Available License Types

OCM is accepting applications for lower-potency hemp edible manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer licenses; cannabis event organizer licenses; and cannabis testing facility licenses on an ongoing basis. Apply on Accela.

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

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

Cannabis Microbusiness
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

Depending on the endorsements obtained, cannabis microbusinesses can grow, make, sell, and buy cannabis (including plants and seedlings), lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products. With an endorsement, they can also have on-site consumption areas where customers can use edible cannabis and hemp products.

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. The retail location must also receive a local retail registration from the applicable local government per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.
- 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 with additional application requirements.
- 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, cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency and customers.
Endorsements available:
- Cultivation
- Extraction and concentration
- Production of consumer products
- Retail operations**
- On-site consumption
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
- Medical cannabis cultivation
- Medical cannabis processor
- Medical cannabis retailer
**Must also have local registration per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis event organizer
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $500
- Initial license fee: $0
- Renewal license fee: $2,000
Cannabis Mezzobusiness*
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

Depending on the endorsements obtained, 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. Each retail location must also receive a local retail registration from the applicable local government per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.
- 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 with additional application requirements.
- 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, cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency and customers.
Endorsements available:
- Cultivation
- Extraction and concentration
- Production of consumer products
- Retail operations**
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
- Medical cannabis cultivation
- Medical cannabis processor
- Medical cannabis retailer
**Must also have local registration per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis event organizer
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $5,000
- Initial license fee: $5,000
- Renewal license fee: $10,000
Cannabis Cultivator*
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

Depending on the endorsements obtained, cannabis cultivators can grow cannabis plants from seed to maturity. Cultivators can 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 transport: From cultivation site to manufacturing site on same premises under same license holder if a cultivator license and manufacturer license are held simultaneously.
- Can sell: Immature cannabis plants, seedlings, and cannabis flower to other cannabis businesses and cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency.
Endorsements available:
- Medical cannabis cultivation
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis manufacturer
- Cannabis event organizer
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $10,000
- Initial license fee: $20,000
- Renewal license fee: $30,000
Cannabis Manufacturer*
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

Depending on the endorsements obtained, cannabis manufacturers process cannabis and hemp materials into various products, such as edibles, concentrates, wax, oils, and tinctures. Manufacturers can buy cannabis flower, cannabis products, and hemp concentrate from other cannabis businesses. They can purchase hemp plants and concentrates from an industrial hemp grower licensed under chapter 18K.

They turn these materials into cannabis concentrate, 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 sell: Cannabis concentrate, hemp concentrate, artificially derived cannabinoids, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products to other cannabis businesses, compacted Tribal enterprises and cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency.
Endorsements available:
- Medical cannabis processor
- Edible cannabinoid product handler
- Extraction and concentration
- Production of consumer products
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis cultivator
- Cannabis event organizer
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $10,000
- Initial license fee: $10,000
- Renewal license fee: $20,000
Cannabis Retailer*
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

Depending on the endorsement obtained, including a medical cannabis retailer endorsement, cannabis retailers can sell cannabis flower, cannabis plants, cannabis seedlings and cannabinoid products to customers 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 compacted Tribal enterprises and cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency 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. Each retail location must also receive a local retail registration from the applicable local government per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.
- Can sell: Immature cannabis plants and seedlings, cannabis flower, 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 (with a medical cannabis retailer endorsement).
Endorsement available:
- Medical cannabis retailer
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 can apply for and obtain a cannabis retailer license. Cities or counties must apply during an open application window for cannabis retailer licenses. Municipal retailer licenses are not subject to a lottery selection process. Municipal license holders are not subject to the restriction on simultaneously holding a lower-potency hemp edible retailer license.
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $2,500
- Initial license fee: $2,500
- Renewal license fee: $5,000
Cannabis Wholesaler
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

Cannabis wholesalers can buy cannabis, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products from cannabis businesses, compacted Tribal enterprises and cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency and then sell them to other cannabis businesses. With a hemp-derived product importer endorsement, 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, compacted Tribal enterprises, cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency; lower-potency hemp edibles to lower-potency hemp edible retailers.
Endorsements available:
- Hemp-derived product importer
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Cannabis transporter
- Cannabis event organizer
- Cannabis delivery service
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $5,000
- Initial license fee: $5,000
- Renewal license fee: $10,000
Cannabis Transporter
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

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, compacted Tribal enterprises, cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency, lower-potency hemp manufacturers, and industrial hemp growers.
- Can transport to: Cannabis microbusinesses, cannabis mezzobusinesses, cannabis manufacturers, cannabis testing facilities, cannabis wholesalers, cannabis retailers, compacted Tribal enterprises, cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency, 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
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $250
- Initial license fee: $500
- Renewal license fee: $1,000
Cannabis Testing Facility
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is accepting and reviewing applications for cannabis testing facilities on an ongoing basis. Apply on Accela.

