Cultivator License

The Latest News in cannabis law

Now that marijuana for medicinal and recreational use is legal in California, the opportunities for the commercial growth and cultivation of the plant has increased overnight. With that decision comes new regulations and requirements for the marijuana industry in the state. If you’re currently growing cannabis as a business, you’ll need to stay up-to-date on the regulations as they roll out.

A cultivator is anyone growing the marijuana flower itself. As a cultivator, you must obtain a cultivation license or you will be unable to sell your product to the retail market. With the new regulations in effect, the path to selling and profiting from your growth has entered a new complex phase.  Fickel & Davis is on your side and can help ensure you’re growing in compliance with California law.

This Is What We Know

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has establish the cultivation regulations that include 14 separate license types.  The cultivation license types available in California are:

Specialty Cottage:

(1) Specialty Cottage Outdoor” is an outdoor cultivation site with up to 25 mature plants.

(2) Specialty Cottage Indoor” is an indoor cultivation site with 500 square feet or less of total canopy.

(3) Specialty Cottage Mixed-Light Tier 1 and 2″ is a mixed-light cultivation site with 2,500 square feet or less of total canopy.

Specialty:

(1) Specialty Outdoor” is an outdoor cultivation site with less than or equal to 5,000 square feet of total canopy, or up to 50 mature plants on noncontiguous plots.

(2) Specialty Indoor” is an indoor cultivation site between 501 and 5,000 square feet of total canopy.

(3) Specialty Mixed-Light Tier 1 and 2″ is a mixed-light cultivation site between 2,501 and 5,000 square feet of total canopy.

Small:

(1) Small Outdoor” is an outdoor cultivation site between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet of total canopy.

(2) Small Indoor” is an indoor cultivation site between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet of total canopy.

(3) Small Mixed-Light Tier 1 and 2″ is a mixed-light cultivation site between 5,001 and 10,000 square feet of total canopy.

Medium:

(1) Medium Outdoor” is an outdoor cultivation site between 10,001 square feet and one acre of total canopy.

(2) Medium Indoor” is an indoor cultivation site between 10,001 and 22,000 square feet of total canopy.

(3) Medium Mixed-Light Tier 1 and 2″ is a mixed-light cultivation site between 10,001 and 22,000 square feet of total canopy.

Nursery: is a cultivation site that conducts the cultivation of cannabis solely as a nursery.

Processor: is a cultivation site that conducts only trimming, drying, curing, grading, packaging, or labeling of cannabis and nonmanufactured cannabis products.

Many current growers are concerned about the big businesses coming into the industry and pushing small businesses out. With a legal team on your side like Fickel & Davis, we can help you figure out which license type actually works best for your business, and we can help you obtain the permits needed to continue growing within that space.

We can also help your cultivation business with:

  • Business Formation
  • Obtaining city and/or county permits and state licenses (when available)
  • Making sure you’re compliant with city, county and state commercial marijuana laws
  • Making sure you’re compliant with California employment laws
  • Taking necessary security measures
  • Fighting against potential opposition to your business
  • Advising on the current status of marijuana laws for all California municipalities
  • Advising on pending city, county and state legislation

This Is How We Can Help You Down the Line

An advocate like Fickel & Davis can help keep you in the loop as the state’s requirements and regulations keep changing, so you can focus on growing the marijuana plant, and reaping the rewards of a successful and California compliant company.