Rhode Island cannabis became legal in May of 2022. You might remember our blog post “Rhode Island Recreational Cannabis” announcing the first Adult Use sales. At that time, there were only 6 recreational retail locations in the state, and the Department of Rhode Island Office of Cannabis Regulations were still working on the recreational program rules. At this time, the Department has drafted rules which include details about what will be required to apply for a Rhode Island cannabis license. Although the department has approved 6 dispensary locations, there are still 24 retail licenses available. Let’s discuss the requirements in detail below.
License Types Available
To begin, Rhode Island will be accepting applications for 5 different license types. In addition to retail, the Department will issue licenses for cultivators, product manufacturers, and “hybrid retail” licenses. To describe, a “hybrid retail” license is a license which can sell medical and recreational cannabis.
Requirements
Now that we have an understanding of what license types are available, lets dig into what is required to apply. First, the department will ask for all owners to be at least 21 years of age, and pass a background check. Additionally, the department will require applicable business entity information. This information will include proof of compliance with local and municipal planning and zoning rules. Most importantly, the department will require standard operating procedures, and business plans that comply with the regulations.
Lastly, the business will need to submit the information required along with the required application fee which is $30,000 annually.
