potency hemp edible retailer licenses will be accepted in the fall. Cities or counties wishing to operate a single municipal cannabis store needed to apply for a retailer license during the initial application window. Municipal retailer licenses are not subject to a lottery.

The information provided below is solely intended to provide a general overview of permitted activities under the various license types and is not exhaustive. Application fees, initial licensing fees, and renewal licensing fees are nonrefundable.

Download our License and Endorsement Types chart.

*Denotes a license type that has a limit or a cap to the number of licenses available.

Cannabis Microbusiness
Cannabis microbusinesses can grow, make, sell, and buy cannabis (including plants and seedlings), lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products. They can also have on-site lounges where customers can use cannabis.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can operate: A single retail location. Can allow on-site consumption on a portion of its premises where customers can consume edible cannabis products and lower-potency hemp edibles.
- Can grow: Up to 5,000 square feet of plant canopy indoors or up to one-half acre of mature flowering plants outdoors.
- Can transport: Between facilities under same license holder.
- Can sell: Immature cannabis plants and seedlings, adult-use cannabis flower, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, hemp-derived consumer products, and other products authorized by law to other cannabis businesses and customers.
Endorsements available:
- Cultivation
  - Medical cannabis cultivation
- Extraction and concentration
  - Medical cannabis processor
- Production of customer (consumer) products
  - Medical cannabis processor
- Retail operations**
  - Medical cannabis retailer
- On-site consumption
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
**Must also have local registration per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis event organizer
Cost:
- Application fee: $500
- No initial license fee
- Renewal license fee: $2,000
Cannabis Mezzobusiness*
Cannabis mezzobusinesses can grow, make, sell, and buy cannabis (including plants and seedlings), lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can operate: Up to three retail locations.
- Can grow: Up to 15,000 square feet of plant canopy indoors or up to one acre of mature flowering plants outdoors.
- Can transport: Between facilities under same license holder.
- Can sell: Immature cannabis plants and seedlings, adult-use cannabis flower, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, hemp-derived consumer products, and other products authorized by law to other cannabis businesses and customers.
Endorsements available:
- Cultivation
  - Medical cannabis cultivation
- Extraction and concentration
  - Medical cannabis processor
- Production of customer (consumer) products
  - Medical cannabis processor
- Retail operations**
  - Medical cannabis retailer
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
**Must also have local registration per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis event organizer
Cost:
- Application fee: $5,000
- Initial license fee: $5,000
- Renewal license fee: $10,000
Cannabis Cultivator*
Cannabis cultivators can grow cannabis plants from seed to maturity. Cultivators are allowed to harvest, package, and label cannabis flower, seedlings and immature cannabis plants for sale to other cannabis business.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can grow: Up to 30,000 square feet of plant canopy indoors or up to two acres of mature flowering plants outdoors.
- Can sell: Immature cannabis plants, seedlings, and cannabis flower to other cannabis businesses.
Endorsements available:
- Medical cannabis cultivation
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis manufacturer
- Cannabis event organizer
Cost
- Application fee: $10,000
- Initial license fee: $20,000
- Renewal license fee: $30,000
Cannabis Manufacturer*
Cannabis manufacturers process cannabis and hemp materials 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 can purchase hemp plants and concentrates from hemp businesses licensed under chapter 18K. They turn these materials into cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products then package and sell them to other cannabis businesses.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can transport: From cultivation site to manufacturing site on same premises under same license holder.
- Can sell: Cannabis concentrate, hemp concentrate, artificially derived cannabinoids, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products to other cannabis businesses.
Endorsements available:
- Medical cannabis cultivation
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis cultivator
- Cannabis event organizer
Cost:
- Application fee: $10,000
- Initial license fee: $10,000
- Renewal license fee: $20,000
Cannabis Retailer*
Cannabis retailers can sell packaged cannabis products to the general public and medical patients. They can buy cannabis (including plants and seedlings), lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products from other cannabis businesses and sell them to customers.

Note: Must also have local registration per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can 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.
- Can sell: Immature cannabis plants and seedlings, adult-use cannabis flower, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, hemp-derived consumer products, and other products authorized by law to adults over 21 years of age and registered medical patients.
Endorsement available:
- Medical cannabis retailer
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis event organizer
- Cannabis delivery service
Municipal cannabis stores:
- Cities or counties wishing to operate a single municipal cannabis store should apply for a retailer license during the application window. Municipal retailer licenses are not subject to a lottery.
Cost:
- Application fee: $2,500
- Initial license fee: $2,500
- Renewal license fee: $5,000
Cannabis Wholesaler
Cannabis wholesalers can buy cannabis, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products from cannabis businesses and then sell them to other cannabis business. They can import hemp-derived consumer products and lower-potency hemp edibles that contain hemp concentrate or artificially derived cannabinoids.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can sell: Immature cannabis plants and seedlings, cannabis flower, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products to cannabis microbusinesses, cannabis mezzobusinesses, cannabis manufacturers, cannabis retailers; lower-potency hemp edibles to lower-potency hemp edible retailers.
Endorsements available:
- Hemp-derived product importer
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis transporter
- Cannabis event organizer
- Cannabis delivery service
Cost:
- Application fee: $5,000
- Initial license fee: $5,000
- Renewal license fee: $10,000
Cannabis Transporter
Cannabis transporters can move cannabis, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products between businesses.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can transport: Immature cannabis plants and seedlings, cannabis flower, cannabis products, artificially derived cannabinoids, hemp plant parts, hemp concentrate, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products.
- Can transport from: Cannabis microbusinesses, cannabis mezzobusinesses, cannabis cultivators, cannabis manufacturers, cannabis wholesalers, lower-potency hemp manufacturers, and industrial hemp growers.
- Can transport to: Cannabis microbusinesses, cannabis mezzobusinesses, cannabis manufacturers, cannabis testing facilities, cannabis wholesalers, cannabis retailers, lower-potency hemp edible retailers, and medical combination businesses.
Endorsements available: None available.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis wholesaler
- Cannabis event organizer
- Cannabis delivery service
Cost:
- Application fee: $250
- Initial license fee: $500
- Renewal license fee: $1,000
Cannabis Testing Facility
Cannabis testing facilities can obtain and test immature cannabis plants and seedlings, cannabis flower, cannabis products, hemp plant parts, hemp concentrate, artificially derived cannabinoids, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products from businesses licensed to produce those items. They ensure these products meet safety standards.

