The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission recently announced their application process for prospective cannabis businesses, including the dates the Commission will begin accepting applications for growers, processors, testing labs and dispensaries.

The Commission will begin accepting applications for personal use (recreational) cannabis businesses on December 15, 2021 for Class 1 Cultivator Licenses, Class 2 Manufacturer Licenses and Testing Laboratories. Applications will begin to be accepted for Class 5 Retails (Dispensaries) on March 15, 2022. Licensing applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with no deadline set to file. In addition, there is no limit on the number of cannabis business licenses that will be made available. However, the number of Cultivator licenses will be held to 37 until February 22, 2023.
The Commission has issued a Noticed of Applications (found here), which outlines: eligibility requirements; prioritization processes; application requirements, including a list of necessary forms and supporting documents; scoring methodology; and how approval or denial is determined.
Contact Alex Banzhaf or Nino Coviello with any questions about cannabis laws or the application inquiries.
Alex concentrates his practice on business litigation and counseling. Alex is the author of the New Jersey Cannabis Counsel blog where he tracks and analyzes developments in New Jersey’s efforts to legalize recreational cannabis and the potential impact on cannabis businesses in New Jersey. Alex is also a member of the New Jersey Cannabusiness Association.