District of Columbia Cannabis License Information
Regulatory Agency: Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA)
Program: Medical & Legal for adults, but legally not allowed to sell recreational cannabis.
License Types: ABCA offers six (6) medical cannabis business licenses including Courier, Cultivation Center, Internet Retailer, Manufacturer, Retailer, and Testing Laboratory, and one (1) medical cannabis business permit for a Certification Training Provider.
Courier - Permits the third-party delivery of medical cannabis, medical cannabis products, and paraphernalia on behalf of licensed retailers and internet retailers to eligible patients and their caregivers.
Cultivation Center - Permits the growing of cannabis for sale to licensed Retailers in DC for resale to eligible patients.
Internet Retailer - Permits businesses that do not have a physical location open to the public to sell cannabis and paraphernalia online and by mobile application for delivery to eligible patients.
Manufacturer - Permits the processing, packaging, and labeling of medical cannabis products for sale and distribution to licensed retailers and internet retailers in DC for resale to eligible patients and caregivers.
Retailer - Permits the dispensing of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to eligible patients and caregivers. Permits Retailers to manufacture, purchase, and sell paraphernalia. Retailers are eligible to request any combination of license endorsements to expand their business operations.
Testing Laboratory - Permits the testing of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products and provides testing results to licensed cultivation centers and manufacturers.
Conditional - Provides a license to applicants without a proposed location. Applicants have up to one (1) year to secure a location and provide ABCA with all required documents and fees. Available for all license types.
Conditional License Application Fees
|
Conditional
License Type |
Applicant Fee
|
Approval Fee
|
Total Due
|
|
Conditional
Cultivation Center, Manufacturer, Retailer, Internet Retailer or
Courier-Standard Applicant |
$800 |
$1,200 |
$2,000 |
|
Conditional-Cultivation
Center, Manufacturer, Retailer, Internet Retailer or Courier-Social Equity
Applicant (SEA) |
$200 |
$300 |
$500 |
|
Conditional
Testing Laboratory Standard Applicant |
$0 |
$1,200 |
$1,200 |
|
Conditional
Testing Laboratory Social Equity Applicant |
$0 |
$300 |
$300 |
NOTE: Application and conditional license submission fees are due at the
time an application, or a conditional license application is submitted. First
year licensing fees and conditional license approval fees are due upon ABC
Board approval of the conditional license or license application. Applicants
who are denied approval for a conditional license or have their application
denied are not required to pay approval or first-year licensing fees.
Standard License Application Fees
|
Standard License Type |
Standard Applicant Fee |
Social Equity Applicant (SEA) Fee |
|
Standard Retailer
License |
$8,000 |
$2,000 |
|
Standard Internet
Retailer License |
$8,000 |
$2,000 |
|
Standard
Cultivation Center License |
$8,000 |
$2,000 |
|
Standard
Manufacturer License |
$4,000 |
$1,000 |
|
Standard Courier
License |
$4,000 |
$1,000 |
|
Standard Testing
Laboratory |
$0 |
$0 |
|
|
|
SEA Fee |
|
Retailer Delivery
Endorsement |
$300 |
$300 |
|
Education Tasting
Endorsement |
$130 |
$130 |
|
Safe-Use Treatment
(Tasting) Facility Endorsement |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
|
Summer Garden
Endorsement |
$300 |
$300 |
|
Certified Training
Provider Permit |
$100 |
$100 |
Annual Licensing Fees∆
|
Description of Annual License Fees |
Standard Business License |
SEA License Fee |
|
Cultivation Center
Licenseᶲ |
Tier 1 - $11,000 |
Tier 1 - $2,750 |
|
Manufacturer
License |
Type 1 -
Manufacturing Only $4,000 |
Type 1 - Manufacturing Only - $1,000 |
|
Retailer License |
$16,000 |
$4,000 |
|
Internet Retailer |
$16,000 |
$4,000 |
|
Courier License |
$8,000 |
$2,000 |
|
Testing Lab
License |
$7,500 |
$1,875 |
∆Licensing fees are due upon application approval and each year
thereafter.
ᶲCultivation Center Licensing fees are charged as follows:
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
Traceability: Metrc
Regulatory Agency link: https://abca.dc.gov/page/medical-cannabis-program#gsc.tab=0