Activities and products allowed: No operating, growing, transporting, or selling activities allowed.

Endorsements available: None available.

Additional license available (may be held simultaneously): None available.

Cost:
- Application fee: $5,000
- Initial license fee: $5,000
- Renewal license fee: $10,000
Cannabis Event Organizer
Cannabis event organizers can plan and host events featuring cannabis, and may allow for the sale of cannabis, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer 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. This is a temporary license that must be applied for per event.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can operate: Events lasting up to four days and provide spaces for on-site consumption of adult-use cannabis flower, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products. Cannabis events and activities are subject to local approval and permitting.
- Can sell: Cannabis plants, adult-use cannabis flower, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products.
Note: A cannabis event is specifically prohibited from giving away cannabis plants, cannabis flower, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, or hemp-derived consumer products.

Endorsements available: None available.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis microbusiness
- Cannabis mezzobusiness
- Cannabis cultivator
- Cannabis manufacturer
- Cannabis retailer
- Cannabis wholesaler
- Cannabis transporter
- Cannabis delivery service
Cost:
- Application fee: $750
- Initial license fee: $750
Cannabis Delivery Service
A cannabis delivery service purchase cannabis, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products from specific cannabis businesses and sell and deliver those products directly to consumers.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can sell: Cannabis flower, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products.
Endorsements available: None available.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis retailer
- Cannabis wholesaler
- Cannabis transporter
- Cannabis event organizer
Cost:
- Application fee: $250
- Initial license fee: $500
- Renewal license fee: $1,000
Lower-Potency Hemp Edible Manufacturer
Lower-potency hemp edible manufacturers can produce edibles from hemp. These manufacturers can create, package, and label lower-potency hemp edibles, and sell them to cannabis businesses. This license type cannot hold any cannabis business licenses.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can sell: Hemp concentrate, artificially derived cannabinoids, and lower-potency hemp edibles to other cannabis businesses and hemp businesses.
Endorsements available:
- Extraction and concentration
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Lower-potency hemp edible retailer
Note: This license type cannot hold any cannabis business licenses at the same time.

Cost:
- Application fee: $250
- Initial license fee: $1,000
- Renewal license fee: $1,000
Lower-Potency Hemp Edible Retailer
Lower-potency hemp edible retailers can sell packaged lower-potency hemp edibles to consumers.

Note: Must also have local registration per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can sell: Lower-potency hemp edibles (including beverages) and offer on-site consumption of lower-potency hemp edibles on a portion of its premises.
- Can sell: Lower-potency hemp edibles to adults 21 years of age or older.
Endorsements available:
- On-site consumption**
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
**On-sale liquor license (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 340A) required if offering on-site consumption.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Lower-potency hemp edible manufacturer
Note: This license type cannot hold any cannabis business license at the same time.

Cost:
- Application fee: $250 per retail location
- Initial license fee: $250 per retail location
- Renewal license fee: $250 per retail location
Medical Cannabis Combination Business
Medical cannabis combination businesses can grow medical and adult-use cannabis (subject to law); manufacture medical and adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products; package and label those products; and purchase immature cannabis plants and seedlings, cannabis flower, cannabis products, hemp concentrate, and artificially derived cannabinoids from businesses licensed to sell those products.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can operate: One retail location per congressional district and must offer medical cannabis at each location.
- Can grow: Up to 60,000 square feet of medical cannabis plant canopy, and up to an additional 30,000 square feet of cannabis plant canopy for distribution into the adult-use market based on prior year medical sales assessed annually.
- Can transport: Between facilities under same license holder.
- Can sell: Medical cannabis flower and medical cannabinoid products to persons registered on the medical registry, their caregivers, parents, guardians or spouse; immature cannabis plants and seedlings, adult-use cannabis flower, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, hemp-derived consumer products, and other products authorized by law to other cannabis businesses and customers.
Endorsements available: None available.

Additional licenses available: None available.

Cost:
- Application fee: $10,000
- Initial license fee: $20,000
- Renewal license fee: $70,000