Ohio Marijuana Licensing

What License Types Exist in New Ohio?

Currently, Ohio cannabis licenses are issued by the state’s Division of Cannabis Control (DCC). The cannabis licenses issued in the state include:

Medical Cannabis Cultivation License

This license authorizes the licensee to grow medical marijuana and deliver or sell medical marijuana to licensed processors. The cultivation license is regulated by the Ohio Department of Commerce (ODC) and may be issued as a Level I or Level II cultivation license.

Level I Medical Cannabis Cultivation License

This license authorizes the licensee to operate an initial cultivation area measuring no more than 25,000 square feet.

Level II Medical Cannabis Cultivation License

This license authorizes the licensee to operate up to 3,000 square feet of initial designated cannabis cultivation area. Licensed cultivators wishing to expand their plant canopies beyond these limits must submit expansion requests for approval.

Medical Cannabis Processor License

Ohio medical cannabis processor license permits the licensee to:

• Obtain medical cannabis from licensed medical cannabis cultivators
• Process medical marijuana obtained from licensed cultivators into a form that may be dispensed
• Deliver or sell processed medical cannabis to licensed retail dispensaries

Ohio licenses three types of cannabis processing facilities: standalone, plant-only, and vertically integrated processors.

Medical Cannabis Dispensary License

The Ohio medical cannabis dispensary license authorizes the licensee to obtain medical cannabis from licensed processors and dispense or sell it to qualified patients.

Medical Cannabis Testing Labs

The Ohio medical cannabis testing laboratory license permits a testing laboratory to obtain medical cannabis from licensed cultivators, processors, and retail dispensaries, and conduct testing on the cannabis obtained.

Also, in accordance with the Ohio voters-approved initiated statute in November 2023, the Division of Cannabis Control issues non-medical cannabis licenses in the following categories:

Dual-Use Cannabis License

The dual-use cannabis license is available to any current medical marijuana cultivator, processor, dispensary, and testing laboratory licensee who intends to participate in the Ohio non-medical cannabis market at their current approved location.

10(B) Dispensary License

Pursuant to Section 3780.10(B) of the Ohio Revised Code, the following licenses a 10(B) dispensary license may be issued to:

• A Level I medical marijuana cultivator with a certificate of operation or provisional license
• A Level II medical marijuana cultivator with a certificate of operation or provisional license
• A medical marijuana dispensary having a certificate of operation or provisional license, which does not have a common ownership or control with any processor or cultivator