UTAH CANNABIS PROGRAM
UTAH
STATE STATUS
The state of Utah legalized medical cannabis in 2018, through a Legislative bill, House Bill 3001, which provided a legal way for qualifying patients in the state to access and utilize medical cannabis as a form of treatment for their ailment. Access to medical cannabis is through state licensed businesses that are allowed to grow, manufacture and sell medical cannabis.
Learn more about how to get a Utah marijuana business license or schedule a complimentary consultation with our licensing expert, below.
Hemp
Yes
Medical Marijuana
Yes
Adult-Use Marijuana
No
When to Apply
Closed
News
NUMBER OF MARIJUANA BUSINESS LICENSES AVAILABLE
The state of Utah is currently accepting applications for medical cannabis processing licenses. Processor applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed by the Cannabis Production Establishment Licensing Advisory Board according to its scheduled meeting and submission deadlines. Tier 1 processing licenses are limited to eighteen (18) statewide.
Utah Medical Cannabis Cultivation: authorizes a licensee to cultivate medical cannabis and transfer cannabis to other authorized businesses within Utah’s medical cannabis market. Utah currently has eight (8) licensed cultivation companies and is not accepting applications for additional cultivation licenses. State law allows Utah to issue additional cultivation licenses if necessary to ensure an adequate supply, quality, or variety of medical cannabis, up to a maximum of fifteen (15) cultivation licenses statewide.
Utah Medical Cannabis Processor: authorizes a licensee to process and/or package medical cannabis for Utah’s regulated medical cannabis market. Utah currently accepts applications for processing licenses through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. There are two types of processing licenses:
- Tier 1 Processing License: allows a facility to process and formulate medical cannabis products and package and label medical cannabis. Utah law limits the state to no more than eighteen (18) Tier 1 processing licenses.
- Tier 2 Processing License: allows a facility to package and label medical cannabis. Utah currently lists one active Tier 2 processor.
Utah Medical Cannabis Pharmacy (Dispensary): authorizes a licensed facility to dispense medical cannabis to registered patients. Utah law currently authorizes up to seventeen (17) medical cannabis pharmacy licenses statewide.
Utah originally issued fourteen (14) medical cannabis pharmacy licenses, followed by a 15th pharmacy license for a facility in Price. In December 2025, the state awarded the first of two additional independent pharmacy licenses, bringing the authorized market to sixteen pharmacies. Applications for Utah’s 17th pharmacy license were accepted from August 3 through September 2, 2026. That application period is now closed, and the state must select the license recipient before January 1, 2027.
HOW TO START A MARIJUANA BUSINESS IN UTAH
To obtain a marijuana business license in Utah, 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
- Processing Plan
- Inventory Control Plan
- Security Plan
- Recordkeeping 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.
UTAH MARIJUANA TIMELINE
2018 – Utah voters approved Proposition 2 to legalize medical cannabis. In December 2018, the Utah Legislature passed House Bill 3001, establishing the regulatory framework for the state’s medical cannabis program.
May 2019 – Utah opened the application period for medical cannabis cultivation licenses.
July 2019 – The cultivation application period closed, and the state selected eight (8) companies for cultivation licenses.
2019 – Utah began accepting applications for medical cannabis processing licenses. Processor licensing continues through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, with no current statewide limit on the number of processing licenses.
October 2019 – Utah opened the Request for Proposals period for medical cannabis pharmacy licenses.
December 2019 – The initial medical cannabis pharmacy application period closed.
January 2020 – Utah announced its intent to award fourteen (14) medical cannabis pharmacy licenses.
March 2020 – Utah’s medical cannabis program officially launched, allowing registered patients to begin accessing medical cannabis through the state’s regulated system.
June 2021 – All fourteen (14) initially authorized medical cannabis pharmacy locations were operational.
November 2021 – Utah awarded its 15th medical cannabis pharmacy license for a location in Price, Utah.
2025 – House Bill 54 authorized two additional independent medical cannabis pharmacy licenses, expanding the state’s authorized pharmacy market to seventeen (17) locations.
December 2025 – Utah awarded the first of the two new independent pharmacy licenses to Boojum Medical for a location in Moab, creating the state’s 16th medical cannabis pharmacy license.
August–September 2026 – Utah accepted applications for the state’s 17th medical cannabis pharmacy license. The application period closed September 2, 2026, and the license must be issued before January 1, 2027.
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Arizona Vertically Integrated Facility Owner