New Jersey Marijuana Business Licenses
Status: In New Jersey, individuals 21+ may possess and use marijuana, and registered patients may possess and use medical marijuana. 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 New Jersey Marijuana Business Licenses Licenses Available
| Dispensaries | Cultivation | Manufacturing/Processing | Transportation |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
You can read the full text of the New Jersey Marijuana Business Licenses law at: New Jersey Department of Health Website
New Jersey Adult-Use Marijuana Business License Guidelines
The cannabis legalization bill, A21, outlines the following license types:
Class 1 Cannabis Grower License – grows, cultivates, or produces cannabis in this State, and sells, and may transport, this cannabis to other cannabis growers, cannabis processors, cannabis wholesalers, or cannabis retailers, but not to consumers. A cannabis grower may also be referred to as a “cannabis cultivation facility.”
Class 2 Cannabis Processor License – processes cannabis items in this State by purchasing or otherwise obtaining cannabis, manufacturing, preparing, and packaging cannabis items, and selling, and optionally transporting, these items to other cannabis processors, cannabis wholesalers, or cannabis retailers, but not to consumers. A cannabis processor may also be referred to as a “cannabis product manufacturing facility.”
Class 3 Cannabis Wholesaler License – purchases or otherwise obtains, stores, sells or otherwise transfers, and may transport, cannabis items for the purpose of resale or other transfer to either to another cannabis wholesaler or to a cannabis retailer, but not to consumers.
Class 4 Cannabis Distributor License – transports cannabis items in bulk intrastate, from one licensed cannabis establishment to another licensed cannabis establishment and may engage in the temporary storage of cannabis items as necessary to carry out transportation activities.
Class 5 Cannabis Retailer License – purchases or otherwise obtains cannabis from cannabis growers and cannabis items from cannabis processors or cannabis wholesalers, and sells these to consumers from a retail store, and may use a cannabis delivery service or a certified cannabis handler for the off-premises delivery of cannabis items and related supplies to consumers.
Class 6 Cannabis Delivery License – provides courier services for a cannabis retailer in order to make deliveries of cannabis items and related supplies to a consumer.
As of February 22, 2021, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission has 180 days (six months) to develop specific business regulations, including application and licensing fees. Then, the commission shall begin accepting and processing business license applications within 30 days after the commission’s initial rules and regulations have been adopted. We anticipate the commission to create their own website where application and licensing information will be posted.
New Jersey Medical Marijuana Cultivation License Guidelines
As the program was established in 2010, a vertically-integrated Alternative Treatment Center license authorized a licensee to cultivate, process, and dispense medical marijuana for registered patients. The state awarded six ATCs in 2011, and an additional six ATCs in 2018.
With the submission of an executive order from Governor Phil Murphy in May 2019, Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) licenses may now have specialty endorsements for cultivation, processing, or dispensing.
ATC, Cultivation Endorsement – a permit endorsement that allows an ATC to possess, cultivate, plant, grow, harvest, and package usable marijuana (including in pre-rolled forms); and display, transfer, transport, distribute, supply, or sell marijuana to other ATCs, but not directly to registered qualifying patients.
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- Cultivation endorsements are tiered by canopy size to allow for small, medium, and large business participation. the Department will seek to issue cultivation endorsements in the following tiers of canopy size:
- 20,001 square feet to 30,000 square feet: up to 2 cultivation endorsements
- 5,001 square feet to 20,000 square feet: up to 2 cultivation endorsements
- Up to 5,000 square feet: up to 1 cultivation endorsement.
- Cultivation endorsements are tiered by canopy size to allow for small, medium, and large business participation. the Department will seek to issue cultivation endorsements in the following tiers of canopy size:
Application Fees: All applications require a $20,000 application fee in the form of two payments, one $18,000 check and one $2,000 check. If an application is unsuccessful, the Department will keep the $2,000 check and destroy the $18,000 check.
Applications were due August 22, 2019, and the Department is not seeking additional cultivation endorsements at this time.
RECOMMENDED NEW JERSEY MARIJUANA BUSINESS PLANS FOR CULTIVATION APPLICATION:
- New Jersey Application Guide & Checklist
- Marijuana Business Plan Package
- Cultivation 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
New Jersey Medical Marijuana Manufacturer License Guidelines
As the program was established in 2010, a vertically-integrated Alternative Treatment Center license authorized a licensee to cultivate, process, and dispense medical marijuana for registered patients. The state awarded six ATCs in 2011, and an additional six ATCs in 2018.
