Connecticut Cannabis License Guidelines

Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection

Licensing and Enforcement Criteria

The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is responsible for licensing and regulating medical and adult-use cannabis establishments in Connecticut. For questions about adult-use cannabis licensing and regulation, please email dcp.cannabis@ct.gov.

Possession of 1.5 oz of cannabis is now legal. Retail sales will likely not be available until at least the end of 2022. Those who wish to grow cannabis at home may not at this time. Medical marijuana patients will be able to grow up to 3 mature and 3 immature plants at home starting October 1, 2021, with a cap of 12 total plants per household. All adults will be able to grow under the same rules starting July 1, 2023.

For those considering starting a business, license applications are not currently available. The Social Equity Council must first issue its final approval on what will be required for evaluation before the Department of Consumer Protection can publish any application.

The Department of Consumer Protection will begin to make applications available 30 days after the Social Equity Council issues its final approval of income and residency documentation and subsequently posts the criteria on its website.

A patient may only register for a medical marijuana certificate if he or she is a Connecticut resident being treated for a debilitating medical condition by a Connecticut-licensed physician or advanced practice registered nurse

Connecticut Cannabis Law & Compliance

Several laws and ordinances regulate the Connecticut commercial cannabis industry, as well as the many different steps in the supply chain. These laws range over dispositions for cultivators, manufacturers, distributors and retail dispensaries. The most recent news can be found on these websites:

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FAQs

What criminal convictions would disqualify a person from registration as a backer or key employee for a cannabis license?

A person with a disqualifying conviction cannot be registered as a backer or key employee for a cannabis license. A “disqualifying conviction” means a conviction within the last ten years, which has not been the subject of an absolute pardon, for an offense under:

  1. Sec. 53a-276. Money laundering in the first degree: Class B felony.
  2. Sec. 53a-277. Money laundering in the second degree: Class C felony.
  3. Sec. 53a-278. Money laundering in the third degree: Class D felony.
  4. Sec. 53a-291. Vendor fraud in the first degree: Class B felony.
  5. Sec. 53a-292. Vendor fraud in the second degree: Class C felony.
  6. Sec. 53a-293. Vendor fraud in the third degree: Class D felony.
  7. Sec. 53a-215. Insurance fraud: Class D felony.
  8. Sec. 53a-138. Forgery in the first degree: Class C felony.
  9. Sec. 53a-139. Forgery in the second degree: Class D felony.
  10. Sec. 53a-142. Forgery of symbols: Class A misdemeanor.
  11. Sec. 53a-142a. Filing a false record: Class D felony.
  12. Sec. 53a-147. Bribery: Class C felony.
  13. Sec. 53a-148. Bribe receiving: Class C felony.
  14. Sec. 53a-148a. Failure to report bribery: Class A misdemeanor.
  15. Sec. 53a-149. Bribery of a witness: Class C felony.
  16. Sec. 53a-150. Bribe receiving by a witness: Class C felony.
  17. Sec. 53a-151a. Intimidating a witness: Class B felony.
  18. Sec. 53a-152. Bribery of a juror: Class C felony.
  19. Sec. 53a-154. Tampering with a juror: Class D felony.
  20. Sec. 53a-155. Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence: Class D felony.
  21. Sec. 53a-156. Perjury: Class D felony.
  22. Sec. 53a-157a. False statement on a certified payroll: Class D felony.
  23. Sec. 53a-157b. (Formerly Sec. 53a-157). False statement: Class A misdemeanor.
  24. Sec. 53a-158. Bribery of a labor official: Class D felony.
  25. Sec. 53a-159. Bribe receiving by a labor official: Class D felony.
  26. Sec. 53a-160. Commercial bribery: Class D felony.
  27. Sec. 53a-161. Receiving a commercial bribe: Class D felony.
  28. Sec. 53a-161a. Bid rigging: Class D felony.
  29. Sec. 53a-161b. Disclosure of bid or proposal: Class A misdemeanor.
  30. Sec. 53a-161c. Receiving kickbacks: Class D felony.
  31. Sec. 53a-161d. Paying a kickback: Class D felony.
  32. Sec. 53a-162. Rigging: Class D felony.
  33. Sec. 53a-125c. Telephone fraud in the first degree: Class B felony.
  34. Sec. 53a-125d. Telephone fraud in the second degree: Class C felony.
  35. Sec. 53a-125e. Telephone fraud in the third degree: Class D felony.
  36. Sec. 53a-125f. Telephone fraud in the fourth degree: Class A misdemeanor.
  37. Sec. 53a-129b. Identity theft in the first degree: Class B felony.
  38. Sec. 53a-129c. Identity theft in the second degree: Class C felony.
  39. Sec. 53a-129d. Identity theft in the third degree: Class D felony.
  40. Subsection (b) of Sec. 12-737. Penalties for willful violations.
  41. Sec. 53a-48. Conspiracy. Renunciation.
  42. Sec. 53a-49. Criminal attempt: Sufficiency of conduct; renunciation as defense.

The law of any other state or of the federal government, if the offense on which such conviction is based is defined by elements that substantially include the elements of an offense under the statutes listed in (1) to (42), above.

I have been contacted by, or saw an advertisement for, someone claiming they can help me get a patient or caregiver registration certificate. Is there a way for me to find out if this company is associated with the Department of Consumer Protection?

