Washington D.C Social Equity Licensing

Social equity applicant means an applicant for licensure who satisfies two or more of the following criteria:

  • The applicant has at least one owner who is a District resident, individually or collectively owns at least 50% of the business, and is a returning citizen;
  • The applicant has at least one owner who is a District resident, individually or collectively owns at least 50% of the business, and is married to or in a civil union, has a child, or is the child of a person or has a non-parent legal guardian who is or has been incarcerated in the District or in any other jurisdiction for a cannabis or drug-related offense; or
  • The applicant has at least one owner who is a District resident, individually or collectively owns at least 50% of the business and has an income that does not exceed 150% of the median family income as set forth by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, adjusted for household size, at the time the applicant submits the application

 

License Type App Fee Annual Licensing Fee
Social Equity Retailer License $2,000 $4,000
Social Equity Internet Retailer License $2,000 $4,000
Social Equity Cultivation Center License $2,000 Tier 1 – $2,750
Tier 2 – $4,000
Tier 3 – $5,250
Tier 4 – $6,500
Tier 5 – $7,750
Tier 6 – $9,000
Social Equity Manufacturer License $1,000 Type 1 – Manufacturing Only – $1,000
Type 2 – Manufacturing and Extraction – $2,000
Social Equity Courier License $1,000 $2,000
Social Equity Testing Lab $875 $1,875

WASHINGTON D.C. MEDICAL CANNABIS BUSINESS LICENSES

Cultivation Center – means an establishment that is licensed to grow and distribute cannabis to retailers registered in DC for medical purposes. There are currently 8 licensed Cultivators in D.C., of the 8, only 5 are operational. There are 6 Cultivation Tiers:

  • Tier 1 = Mature cannabis plant grow canopy area greater than 0 sq ft but no more than 10,000 sq ft
  • Tier 2 = Mature cannabis plant grow canopy area greater than 10,000 sq ft but no more than 25,000 sq ft
  • Tier 3 = Mature cannabis plant grow canopy area greater than 25,000 sq ft but no more than 50,000 sq ft
  • Tier 4 = Mature cannabis plant grow canopy area greater than 50,000 sq ft but no more than 75,000 sq ft
  • Tier 5 = Mature cannabis plant grow canopy area greater than 75,000 sq ft but no more than 100,000 sq ft
  • Tier 6 = Mature cannabis plant grow canopy area greater than 100,000 sq ft

 

Manufacturer – means a facility operated by an organization or business licensed with ABCA to: 1) Process medical cannabis from cultivation centers into medical cannabis concentrates and medical cannabis-infused products; 2) Package and label medical cannabis concentrates and medical cannabis-infused products for dispensing at licensed retailers and internet retailers; and 3) Sell medical cannabis concentrates and medical cannabis-infused products at wholesale to licensed retailers and internet retailers. There are two types of Manufacturers: Type 1) Infusing Only; and Type 2) Extraction and Infusion.

Retailer – means a facility operated by an organization or business licensed with ABCA from or at which medical cannabis is possessed and dispensed, and paraphernalia is possessed and distributed to a qualifying patient or a caregiver. There are currently 7 licensed Retailers, all retailers are operational.

  • Education tasting endorsement – the holder of a retailer license shall be eligible to apply to the ABC Board for an education tasting endorsement. The holder of an education tasting endorsement shall be permitted to offer cooking and how-to classes and demonstrations, and tastings for educational purposes to qualifying patients and caregivers on-site. Activities offered by a retailer under an education tasting endorsement shall be permitted to occur on the premises of the retailer; except, that educational activities that include the smoking of medical cannabis by qualifying patients shall only occur in an ABC Board-approved safe-use treatment facility.

 

Internet Retailer – means a platform or business that is licensed to conduct business in the District, provides delivery services, and facilitates the sale of medical cannabis or medical cannabis products for deliveries to qualifying patients or caregivers through the use of the internet, a mobile application, or similar technology platform; and that does not have a physical location that is open to the public.

Courier License – means a platform or business that:

  • Has a contractual relationship with a holder of a medical cannabis retailer license or internet retailer license to provide delivery services or facilitate the sale of medical cannabis or medical cannabis products for deliveries in the District to qualifying patients or caregivers through the use of the internet, a mobile application, or a similar technology platform; and
  • Uses its own employees or independent contractors.
  • NOTE: Couriers will serve as same day delivery only, if delivery is unsuccessful all inventory must be returned to provider.

 

Testing Laboratory – means an entity that is not owned or operated by a director, officer, member, incorporator, agent, or employee of a cultivation center, manufacturer, retailer, internet retailer, courier, or other license category established by rulemaking and is licensed by ABCA to test medical cannabis and medical cannabis products that are to be sold pursuant to this act.

There are no caps on licenses allowed, however, D.C. will only be accepting applications for licenses during allocated timeframe, described below. Application will be checklist based and license will be issued as long as applicant is compliant.

HOW TO START A MARIJUANA BUSINESS IN WASHINGTON D.C.

To obtain a marijuana business license in Washington D.C., you will be required to submit an application. As part of the application, some of the plans you will need to include the following:

  • Security Plan.
  • Environmental Impact Plan.
  • Quality Control and Quality Assurance Plan.
  • Business History Plan.
  • Financial Plan.
  • Community Benefits Plan.
  • Research Plan.
  • Cultivation, Manufacturing and/or Dispensing Plan.
  • Labor Compliance Plan.
  • Staffing and Training Plan.

 

Schedule for a complimentary 15-min consult with our licensing/application team to learn more about how we may be able to assist you.


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