MASSACHUSETTS CANNABIS PROGRAM
MASSACHUSETTS
Licenses Available
STATE STATUS
The state of Massachusetts legalized both adult-use and medical cannabis. Persons 21 years and older may purchase and possess cannabis, while registered patients have access to medical cannabis. Access to cannabis is through state licensed businesses that are allowed to grow, manufacture and sell cannabis.
Learn more about how to get a Massachusetts marijuana business license or schedule a complimentary consultation with our licensing expert, below.
Hemp
Yes
Medical Marijuana
Yes
Adult-Use Marijuana
Yes
When to Apply
Now
News
NUMBER OF MASSACHUSETTS CANNABIS BUSINESS LICENSES AVAILABLE
Both medical and adult-use marijuana business licenses are available in Massachusetts. The number of marijuana business licenses available are subject to each local municipality (city, township, borough, county) and its local ordinances. Local governments will be allowed to regulate the number and types of licenses allowed to operate within their jurisdiction. Types of licenses allowed include the following:
Massachusetts Adult-Use Marijuana Business Licenses
Massachusetts Marijuana Cultivation License: can grow cannabis plants and sell wholesale to other licensed Massachusetts Cannabis Businesses. There are no state-wide limits on the number of cultivation licenses available. There are many types of cultivation licenses available, both indoors (I) and outdoors (O). The application fees are listed below:
- Tier 1: up to 5,0000 sq. ft.
- $200 (I) / $100 (O)
- Tier 2: 5,001 to 10,000 sq. ft.
- $400 (I) / $200 (O)
- Tier 3: 10,001 to 20,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
- Tier 4: 20,001 to 30,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
- Tier 5: 30,001 to 40,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
- Tier 6: 40,001 to 50,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
- Tier 7: 50,001 to 60,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
- Tier 8: 60,001 to 70,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
- Tier 9: 70,001 to 80,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
- Tier 10: 80,001 to 90,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
- Tier 11: 90,001 to 100,000 sq. ft.
- $600 (I) / $300 (O)
Massachusetts Marijuana Manufacturing License: can extract, process and produce cannabis products such as edibles, concentrates, tinctures, etc. and sell to retail stores. There are no state-wide limits on number of cultivation licenses available.
Massachusetts Marijuana Retail License: can purchase cannabis from licensed cultivation and manufacturing facilities and sell cannabis to persons 21 years and older or qualifying patients with a valid medical marijuana card. There are no state-wide limits on number of cultivation licenses available.
Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Business Licenses
Massachusetts Marijuana Dispensary License: is referred to as a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center, also known as a Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD), that is a registered not-for-profit entity allowed to acquire, cultivate, possess, process (including development of related products such as edible cannabis or marijuana products, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments), transfer, transport, sell, distribute, dispense, or administer marijuana products containing cannabis or marijuana, related supplies, or educational materials to registered qualifying patients or their personal caregivers for medical use.
HOW TO START A MARIJUANA BUSINESS IN MASSACHUSETTS
To obtain a marijuana business license in Massachusetts, you will be required to submit an application. As part of the application, you will be required to submit marijuana business plans such as the following:
- Business Plan
- Financial Plan
- Cultivation, Production, and/or Dispensing Plan
- Inventory Control Plan
- Security Plan
- Recordkeeping Plan
- Patient/Customer Education Plan
- Community Benefits Plan
Schedule for a complimentary 15-min consult with our licensing/application expert to learn more about how we may be able to assist you.
ENHANCED OVERVIEW OF MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS
Medical Marijuana In Massachusetts
Massachusetts became the 18th state to enact a compassionate medical marijuana program when voters approved Question 3 on November 2012. Only 35 sites had the opportunity to open one of the 5 maximum given Massachusetts medical marijuana treatment centers (dispensary) per county or becoming a cultivation facility producer (cultivation registration). Out of the allowed 35 licenses only 15 were awarded. The application submission process was reopened for nonprofit organizations to apply for a Certificate of Registration to operate a Registered Marijuana Dispensary (RMD) on June 29th, 2015 for the second time. The department is reviewing applications on a rolling basis in the order they are received, which means there is no set deadline for application submissions.
Recreational Marijuana In Massachusetts
On November 2016, Ballot Question 4 passes allowing for adults 21 years of age and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, grow at most six plants and be able to store 10 ounces of marijuana at home. Marijuana sold in licensed shops can be subjected to an excise tax of 3.75 percent and a 6.25 percent Massachusetts’ state sales tax. Additional taxes and bans of recreational marijuana can be enacted by Individual counties, cities, and towns.
The regulations for licensing and implementation of the adult-use cannabis industry in Massachusetts was approved by The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission on March 6th, 2018, before its statutory deadline of March 15th, 2018. Applications for Marijuana Business Licenses began being accepted by The Commission on April 1st, 2018. Preliminary approval was given by Massachusetts regulators in July 2019, to permit marijuana cafes and delivery services in the state, this paved for two new types of cannabis businesses. Regulations were finalized on September 24, 2019.
MASSACHUSETTS MARIJUANA TIMELINE
2012 – Massachusetts legalized medical cannabis
2016 – Massachusetts legalized adult-use cannabis
2018 – Adult-use cannabis sales began
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Owner, Firefly Dispensaries in Pennsylvania."WORKING WITH SARA WAS A PLEASURE. WE DON’T KNOW HOW WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS WITHOUT HER."
Arizona Vertically Integrated Facility Owner"Sara reduced much of the management team’s stress by her knowledge, execution, resolving conflicts, and firm but confident approach."
Chairman, Solevo Wellness"Sara’s success speaks for itself. Our company continues to engage Sara for ongoing consulting and her advice remains solid and relevant to our growth."
Owner, Firefly Dispensaries in Pennsylvania."Working with Sara was a pleasure. We don’t know how we would have gotten through the application process without her."
Arizona Vertically Integrated Facility Owner