CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing, a division of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), ensures public safety and environmental protection by licensing and regulating commercial cannabis cultivators in California. CalCannabis also manages the state’s track-and-trace system, which tracks all commercial cannabis and cannabis products—from cultivation to sale. CalCannabis is organized into three branches: Licensing, Compliance and Enforcement, and Administration.
General Program Information and Links to Sister Agencies
- Subscribe to the CDFA listserv to receive automatic Program updates via email.
- Contact CalCannabis via email at calcannabis@cdfa.ca.gov or by phone at (833) 225-4769.
- If you are interested in learning about licenses for medical cannabis transportation, distribution, laboratory testing or dispensaries, please visit Bureau of Cannabis Control.
- If you are interested in learning about licenses for medical cannabis manufacturing, please visit the Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch.
Cannabis Cultivation Licenses
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s CalCannabis program is now accepting applications for temporary and annual cannabis cultivation licenses.
Prior to applying for a license, new users must register for an account on the online licensing system.
Important Note about Annual Cannabis Cultivation Licenses: The Department will begin review of the annual license application once you submit the Live Scan fingerprints for each person who meets the definition of “owner,” as described in the emergency regulations.
- Annual Cultivation License Application with Instructions
- Annual Cultivation License Pest Management Fillable Form
- Annual Cultivation License Waste Management Fillable Form
- A Reference Guide for the Application Attachments
- A Reference Guide for the Cultivation Plan
Temporary licenses are valid for 120 days, with the possibility of extensions, if warranted. They will only be issued to applicants with a valid license, permit, or other authorization from their local jurisdiction.
* Click here for the temporary and annual commercial cannabis cultivation license applications
* Step-by-Step Videos: How to Fill Out an Application for a Temporary and an Annual State Cannabis Cultivation License
For more information please click here.