Note: Changes in state statute approved during the 2025 Minnesota legislative session established a license variance process for cannabis testing facility applicants in order to address potential bottlenecks in testing capacity. The change allows applicants to obtain a license while pending accreditation by the International Standards Organization (ISO).

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: Product testing.

Endorsements available: None available.

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

Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $5,000
- Initial license fee: $5,000
- Renewal license fee: $10,000
Cannabis Delivery Service
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

A cannabis delivery service can deliver cannabis, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products from cannabis microbusinesses with a retailer endorsement, cannabis mezzobusinesses with a retailer endorsement, cannabis retailers, compacted Tribal enterprises, retail establishments, cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency and medical cannabis combination businesses directly to consumers and patients (if delivering medical cannabis and medical cannabis products).

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

Additional licenses available (may individually be held simultaneously with a delivery license, but may not hold all four at once):
- Cannabis retailer
- Cannabis wholesaler
- Cannabis transporter
- Cannabis event organizer
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $250
- Initial license fee: $500
- Renewal license fee: $1,000
Cannabis Event Organizer
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is accepting and reviewing applications for cannabis event organizer licenses on an ongoing basis. Apply on Accela.

Cannabis event organizers can plan and host events featuring cannabis, and may allow for the sale of adult-use cannabis, adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products to consumers by licensed cannabis retailers, licensed mezzobusinesses with a retailer endorsement, licensed microbusinesses with a retailer endorsement, licensed medical cannabis combination businesses, licensed lower-potency hemp edible retailers, compacted Tribal enterprises and cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency. With local approval, they can also provide spaces for consumers to use cannabis.

This license is temporary and must be obtained separately for each event. Applications must be submitted at least 30 days before the event. All cannabis events require local approval, including but not limited to, any permits or licenses required by the applicable local unit of government and specific approval of on-site consumption areas. Distinct from other cannabis business licensing, event organizers must obtain local approval before submitting an application for an event license to OCM.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can plan and host: Temporary cannabis-related events in Minnesota. These events require local approval, are strictly limited to ages 21 and older, and may not include the sale or consumption of alcohol. Cannabis events may feature the on-site sale and use of adult-use cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products. Event organizers may host multiday events, provided that the event does not exceed four consecutive days in duration.
- Can allow: Organizers may designate areas for on-site cannabis consumption. They may allow for the sale and sampling of cannabis plants, adult-use cannabis flower, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles, and hemp-derived consumer products by licensed cannabis retailers, licensed microbusinesses with a retail operations endorsement, licensed mezzobusinesses with a retail operations endorsement, licensed medical cannabis combination businesses operating a retail location, licensed lower-potency hemp edible (LPHE) retailers, compacted Tribal enterprises and cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency - if requirements for applicable signage and sample size limitations are met. License holders must obtain local approval for on-site consumption.
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
Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $750
- License fee: $750
Lower-Potency Hemp Edible Manufacturer
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is accepting and reviewing applications for this license type on an ongoing basis. Apply on Accela.

Depending on the endorsements obtained, lower-potency hemp edible (LPHE) manufacturers can produce edibles from hemp. These manufacturers can create, package, and label lower-potency hemp edibles, and sell them to cannabis and hemp businesses. This license type cannot hold any cannabis business licenses.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can transport: Lower-potency hemp edibles, hemp concentrates and artificially derived cannabinoids on public roadways, if requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section 342.45, subdivision 5 are met.
- Can sell: Hemp concentrate, artificially derived cannabinoids, and lower-potency hemp edibles to other cannabis businesses and hemp businesses.
Endorsements available:
- Extraction and concentration (LPHE)
- Edible cannabinoid product handler (LPHE)
- Hemp product exporter
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Lower-potency hemp edible retailer
- Lower-potency hemp edible wholesaler
- License to cultivate industrial hemp under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 18K
Note: This license type cannot hold a cannabis business license at the same time. This license type can hold other non-cannabis business licenses, including but not limited to a license to prepare or sell food; sell tobacco (Minnesota Statutes, section 609.685, subdivision 1); or manufacture or sell alcoholic beverages (Minnesota Statutes, section 340A.101, subdivision 2).

Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $250
- Initial license fee: $1,000
- Renewal license fee: $1,000
For more information, check out the Hemp Businesses in Minnesota guide.
Lower-Potency Hemp Edible Retailer
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is accepting and reviewing applications for this license type on an ongoing basis. Apply on Accela.

