Connecticut Marijuana Business Licenses
Status: In Connecticut, all individuals 21 years and older may purchase, possess, and consume marijuana beginning July 1, 2021. All qualified patients with a legal prescription may be in possession of marijuana, and state licensed businesses may grow, process, transport, and dispense marijuana.
| CBD Program | Medical Program | Recreational Program | Are Applications Open? |
| Legal | Legal | Legal | closed |
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Number of Connecticut Marijuana Business Licenses Licenses Available
| Dispensaries | Cultivation | Manufacturing/Processing | Transportation |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
You can read the full text of the Connecticut Marijuana Business Licenses law at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/
Connecticut Recreational Cannabis License Guidelines
The Department of Consumer Protection would be charged with licensing and regulating cannabis businesses.
No later than 30 days after the Social Equity Council identifies criteria and supporting documentation for social equity applicants, it may begin accepting applications from the following types of licenses:
1. retailer
2. hybrid retailer (which sells both adult-use and medical cannabis)
3. cultivator (which cultivate 15,000 square feet or more)
4. micro-cultivator (which start between 2,000 and 10,000 square feet)
5. product manufacturer
6. food and beverage manufacturer
7. product packager
8. delivery service
9. transporter
Before accepting applications, DCP will determine the maximum number of licenses of each type and post it on its website. Fifty percent of each license type are reserved for social equity applicants.
The department will establish the maximum grow space permitted by a cultivator and micro-cultivator. In doing so, it will seek to ensure an adequate supply.
Connecticut Medical Marijuana Producer License Guidelines
A producer license is required to operate a secure, indoor facility where the production of pharmaceutical grade marijuana or manufacturing of marijuana products occurs. There is a non-refundable application fee of $25,000 due at submission of the application and a non-refundable registration fee of $75,000. The state of Connecticut currently is not accepting applications for Producer Licenses. Zoning: All marijuana businesses must be at least 1,000 feet from places used primarily for religious worship, public or private school, convent, charitable institution, whether supported by private or public funds, hospital or veterans’ home or any camp or military establishment.
RECOMMENDED CONNECTICUT MARIJUANA BUSINESS PLANS FOR PRODUCER APPLICATION:
- Marijuana Business Plan Package
- Cultivation Plan Template
- Manufacturing/Processing Plan Template
- Environmental Plan Template
- Financial Plan Template
- Fire Safety Plan Template
- Inventory Control Plan Template
- Product Safety Plan Template
- Security Plan Template
- Staffing Plan Template
- Suitability of Proposed Plan Template
- Transportation Plan Template
Connecticut Medical Marijuana Dispensary License Guidelines
A dispensary license is required to acquire, possess, distribute and dispense marijuana, or marijuana derivatives in the form provided by licensed producers, to qualified patients and caregivers. There is a non-refundable application fee of $1,000 due at submission of the application and a non-refundable registration fee of $5,000. Zoning: All marijuana businesses must be at least 1,000 feet from places used primarily for religious worship, public or private school, convent, charitable institution, whether supported by private or public funds, hospital or veterans’ home or any camp or military establishment.
RECOMMENDED CONNECTICUT MARIJUANA BUSINESS PLANS FOR DISPENSARY APPLICATION:
The History of Connecticut Marijuana Business Licenses Marijuana
On June 1, 2012, Gov. Dannel Malloy signed a medical marijuana program into law that legalized possession and consumption of marijuana for qualified patients and caregivers. The law also set up a system to allow patients access to medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries. On May 31, 2012, the Department of Consumer Protection became responsible for administering Connecticut’s medical marijuana program with the enactment of Chapter 420f of the Connecticut General Statutes, “An Act Concerning the Palliative Use Of Marijuana”. Initially, the law prohibited minors from participating in the program. On May 17, 2016, Gov. Malloy expanded the program by signing HB 5450, which allowed minors to qualify for medical marijuana and added six new qualifying medical conditions. On January 3, 2018, the Department of Consumer Protection issued a Request for Applications to award between three (3) and ten (10) new dispensary facility licenses for locations throughout the state. Deadline for application submission was April 9, 2018 at 3:00 PM.
The “Governor’s Bill”, a marijuana legalization bill, was introduced by Connecticut’s top lawmakers on February 6, 2020, just one day after Gov. Ted Lemont renewed his call for marijuana legalization during his State of the State address. The bill, filed by Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney and House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, would allow adults 21 years and older to possess and purchase up to one and a half ounces of marijuana from a licensed retailer. New marijuana businesses such as cultivators, product manufacturers, testing laboratories, and retailers would need to become licensed by the state to service the recreational market. The bill didn’t pass before the end of the 2020 legislative session, but it will most likely be picked up next year.
On June 22, 2021, Gov. Ted Lemont signed a cannabis legalization bill into law after lawmakers held a special session to send the bill to his desk. Under the Connecticut measure, possession of marijuana by adults 21 and older will become legal on July 1. Commercial cannabis sales could begin as soon as next May, but the bill does not specify an exact start date. Applications for retailers, cultivators, manufacturers, packagers, and transporters will become available at a date to be determined by the Department of Consumer Protection. Before accepting applications, DCP will determine the maximum number of licenses of each type and post it on its website. View a full summary of the bill here.