SERVICE
Check if you can apply for a cannabis business permit
Only Equity Applicants, Equity Incubators, or preexisting cannabis businesses can apply for a permit now.
What to know
Location
Along with application and inspection fees, you must pay for a location during this entire process, which takes a long time.
What to do
1. Check if you are eligible
You can apply for a cannabis business permit now if you:
- Are verified as an Equity Applicant, where you do not pay fees for the initial permit but will pay for renewals
- Are an Equity Incubator helping an Equity Applicant
- Operated to support medical cannabis, but closed because of federal pressure
- Existed as a cannabis business in 2017, and are already verified by the Office of Cannabis
If you are not any of these, you can apply after we open applications to the public.
Our goal is to issue half of all cannabis permits to Equity operated businesses before opening permit applications to everyone.
Please note that Ordinance 200144 went into effect on July 23rd, 2023, and prohibits the Office of Cannabis from accepting any new applications for Storefront Retail, Delivery-Only Retail, Medicinal Retail, and retail-related Microbusinesses. This legislation is set to sunset on December 31, 2027.
2. Get a link to apply for a cannabis business permit
The Office of Cannabis will send you the link after you either
Or email the Office of Cannabis if you already had a cannabis business
officeofcannabis@sfgov.org3. Get ready to apply
If you can apply for a permit, prepare for the process by referring to our checklist.
Get help
Office of Cannabis
officeofcannabis@sfgov.orgPartner agencies
What to know
Location
Along with application and inspection fees, you must pay for a location during this entire process, which takes a long time.
What to do
1. Check if you are eligible
You can apply for a cannabis business permit now if you:
- Are verified as an Equity Applicant, where you do not pay fees for the initial permit but will pay for renewals
- Are an Equity Incubator helping an Equity Applicant
- Operated to support medical cannabis, but closed because of federal pressure
- Existed as a cannabis business in 2017, and are already verified by the Office of Cannabis
If you are not any of these, you can apply after we open applications to the public.
Our goal is to issue half of all cannabis permits to Equity operated businesses before opening permit applications to everyone.
Please note that Ordinance 200144 went into effect on July 23rd, 2023, and prohibits the Office of Cannabis from accepting any new applications for Storefront Retail, Delivery-Only Retail, Medicinal Retail, and retail-related Microbusinesses. This legislation is set to sunset on December 31, 2027.
2. Get a link to apply for a cannabis business permit
The Office of Cannabis will send you the link after you either
Or email the Office of Cannabis if you already had a cannabis business
officeofcannabis@sfgov.org3. Get ready to apply
If you can apply for a permit, prepare for the process by referring to our checklist.
Get help
Office of Cannabis
officeofcannabis@sfgov.org