With the submission of an executive order from Governor Phil Murphy in May 2019, Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) licenses may now have specialty endorsements for cultivation, processing, or dispensing.
ATC, Manufacturing Endorsement – a permit endorsement that allows an ATC to possess and process usable marijuana; purchase usable marijuana from other ATCs possessing a cultivating endorsement; manufacture products containing marijuana approved by the Department; conduct research and develop products containing marijuana for approval by the Department; and to display, transfer, transport, distribute, supply, or sell marijuana and products containing marijuana to other ATCs, but not directly to registered qualifying patients.
The Department is not seeking manufacturing endorsements at this time.
RECOMMENDED NEW JERSEY MARIJUANA BUSINESS PLANS FOR MANUFACTURER APPLICATION:
- New Jersey Application Guide & Checklist
- Marijuana Business Plan Package
- 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
- Transportation Plan Template
New Jersey Medical Marijuana Dispensary License Guidelines
As the program was established in 2010, a vertically-integrated Alternative Treatment Center license authorized a licensee to cultivate, process, and dispense medical marijuana for registered patients. The state awarded six ATCs in 2011, and an additional six ATCs in 2018.
With the submission of an executive order from Governor Phil Murphy in May 2019, Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) licenses may now have specialty endorsements for cultivation, processing, or dispensing.
ATC, Dispensary Endorsement – a permit endorsement that allows an ATC to purchase usable marijuana and products containing marijuana from other ATCs authorized to cultivate or manufacture usable marijuana or products containing marijuana; and possess, display, supply, sell, and dispense, usable marijuana and/or products containing marijuana, to registered qualifying patients.
Application Fees: All applications require a $20,000 application fee in the form of two payments, one $18,000 check and one $2,000 check. If an application is unsuccessful, the Department will keep the $2,000 check and destroy the $18,000 check.
Applications are due August 21, 2019, and the Department is not seeking additional dispensary endorsements at this time.
RECOMMENDED NEW JERSEY MARIJUANA BUSINESS PLANS FOR DISPENSARY APPLICATION:
- New Jersey Application Guide & Checklist
- Marijuana Business Plan Package
- Business & Operations Plan Template
- Cultivation Plan Template
- Manufacturing/Processing Plan Template
- Environmental Plan Template
- Financial Plan Template
- Fire Safety Plan Template
- Inventory Control Plan Template
- Patient Education Plan Template
- Patient Recordkeeping Plan Template
- Product Safety Plan Template
- Security Plan Template
- Staffing Plan Template
- Transportation Plan Template
New Jersey Medical Marijuana Vertically Integrated ATC License Guidelines
As the program was established in 2010, a vertically-integrated Alternative Treatment Center license authorized a licensee to cultivate, process, and dispense medical marijuana for registered patients. The state awarded six ATCs in 2011, and an additional six ATCs in 2018.
Vertically Integrated Permit – means a permit issued by the Department that includes a cultivation endorsement, a manufacturing endorsement, and a dispensary endorsement.
Applications were due August 22, 2019, and the Department is not seeking additional vertically integrated permits at this time.
RECOMMENDED NEW JERSEY MARIJUANA BUSINESS PLANS FOR DISPENSARY APPLICATION:
- New Jersey Application Guide & Checklist
- Marijuana Business Plan Package
- Business & Operations Plan Template
- Environmental Plan Template
- Financial Plan Template
- Fire Safety Plan Template
- Inventory Control Plan Template
- Patient Education Plan Template
- Patient Recordkeeping Plan Template
- Product Safety Plan Template
- Security Plan Template
- Staffing Plan Template
- Suitability of Proposed Facility Plan Template
- Transportation Plan Template
The History of New Jersey Marijuana Business Licenses Marijuana
Recreational Marijuana Overview:
On December 16, 2019, the New Jersey Assembly and Senate committees passed a resolution approving the question of recreational marijuana legalization to be put before voters on the November 2020 ballot.
The ballot measure would add an amendment to the state constitution that legalizes the recreational use of marijuana for persons age 21 and older and legalizes the cultivation, processing, and sale of retail marijuana. The constitutional amendment would take effect on January 1, 2021.
A new five-member Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) would be responsible for regulating the cultivation, processing, and sale of recreational marijuana. The ballot measure would apply the state sales tax (6.625 percent) to recreational marijuana but prohibit additional state sales taxes. The state legislature would be authorized to allow local governments to enact an additional 2 percent sales tax on recreational marijuana.
As expected, on November 3, 2020, New Jersey voters successfully passed the resolution to legalize adult-use of marijuana in the state. The question passed with 67% of voters in favor of legalization, a turnout that was almost exactly predicted by polls leading up to election day.
