How to Get a Cannabis License in Arizona

Research and Prepare

For cannabis businesses in Arizona, different City and Town governments have other requirements for licensing; however, state requirements are the same for all applicants.

We recommend that you start from the basics: deciding whether you want to cultivate marijuana, manufacture marijuana products, or dispense recreational or medical marijuana before starting the application process.

Once you’ve done that, you can carry out market research to understand the preferences of people, previous marijuana laws in the town you’re targeting, application fee for the specific marijuana establishment licenses, and more.

A dual licensee is an organization that has both a Marijuana Establishment License and a Non-profit medicinal Marijuana Dispensary Registration Certificate. The dual licensee can have a single retail location where it can sell marijuana products for both adult and medicinal use.

The general conditions for acquiring a license are as follows:

• Older than 21 years old
• Complete application submission
• A recent photo of the facility agent taken at most 60 days ago with your application
• A copy of your ID from the government
• Provision of fingerprints
• Non-refundable application payment.
• Fill out a form attesting to the truth of your information and your lack of a conviction for an “excluded felony offense.”

You must agree to have your fingerprints submitted as part of the application process in addition to background investigations for criminal history.

Develop a Solid Business Plan

Having a solid cannabis business plan is very important in Arizona. You must specify the type of dispensary you intend to create, how long you intend to run your company in Arizona, and other relevant details as part of the application process.

In addition to being smart from a commercial standpoint, planning is essential for the next steps of obtaining funds and a license.

A business plan must outline the following:

• Costs that are anticipated to be incurred, both now and in the future, when the dispensary is open.
• Estimates of revenue.
• Floor and site layouts.
• Job descriptions.

Assemble the Necessary Documentation

You should provide the following information mentioned by the ADHS, such as:

• The name or legal description of the planned marijuana business.
• The county where the applicant envisioned opening a marijuana business.
• The prospective marijuana business’s address.

The following documents are required as necessary information related to the applicant:

• Name of the entity
• Business organization type
• Telephone number, postal address, and email
• If the corporation is not a publicly listed company, each senior officer’s and board member’s name, birthdate, and home address.
• An affirmation that the data submitted to the ADHS throughout the application procedure is accurate and truthful
• Whether the applicant consents to let the ADHS obtain more information
• If granted a license, the prospective marijuana business will await an ADHS inspection and clearance before opening.
• An affirmation that the license applicant is mindful and will follow all ARS regulations.
• For publicly listed companies, provide the name, date of birth, and residential address of each major officer entitled to at least 10% of the profit.
• The names of each board member and chief executive officer of the planned marijuana business were signed, along with their dates of signatures.
• The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) can be contacted for evidence of the applicant’s good standing.
• Bank records that show you have paid the license application cost for a marijuana business
• A Pro Forma for the next two to three years is also provided as part of the official Business Plan.

Licensed Facility Agent

A major official, board member, employee, or volunteer of a marijuana company or marijuana testing facility holds the title of a marijuana facility agent.

You will need a current marijuana facility agent license to operate at a marijuana business or a marijuana testing facility.

Facility Agent application forms needed:

• Attestation by a Facility Agent
• Checklist for Facility Agents
• Fingerprinting guidelines form
• FBI Privacy Act Statement

Submitting the Application

You can fill out and submit your application for an Arizona cannabis license once you’ve finished collecting the required paperwork.

Before submitting your license application, you must own or rent a qualified place. Provide evidence of compliance with zoning regulations, especially regarding proximity to childcare facilities or schools.

Remember that Arizona ranks applications according to the following:

• Your selected location must be at least 25 miles away from the following licensed dispensary.
• To operate as a non-profit medicinal marijuana dispensary, a location must have already been registered.
• If multiple applications are submitted from the same place, the license goes to the applicant serving the most patients within a five-mile radius.

Therefore, remember to do your homework and choose your retail location wisely.