Cannabis cultivation is legal in California, but those who want to grow it must have a license issued by the state, and of course, a place to do that. California is a big state with 58 counties, which means there are plenty of cities that provide the minimum conditions needed for this plant to grow properly.
The local office can issue a license if you want to cultivate it, but there are some things you need to do before that. If you are interested to learn more about this and see what do you really need to get that certificate, you can check the instructions on Green Growth CPAs, who are always there to help you during the process.
But, before you do that, you must locate the agencies who are working with that, compare them, and see what documents will you need to apply for this type of license. Don’t forget that you only have to check the state’s regulations, since they can be different from one state to another.
So here are the steps you have to take in the initial phase:
- Find the agency that is issuing these approvals, see what they are looking for, collect all the documents, and apply online or at their office.
- Find a property, rent it, or use your own to plant and cultivate the cannabis. Describe it nicely, so they can estimate if the conditions are enough for the plant to grow.
- Make a detailed plan on what you want to do, how many plants you will have, and how will you keep them alive and healthy all the time.
- Apply and wait for approval. Don’t try to start this job with the proper allowance, because that’s illegal.
There are plenty of agencies all around the USA that is issuing this document. But, if you come from another state, and you have a property in California, and you want to use it for a cannabis-related business, then the laws of the place the land is located apply. Also, you will have to pay some additional fees, since it’s a procedure. The commission that will issue this document will also check your plan, and estimate if you have a realistic chance to make these things happen, by:
Checking the available land
You have to provide all the needed information on this. The type of the soil, the weather conditions, zones, is it close to apartments and houses, is it close to the road and affected directly by the gas emission, and so on. Surely you want to start a profitable business, and agricultural features are important at the beginning. You are more likely to get the license if the land has an ideal position in nature, and it’s away from the neighborhoods and roads.
Do you have a plan for how to do that?
It’s not enough just to throw the seeds on the ground, and wait for them to grow. As we said, you want to cultivate it, which means you will have to always provide the needed conditions to grow a healthy plant by yourself. Some people don’t recognize the challenge, and that’s why the state is asking for a plan, to see if it’s worth it to issue the certificate.
Expect some charges to pay for the permit and fees
Once you find the agency to apply, they will transparently list all the expenses you will have to get this license. Keep in mind that it’s not really cheap, but it depends on the size of the land, and your plans for profit.
Read carefully the requirements
Every application requires a lot of details about your business plan, and you will have to provide a whole bunch of documents for your cultivation project before it’s approved and licensed. You can prepare and write the project by yourself, or you can do that with a help of someone more experienced than you. Some of the agencies that issue this document also have a service that helps the people create the project, so they can increase the chances for it to be approved.
Plan for improvement
In order to issue the document, the agencies and commissions also want to see your plan for improvement. It’s important for them to maintain the business on a high level, and they will always motivate the candidates to make even better plans to improve it, by creating facilities and providing better conditions for the plant to grow.
Some useful terms you have to know
If you are completely sure you are ready to get into this, then you have to know a few terms that are usually associated with cannabis growth, as the A-Type of a license, which means you will produce CBD products of any type for commercial use. BCC is short for the Bureau of Cannabis Control, CDFA is for California Department of Food and Agriculture, but also their Department of Public Health (CDPH) takes an important part in providing and issuing this important document. M-Type license is for growth for medicinal use. In the contract, you will be the owner and the one in charge, and so on.
First, you need to have a city approval or local approval, which you will use to apply for a state license. Some counties have different regulations, and you have to follow them strictly. So, first, you need city approval, then a county one, and use them for state approval. Also, you have to know what are you looking for. For example, you will get a different license if you plan to be a retailer or distributor, but you must list that in your application, so they can know which type of certificate to issue.
The procedure is long, and if you are sure you want to do this, then you should start with your local authorities, who will explain what do you need for further activities. Also, they will estimate if there is a need for another manufacturer at the market since there are more than you can imagine. But, don’t lose the spirits – if you really want it, then go for it without looking back.