The Department of Consumer Protection is not working with any outside businesses in connection with the patient and caregiver registration process. Moreover, the Department has not shared any information about the registration process with anyone beyond what is on this website. Our goal is to design a registration system that is easy to understand and that would not require you to work with a third party in order to register. Also the only information the department will be requesting will be information that you, your physician, or where applicable, your caregiver should have.

What are the license fees?

The license fees for different license types in the Adult Use Cannabis program are as follows:

Non-Social Equity Fees Social Equity Fees
Name Lottery Provisional License Lottery Provisional License
Cultivator $ 1,000 $ 25,000 $ 75,000 $ 500 $ 12,500 $ 37,500
Micro-cultivator $ 250 $ 500 $ 1,000 $ 125 $ 250 $ 500
Retailer $ 500 $ 5,000 $ 25,000 $ 250 $ 2,500 $ 12,500
Product Manufacturer $ 750 $ 5,000 $ 25,000 $ 375 $ 2,500 $ 12,500
Food and Beverage $ 250 $ 1,000 $ 5,000 $ 125 $ 500 $ 2,500
Delivery/Transport $ 250 $ 1,000 $ 5,000 $ 125 $ 500 $ 2,500
Product Packager $ 500 $ 5,000 $ 25,000 $ 250 $ 2,500 $ 12,500
Hybrid $ 500 $ 5,000 $ 25,000 $ 250 $ 2,500 $ 12,500

When will license applications be available for the Adult Use Cannabis program?

The first application period for each license type will open for a period of 90 days on the following dates:

  • Disproportionately Impacted Area Cultivator: February 3, 2022 (non-lottery)
  • Retailer: February 3, 2022
  • Micro-cultivator: February 10, 2022
  • Delivery Service: February 17, 2022
  • Hybrid Retailer: February 24, 2022
  • Food and Beverage: March 3, 2022
  • Product Manufacturer: March 10, 2022
  • Product Packager: March 17, 2022
  • Transporter: March 24, 2022

When does the application period open for Dispensary Facilities to convert to Hybrid Retailers, and for Producers to convert to Expanded Producers?

Both conversion application periods opened on February 3, 2022.

More information is available about the hybrid retailer application.

How will the law promote social equity?

The law takes a comprehensive approach to promoting social equity, focused on the neighborhoods most impacted by the War on Drugs. It provides for expungement of past cannabis-related crimes and reserves half of all cannabis business licenses for people from impacted neighborhoods. In addition, more than half of the revenue from cannabis sales will be dedicated to a new equity fund which will be invested in those neighborhoods.

See also our Connecticut Social Equity Council website.

How can I participate in the Social Equity Lottery?

The first lottery application period for each license type will open for a period of 90 days on the following dates:

  • Retailer: February 3, 2022
  • Micro-cultivator: February 10, 2022
  • Delivery Service: February 17, 2022
  • Hybrid Retailer: February 24, 2022
  • Food and Beverage: March 3, 2022
  • Product Manufacturer: March 10, 2022
  • Product Packager: March 17, 2022
  • Transporter: March 24, 2022

Please review information about the the lottery process prior to applying.

Connecticut Cannabis License Types

There are 14 different cannabis licenses and registrations issued by the Department. Below is general information about each license type. Click on each license type for more information, including how and when to apply:

Growing

  • Cultivator – Grows cannabis for medical and adult use. At least 15,000 square feet of grow space is required for this license type.
  • Micro-cultivator – Grows cannabis for medical and adult use. Between 2,000 and 10,000 square feet of grow space, prior to any expansion authorized by the commissioner. May apply for an expansion of grow space in increments of 5,000 square feet per year.
  • Producer – Grows cannabis for medicinal use. No additional licenses for producers will be issued at this time. Producers interested in growing cannabis for adult-use may apply to convert their license to an expanded producer license.

Manufacturing

  • Product Manufacturer – Performs cannabis extraction, chemical synthesis and permitted manufacturing activities.
  • Food and Beverage Manufacturer – Incorporate cannabis into food or beverage intended for human consumption.
  • Product Packager – Labels and packages cannabis in compliance with state statutes, regulations and policies.

Sales

  • Retailer – Sells cannabis only to consumers for adult-use.
  • Hybrid Retailer – Sells cannabis to consumers for adult-use and to qualifying patients and caregivers for medical use.
  • Dispensary Facility – Sells cannabis only to qualifying patients and caregivers for medical use. No additional dispensary facility licenses will be issued at this time. Existing dispensary facilities may apply to convert their license to a hybrid retail license to allow for the sale of both adult-use and medical marijuana.

Delivery and Transportation

  • Delivery Service – Delivers cannabis from cannabis establishments to consumers, qualifying patients and caregivers, as applicable.
  • Transporter – Delivers cannabis between cannabis establishments, laboratories, and research programs.

Individual Licenses and Registrations

  • Backer – Has a direct or indirect financial interest in a cannabis establishment, and owns 5% or more of a cannabis establishment, in the aggregate with their spouse, parent or child, or participates directly or indirectly in the control, management or operation of the cannabis establishment.
  • Key employee – Employees with specific managerial positions or an equivalent title within a cannabis establishment
  • Employee – Any person employed by a cannabis establishment or who otherwise has access to such establishment , and board members of a company with an ownership interest in a cannabis establishment.

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