MICHIGAN CANNABIS PROGRAM
MICHIGAN
Licenses Available
STATE STATUS
The state of Michigan 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 Michigan 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 MICHIGAN MARIJUANA BUSINESS LICENSES AVAILABLE
Both medical and adult-use marijuana business licenses are available in Michigan. 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:
Adult-Use Marijuana Business Licenses
Michigan Adult-Use Grower’s License: a grower license authorizes the licensee to cultivate, dry, trim, or cure and package marihuana for sale to a processor or provisioning center. A grower is authorized to grow no more than the following number of marihuana plants under the indicated license class:
- Class A – 500 plants
- Class B – 1,000 plants
- Class C – 1,500 plants
Michigan Adult-Use Processor’s License: a licensee that is a commercial entity that purchases marijuana from a grower and extracts resin from the marihuana or creates marihuana infused product for sale and transfer in packaged form to a provisioning center.
Michigan Adult-Use Secure Transporter License: a licensee that is a commercial entity that stores marihuana and transports marihuana between marihuana facilities for a fee.
Michigan Adult-Use Provisioning Center’s License: a licensee that is a commercial entity that purchases marihuana from a grower or processor and sells, supplies, or provides marihuana to registered qualifying patients, directly or through registered primary caregivers.
Michigan Adult-Use Safety Compliance Facility’s License: a licensee that is a commercial entity that receives marihuana from a marihuana facility and tests it for contaminants and for tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids.
Michigan Medical Marijuana Business Licenses
Michigan Medical Marijuana Grower: can grow marijuana plants and sell wholesale to other licensed Michigan Medical Marijuana Businesses.
Michigan Medical Marijuana Manufacturer: can extract, process, and produce marijuana products such as edibles, concentrates, tinctures, etc. and sell to medical marijuana provisioning centers (dispensaries).
Michigan Medical Marijuana Provisioning Center (Dispensary): can purchase marijuana from licensed cultivation and manufacturing facilities and sell medical marijuana to qualifying patients with a valid medical marijuana card.
HOW TO START A MARIJUANA BUSINESS IN MICHIGAN
To obtain a marijuana business license in Michigan, you will be required to submit an application.
Step by Step Process for Michigan Application Submission:
- Select your marihuana facility type from the list above.
- Select your city of interest. In Michigan, local governments have the authority to ban or allow marihuana businesses within their city limits.
- Once you have selected a city that allows for the operation of marihuana facilities, research your city of interest to better understand if the city is currently accepting applications for your type of marihuana facility, or if they will in the future.
- If your city of interest is accepting applications, study all rules and regulations as well as all application forms, deadlines, etc.
- Draft and submit your city application.
- If your city application for a license is approved, you will need to submit your state application (Phase 1 and Phase 2).
- Please Note: You can choose to begin your Phase 1 state prequalification application prior to going through city approvals. More often times than not, both phase 1 state prequalification application and city approvals will occur simultaneously.
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 MICHIGAN
A 63% vote approved Proposal 1 – “Michigan Medical Marihuana Act” in November of 2008, which legalized medical marijuana. With no state dispensary system in place, Patients and caregivers could grow their own marijuana.
On September 22, 2016 – HB 4209, HB 410, and HB 4827, were three (3) new bills signed into law by, Governor Rick Snyder, which helped expand the state’s Medical Marihuana Program, allowing for a state regulated dispensary system and an increased possession amount of medical marijuana for patients. The program will be regulated by The Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).
Adult-use marijuana was legalized after Michigan voters approved The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act. The regulations necessary for the licensing of marihuana establishments were to be drafted by The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Local municipalities will have the right to ban, allow, and/or limit the number of marihuana businesses within their perimeters.
On July 3, 2019, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs issued emergency rules to enact the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA) and implement a regulated recreational marijuana market. The rules are effective immediately and will remain in effect for six months.
Michigan finally opened applications for recreational marijuana businesses on November 1st, 2019. Nearly a year after Michigan voters approved the ballot proposal that legalized the use, possession, and sale of marijuana to adults 21 and older in November 2018. After issuing its first recreational license on November 19, 2019, the state began recreational marijuana sales on December 1st, 2019. Michigan continues to accept applications for recreational licenses with no submission deadline.
MICHIGAN MARIJUANA TIMELINE
2008 – Michigan legalized medical cannabis
2017 – State began accepting applications for medical marihuana facilities
2018 – Michigan legalized adult-use cannabis
2019 – First Michigan cannabis business opened for adult-use sales
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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