Depending on the endorsements obtained, lower-potency hemp edible (LPHE) retailers can sell packaged lower-potency hemp edibles to consumers aged 21 years of age and older. LPHE retailers may deliver lower-potency hemp edibles to consumers 21 years of age and older with applicable endorsement.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can transport: Lower-potency hemp edibles on public roadways, if requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section 342.46, subdivision 5 are met.
- Can operate: A retail location with a lower-potency hemp retail operations endorsement. There is no restriction on number of locations. Each site must be registered. Each retail location must also receive a local retail registration from the applicable local government per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.
- Can sell: Lower-potency hemp edibles (including beverages) to adults 21 years of age or older. With an on-site consumption endorsement, they can also offer on-site consumption of lower-potency hemp edibles on a portion of their premises.
- Can deliver: Lower-potency hemp edibles to adults 21 years of age or older with a delivery endorsement. An LPHE retailer with only a delivery endorsement does not require local retail registration.
Endorsements available:
- LPHE retailer operations
- Delivery (LPHE)
- On-site consumption (LPHE)**
**If offering on-site consumption, the license holder must have either an on-sale license issued under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 340A, or liability insurance of an equivalent level of coverage as a business with an on-sale license.

A lower-potency hemp edible retailer can hold a retailer operations endorsement and delivery endorsement simultaneously, or either one singularly.

Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Lower-potency hemp edible manufacturer
- Lower-potency hemp edible wholesaler
- License to cultivate industrial hemp under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 18K
Note: This license type cannot hold a cannabis business license at the same time. This license type can hold other non-cannabis business licenses, including but not limited to a license to prepare or sell food; sell tobacco (Minnesota Statutes, section 609.685, subdivision 1); or manufacture or sell alcoholic beverages (Minnesota Statutes, section 340A.101, subdivision 2).

Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $250 or, if the lower-potency hemp retailer operates more than one retail location, $250 per retail location
- Initial license fee: $250 or, if the lower-potency hemp retailer operates more than one retail location, $250 per retail location
- Renewal license fee: $250 or, if the lower-potency hemp retailer operates more than one retail location, $250 per retail location
For more information, check out the Hemp Businesses in Minnesota guide.
Lower-Potency Hemp Edible Wholesaler
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is accepting and reviewing applications for this license type on an ongoing basis. Apply on Accela.

Depending on the endorsements obtained, lower-potency hemp edible (LPHE) wholesalers can buy lower-potency hemp edibles from cannabis microbusinesses, cannabis mezzobusinesses, cannabis manufacturers, cannabis wholesalers, medical cannabis combination businesses, lower-potency hemp edible manufacturers, and lower-potency hemp edible wholesalers and sell lower-potency hemp edibles to specified cannabis and hemp businesses. They can transport and import lower-potency hemp edibles with applicable endorsements. If intending to export for out-of-state sale, they may also purchase and store and sell products containing cannabinoids that do not qualify as lower-potency hemp edibles.

Note: Per state law, a lower-potency hemp edible wholesaler must own or lease warehouse or office space within the state.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can transport: Lower-potency hemp edibles on public roadways, with transporter endorsement, and if requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section 342.455, subdivision 5 are met.
- Can sell: Lower-potency hemp edibles to specified cannabis and hemp businesses.
Endorsements available:
- Transporter
- LPHE importer
- Hemp product exporter
Additional licenses available (may be held simultaneously):
- Lower-potency hemp edible manufacturer
- Lower-potency hemp edible retailer
- License to cultivate industrial hemp under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 18K
Note: This license type cannot hold a cannabis business license at the same time. This license type can hold other non-cannabis business licenses, including but not limited to a license to prepare or sell food; sell tobacco (Minnesota Statutes, section 609.685, subdivision 1); or manufacture or sell alcoholic beverages (Minnesota Statutes, section 340A.101, subdivision 2).

Application and license fees:
- Application fee: $250
- Initial license fee: $10,000
- Renewal license fee: $10,000
For more information, check out the Hemp Businesses in Minnesota guide.
Medical Cannabis Combination Business
The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management is not accepting applications for this license type at this time.

Medical cannabis combination businesses can grow medical and adult-use cannabis (subject to canopy limits in 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.

They can also transport adult-use cannabis and medical cannabis products to other cannabis businesses, lower-potency hemp edible businesses, Tribal enterprises, and cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency and deliver medical cannabis products to patients.

Activities and products allowed:
- Can operate: One retail location per congressional district and must offer medical cannabis at each location. Each retail location must also receive a local retail registration from the applicable local government per Minnesota Statutes, section 342.22.
- 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 and other licensed businesses, as well as compacted Tribal enterprises and cannabis businesses licensed by a compacted Tribal regulatory agency on, within or about Tribally regulated land.
- 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.
- Can deliver: Medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to registered medical patients.
Endorsements available:
- Extraction and concentration*
- Production of consumer products*
- Edible cannabinoid product handler endorsement*
*Only required for adult-use manufacturing activities; medical cannabis combination businesses are not required to obtain endorsements for medical activities.

Additional licenses available: None available.

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

Do you need assistance?

For general questions about the application process, please contact customer service via our Contact Us webpage.

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) complies with all applicable anti-discrimination law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). OCM provides reasonable accommodations to licensing applicants with qualified disabilities on a case-by-case basis. To request an ADA accommodation, please visit our ADA webpage.