***MESSAGE TO PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS APPLICANTS***
If you have an application ready for submission through the Business Licensing Application portal, please submit by August 15, 2024 in order to allow the Office sufficient time to process applications and maintain existing timeframes for license issuance. You can access the portal here. The deadline to submit business applications remains 11:59:59 PM EST on August 31, 2024.
Overview
On April 18, 2024, the Program filed 2 administrative regulations which provide how medical cannabis businesses can apply to become licensed in the Commonwealth. These regulations take effect
immediately, which allows individuals and businesses to apply for cannabis business licenses beginning July 1, 2024. Please review the notice of initial cannabis business license application availability
here.
You can learn more about the application and licensing regulations below or review the regulations
here.
On January 4, 2024, the Program filed 10 ordinary regulations governing medical cannabis business operations. The regulations provide rules for cultivators, processors, producers, dispensaries, and safety compliance facilities that will operate in the Commonwealth. These new rules also provide how medical cannabis products will be packaged, labeled, transported, advertised, and tested. You can find them
here.
For information regarding the ordinary regulation process and the emergency regulation process, please click
here.
The Program has provided a
Business Licensing Application Guide below to assist prospective cannabis businesses through the license application process. This guide provides a general overview of the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program business licensing structure and process, in addition to step-by-step guidance on how to submit a business license application through the Program's online portal. This guide is intended to be used by prospective medical cannabis business license applicants when preparing and submitting a license application.
The Program has provided a licensing and application video series to further assist prospective cannabis businesses through the license application process. The videos can be viewed
here.
Licensing Structure and Application Process
The Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis is accepting applications for cannabis business licenses through the online Business Licensing Application Portal. The portal will remain open from July 1, 2024 until August 31, 2024 for application submissions. You can find the application
here.
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE: Please note that the Business Licensing Application portal will be offline for scheduled maintenance on the following dates and times:
- Wednesday, July 31, 2024 from 9:00 PM EST to 1:00 AM EST
- Wednesday, August 14, 2024 from 11:59 PM EST to approximately 3:00 AM EST
- Wednesday, September 4, 2024 from 9:00 PM EST to 1:00 AM EST
Access to the portal will resume following completion of each scheduled maintenance.
Please visit
How to Apply for additional information regarding the license structure and application process.
License Types and Fees
The Program will be issuing the following initial licenses:
The Program will be requiring the following sufficient capital for each cannabis business license application:
The Program has eleven medical cannabis regions for licensing dispensaries:
You can also find a PDF version of the map
here.
The Program will be requiring the following application, initial licensing, and renewal fees:
Understanding the Lottery Process
The Program will issue its initial allocation of medical cannabis business licenses using a lottery. A lottery is the most fair and transparent method for allocating medical cannabis business licenses in the Commonwealth.
It is important to remember that the Program will only conduct a lottery when the number of eligible applicants exceeds the initial license allocation for the business category.
After the Program reviews a business application, and if the application is determined complete by the Program, the business application will be entered into a licensing lottery for the selected cannabis business category if a lottery is necessary.
The Program will
not be issuing Safety Compliance Facilities licenses by lottery as there is no initial limitation on the number of Safety Compliance Facility licenses.
For more information about the specific requirements and restrictions for cannabis businesses, please click
here.
Review the resources below to learn more: