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STOREFRONT Dispensaries

There are 30 permitted storefront dispensaries in the City of Sacramento.  In November 2020, Council approved the addition of 10 new permits exclusive to the participants of the Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) Program.  Thus, applications for the 10 new storefront dispensary permits will only be accepted from the 10 highest scoring participants in the recent Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process.

 

NON-STOREFRONT DISPENSARIES

Non-storefront dispensaries are cannabis retail stores that are not open to the public.  Retail transactions are conducted strictly by delivery only.  Please see our delivery page for more information on non-storefront, delivery-only dispensaries.

HOW TO APPLY 

Step 1: Conditional Use Permit (CUP) – Planning Division

Due to Covid-19, the Planning counters are currently closed.  All applications must be submitted through the Planning's online portal.

Click here to check if a property has a CUP or to check the status of your CUP application.

 

Step 2: Business Operating Permit – Office of Cannabis Management

Once you have submitted a complete CUP application, you will receive an application file number (Z file or P file). With this number, you can submit an application for a BOP. 

Due to Covid-19, the OCM counters are currently closed.  All applications must be submitted through the OCM online portal.  View the BOP approval process here

Documents Required for Application:

  • Z or P number (CUP application #)
  • Information on Proposed Location
  • Business structure (filing with Sec. of State)
  • Business Plan
  • Security Plan
  • Floor plan/Site Plan
  • Odor Control Plan
  • Copy of Neighborhood Responsibility Plan *
  • Financial documents
  • General Liability Insurance
  • Community Relations Plan
  • Business Operating Tax (BOT) Certificate
  • Business Operating Permit Fee *
  • Owners Statement of Consent
  • Business-Type-Specific Requirements
    • Vehicle and Driver checklist (if adding delivery)
  • Background Check (Live Scan) for all interested parties. For delivery operations, drivers are considered as interested parties and required to pass a background check.

*Waived for CORE applicants

To pay for your application, please schedule a payment appointment here

After CUP is approved (or a zoning review is completed for small manufacturers) and while BOP application is in process, proceed to step 3.

Step 3:  Building Permits/ Tenant Improvements and Certificate of Occupancy – Building Department         

The Building Department's public counters are open by appointment only.   All building department applications must be submitted online.  Please visit the Building Department online portal and select appropriate service you need.  For more information on building permit requirements, please click here

Step 4:  State License – Department of Cannabis Control

Applying for your State license may also take place before Step 3.  However, it is best to take your tenant improvement schedule into consideration to make sure that you have a valid (unexpired) State license as you go into the BOP final review step and/or start operating your cannabis business.

Step 5: The Final Review – Office of Cannabis Management

After the CofO is issued, contact OCM to schedule a BOP walk-thru ( A walk-thru will not be scheduled until the premises has been issued its CofO).  Walk-thrus are conducted by the Sacramento Police Department, Code Enforcement and OCM on Wednesdays only.  To help you prepare, please refer to this walk-thru checklist  to ensure that requirements are in place and ready for evaluation. The checklist also contains information on what to expect after your walk-thru. 

During this time, your BOP application goes into final review and you will be required to provide updated information for your application including Certificate of Insurance, interested parties, and any associated background checks. If there are no corrections from the walk-thru and all application documents have been updated, the BOP will be issued.

 

OTHER NON-CITY REQUIREMENTS             

CEQA COMPLIANCE

If the City has determined that the project is exempt from CEQA review, applicants can obtain from their planner a completed Notice of Exemption (NOE).  The NOE must be filed with these agencies: 1)  Sacramento County Clerk,  and 2) the State Office of Planning and Research (OPR).  The 2019 fee for the County Clerk filing is $40.00.  There is no fee for filing with OPR.  The applicant must file the notice of exemption in order to obtain a date-stamped copy of the NOE required for a State license.