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By Christene Carr
Starting September 27th, 2023, the NJ-CRC will begin accepting applications for wholesale, manufacturing, and delivery cannabis business licenses. This is a fantastic opportunity for new cannabis entrepreneurs to enter the New Jersey market and expands the vertical integration opportunities for existing operators. The opening of the three classes rounds out the cannabis industry in the state.
As with the other business classes, applicants can apply for either a conditional license or an annual license.
The additional licenses allow for more vertical integration options. Currently, a cannabis business can simultaneously hold licenses for cultivation, manufacturing, and retail – and deliver, since retailers are allowed to do their own delivery. With the additional licenses opening, a business holding a cultivation license can also hold a delivery license and wholesalers can also be distributors. License holders can hold only one of each license class.
In addition to deciding the type of license you want – conditional or annual – you should also determine your priority status before applying. The NJ-CRC designates priority to Social Equity Businesses and Diversely-Owned Businesses in both the review and approval portions of the application process. These businesses will be prioritized in the licensure process so that their applications are reviewed before other applicants – regardless of when they apply.
The application process opens for all other applicants on March 27, 2024.
Further, applicants can decide if they want to pursue a microbusiness or a standard business license. A microbusiness is a licensed business with a relatively small operation. Microbusinesses can be a cannabis cultivator, manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or delivery service. The business must meet all the following requirements:
We aim to make navigating the cannabis licensing process in New Jersey as simple as possible by arming you with all the information you need. Reviewing the application guide can help aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs figure out where to start, so they can contribute to the growth and diversity of the burgeoning cannabis industry in the Garden State.
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