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.  Each year, the Department of Consumer Protection issues over 200,000 licenses, registrations, and permits for more than 200 types of jobs and businesses, including the legal cannabis community.

Each municipality has the authority to establish restrictions on the proximity of cannabis establishments to any of the following: churches, public or parochial schools, convents, charitable institutions supported by private or public funds, hospitals or veterans’ homes or any camps, barracks or flying fields of the armed forces.  Please check with local municipalities to ensure you’re compliant with local regulations and laws.

Retailer Equity Joint Ventures and Hybrid Retailer Equity Joint Ventures cannot be located within 20 miles of any other EJV that it shares a Producer Backer or Dispensary Facility Backer with, regardless of the EJV’s license type.

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

Can a final license be issued to a cannabis establishment that is part of an Equity Joint Venture if the sponsoring establishment (producer, dispensary facility, or cultivator) holds a provisional license, but not a final license?

A final license may be issued to an Equity Joint Venture sponsored by a producer, dispensary facility or cultivator holding a provisional license so long as all licensing requirements have been satisfactorily met by the Equity Joint Venture.

Which licensed establishments can make cannabis food and beverage products?

The following license types are authorized to manufacture food and beverage products: Producer, Cultivator, Micro-cultivator, Product manufacturer; and, Food and beverage manufacturer.

Can I use the application form currently available from the Department of Consumer Protection for a Manufacturer or Wholesaler of Drugs, Cosmetics or Medical Devices to apply to be a producer or dispensary of medical marijuana?

No. The appropriate application forms are now listed on the License, Permit & Registration Forms webpage.

Who will grow the marijuana?

Only producers licensed by the Department of Consumer Protection will be authorized to cultivate marijuana. At any one time, the number of licensed producers shall be at least three and not more than 10. The Department has established regulations that set out the qualifications for licensed producers and has issued Requests for Applications (RFAs). Among other things, any person applying to be licensed as a producer will have to demonstrate they have the financial capacity to build and operate a secure indoor facility that could grow pharmaceutical-grade marijuana and the ability to maintain adequate controls to prevent the diversion, theft or loss of the marijuana in their facility.

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.

Is the entire facility buildout and inspection required for the final license before the expiration of the provisional license?

Yes. The entire facility, as it is intended to operate upon final licensure, must be built and inspected prior to the expiration of the provisional license and meet all minimum requirements for operation as outlined in the department’s policies and procedures.

Connecticut Cannabis License Types

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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