Iowa Marijuana Business Licenses
Status: In Iowa, qualified patients may use, possess, and access low-THC cannabis oil. Production, delivery, transportation, and dispensing of cannabidiol is allowed by authorized license holders.
| CBD Program | Medical Program | Recreational Program | Are Applications Open? |
| Legal | Legal | Not legal | closed |
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Number of Iowa Marijuana Business Licenses Licenses Available
| Dispensaries | Cultivation | Manufacturing/Processing | Transportation |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
You can read the full text of the Iowa Marijuana Business Licenses law at: www.legis.iowa.gov
Proposed Iowa Medical Marijuana Manufacturer License Guidelines
The IDPH is authorized to select and license up to two (2) manufacturers to possess, cultivate, harvest, transport, package, process, and supply medical cannabidiol within the state. The first manufacturer license was issued to MedPharm Iowa, LLC, on December 1, 2017. Then in June 2018, the IDPH awarded its second manufacturing license to Iowa Relief LLC.
In June 2020, Iowa Relief relinquished its manufacturing license. On September 8, 2020, the IDPH issued a Request for Proposals to award a new manufacturing license. In order to apply, interested applicants must submit their Intent to Apply by October 9. If the Intent to Apply is submitted by then, applicants will have until October 23, 2020 to submit their full application and application fee.
- Non-refundable application fee: $7,500
RECOMMENDED IOWA MARIJUANA BUSINESS PLANS FOR MANUFACTURING APPLICATION:
- Iowa Application Guide & Checklist
- 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 Facility Plan Template
- Transportation Plan Template
Proposed Iowa Medical Marijuana Dispensary License Guidelines:
The IDPH issued a competitive process for the selection of up to five (5) medical cannabidiol dispensaries in Iowa to dispense medical cannabis to registered patients. On March 29, 2018, the IDPH granted five dispensary licenses to proposed stores in Council Bluffs, Davenport, Sioux City, Waterloo and Windsor Heights. However, in April 2020, two dispensary licenses held by Have a Heart company were rescinded. On April 17, 2020, the Office of Medical Cannabidiol released a Request for Applications to re-award the two dispensary licenses.
- Non-refundable application fee: $5,000
RECOMMENDED IOWA MARIJUANA BUSINESS PLANS FOR DISPENSARY APPLICATION:
The History of Iowa Marijuana Business Licenses Marijuana
In 2014, Iowa passed a medical cannabidiol law that only gave patients with seizure disorders a defense to prosecution for use of cannabidiol. On May 12, 2017, Gov. Terry Branstad signed HF 524, also known as the 2017 Medical Cannabidoil Act (Act) into law, enacting changes to the previous medical cannabidiol program, allowing qualified patients in the state to use, possess, and access low-THC cannabis oil. The Act also allows for the production, delivery, transportation and dispensing of cannabidiol.
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) specified timelines for licensing manufacturers and dispensaries and requires medical cannabidiol dispensaries to begin dispensing to patients in Iowa by December 1, 2018. As of October 2018, administrative rules have been adopted for the state’s program.
In November 2017, the IDPH awarded its first manufacturing license to MedPharm Iowa. On March 29, 2018, the IDPH granted five dispensary licenses to proposed stores in Council Bluffs, Davenport, Sioux City, Waterloo and Windsor Heights. Then in June 2018, the IDPH awarded its second manufacturing license to Iowa Relief LLC, fulfilling all available medical cannabis business licenses within the state.
In April 2020, two dispensary licenses held by Have a Heart company were rescinded. On April 17, 2020, the IDPH released a Request for Applications to re-award the two dispensary licenses. Intent to apply was due by May 4, 2020 and the final application was due by June 8, 2020.
However, on June 8, 2020, the IDPH rescinded the request-for-proposal for the two licensed medical cannabidiol dispensaries. The IDPH rescinded the RFP to license Medical Cannabidiol Dispensaries due to changes implemented by the State Legislature to the Medical Cannabidiol Act.
That’s because on June 3, the Iowa Legislature passed HF2589, which makes material changes to Iowa’s Medical Cannabidiol Program.
The bill would remove the 3% THC cap on products, and replaces it with a 4.5g THC/ 90-day purchase limit. Dispensaries will be required to employ either a pharmacist or a pharmacy tech. Additionally, the bill will amend “untreatable pain” to “chronic pain,” add PTSD, and add severe, intractable autism with self-injurious or aggressive behaviors. It will also add PAs, ARNPs, APRNs, and podiatrists to the list of health care practitioners that can certify patients for participation in the program.
The Department then issued a new RFP for two dispensary licenses on June 9, 2020. The Intent to Apply letters were due by June 29, 2020. Applications and the application fee were due on July 27, 2020, and the final notice of license award status took place in September 2020.
In June 2020, Iowa Relief relinquished its manufacturing license. On September 8, 2020, the IDPH issued a Request for Proposals to award a new manufacturing license. In order to apply, interested applicants must have submitted their Intent to Apply by October 9. Applicants then had until October 23, 2020, to submit their full application and application fee.