Cannabis Permitting & Licensing in California

Local Cannabis Permit

CA Cannabis License

Starting a cannabis business in California can be a challenging and time-consuming endeavor. The first step is to obtain a local permit. However, not every city and county in California allows commercial cannabis activities, which has created limitations on available business locations.

To begin, you'll need to find out if your local jurisdiction permits cannabis activity. Each city and county in California can establish its own rules and regulations regarding commercial cannabis activities. Once you've confirmed that your jurisdiction allows for cannabis activity, you'll need to acquire a local permit.

Many jurisdictions in California employ a conditional-use permit process to authorize the property for commercial cannabis activities. Some cities and counties have a simpler administrative permit process, which involves less bureaucracy compared to a conditional-use permit.

The permit application process is usually slow and can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to complete. This is due to understaffing in local governments, as they require detailed plans and specifications for your business before issuing a permit. You may also need to enlist the help of professionals such as architects, engineers, and fire safety contractors during the application process.

We can assist you in obtaining a compliant conditional-use or administrative permit and guide you through the complex application process. To get started, complete our questionnaire and we'll reach out to you within 48 to 72 hours to discuss your project.

After securing a local cannabis permit or any form of local authorization, you can confidently proceed to apply for a state license. The state licensing process is generally more straightforward than the local permitting process, and while it still takes time, it is typically faster, averaging 4 to 6 months for approval.

Should you engage our services, we will provide comprehensive assistance throughout the entire State Licensing process. Having successfully facilitated the acquisition of numerous state licenses on behalf of our diverse clientele, we possess an in-depth understanding of the process and its specific requirements. We have observed that several consulting firms advocate substantial expenditure on architects for the creation of property and premises diagrams essential for state licensing, an approach we consider superfluous. As part of our service, we are adept at producing these diagrams, negating the need for additional expenditure. Nonetheless, should you already possess architect plans that align with the requisite specifications, we are equipped to collaborate accordingly. Moreover, we are capable of generating these diagrams from inception, if necessary.