On February 22, 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy signed cannabis legalization and decriminalization bills into law to set the implementation of the state’s adult-use program into motion. New Jersey’s newly formed Cannabis Regulatory Commission held its first official meeting on April 12, 2021. The commission will oversee New Jersey’s medical and adult-use cannabis programs, beginning with drafting specific business and licensing regulations for the new adult-use program.
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission will begin accepting the following applications for personal use (recreational) cannabis on Wednesday, December 15, 2021:
- Class 1 Cultivator Licenses
- Class 2 Manufacturer Licenses
- Testing Laboratories
Application acceptance for Class 5 Retailers will begin on March 15, 2022.
License applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until indicated otherwise. Social Equity Businesses, Diversely-Owned Businesses, Impact Zone Businesses, and applications that receive bonus points will be afforded priority review, scoring, and approval.
There is no established limit on the number of cannabis business licenses available statewide However, by statute the number of Class 1 Cultivators is to be held to 37 licenses until February 22, 2023.
Regulating Departments: Cannabis Regulatory Commission
Medical Marijuana Overview:
In 2010, New Jersey legalized medical marijuana use for registered patients suffering from qualifying medical conditions. Patients obtain medical marijuana from an Alternative Treatment Center (ATC). The state awarded six ATCs in 2011, and an additional six ATCs in 2018.
On March 27, 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy made the following immediate changes to New Jersey’s current Medical Marijuana program:
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- Anxiety, migraines, Tourette’s syndrome, chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders and chronic visceral pain were added as qualifying conditions
- The patient fee was reduced 50%
- The existing 5 medical marijuana treatment centers may open satellite locations
- Murphy said to address supply, he’s proposing changing regulations to let treatment centers specialize in specific areas, like cultivating, dispensing or manufacturing
- Murphy stated he views the state’s medical marijuana program strictly as a health issue, and he is still pushing for recreational legalization
Governor Phil Murphy then gave the state Legislature until the end of May 2019 to pass a pair of linked bills (SB 10 and SB 2703) to legalize recreational marijuana as well as expand the state’s current medical marijuana program. Otherwise, he said he’ll have no choice but to expand the medical marijuana program on his own to reach more patients.
Governor Murphy kept his word and submitted an executive order in May 2019 to amend the state’s medical marijuana program rules in order to increase medical marijuana entrepreneurial opportunities, product supply, and patient access. The rule changes include establishing separate specialty permits for cultivators, processors, and dispensaries as well as streamlining the process to add qualifying medical conditions to the program. The rule removes the requirement that the petitions for new qualifying conditions must first go to the Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel. State regulators also codified some changes already in effect, including qualifying medical conditions that were previously added by Murphy’s administration.
Additionally, Murphy signed the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act into law, which would also make various changes to the state’s current program and present new business opportunities. This bill will make the following changes:
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- Remove the requirement for patients to have a bona fide relationship with their doctor, which usually means one year of appointments, before their doctor is able to recommend medical marijuana as a treatment for them. With the removal of this requirement, the process for recommending patients will become much quicker and more simplified.
- Establish a new Cannabis Regulatory Commission to regulate the program
- Legalize home delivery of medical marijuana to registered patients
- Allow dispensaries to establish “consumption areas” on premises.
- Call for the licensing of 11 new cultivation centers to meet the growing patient demand
On July 1, 2019, the Department of Health released an updated Request for Applications for 24 additional ATCs. Applications were due August 21, 2019 for dispensary endorsements, and August 22, 2019 for cultivation endorsements and vertically integrated permits. The ATCs will have three endorsement/permit types: cultivation, dispensing, and vertically integrated permits. Vertically integrated permits include 1 cultivation endorsement, 1 manufacturing endorsement and 1 dispensary endorsement. In total, the Department will issue up to 5 cultivation endorsements, up to 15 dispensary endorsements, and up to 4 vertically integrated permits.
Read the full Medical Marijuana Act: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/PL09/307_.HTM
Qualifying Medical Conditions: Seizure disorder, including epilepsy; intractable skeletal muscular spasticity; or glaucoma; if severe or chronic pain, severe nausea or vomiting, cachexia, or wasting syndrome results from the condition or treatment thereof: positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or cancer; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, terminal cancer, muscular dystrophy, or inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease; terminal illness, if the physician has determined a prognosis of less than 12 months of life; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; anxiety; migraines; Tourette’s syndrome; chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders and chronic visceral pain; Opioid Use Disorder