Los Angeles will begin accepting marijuana cultivation license applications from all eligible applicants on October 19, expanding access to a portion of the city’s regulated marijuana industry that previously operated under more restrictive licensing procedures.
According to the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation, cultivation applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis within each available Community Plan Area until the city’s limits on business concentration are reached.
The change follows the adoption of Ordinance 189034, which updates municipal licensing procedures for marijuana cultivation, delivery and manufacturing businesses. The Los Angeles City Council approved the ordinance on August 25, and Mayor Karen Bass approved it on September 8. It takes effect October 19.
Under the ordinance, the department must send applicants a notice confirming whether their annual application is complete within 30 days of filing. Once an application is deemed complete, the department has 90 days to approve the license, although applications can be denied during processing.
The new application process does not eliminate existing restrictions on where cultivation businesses can operate. Cultivation licenses remain subject to geographic concentration limits, meaning applications may be unavailable in areas that have already reached the city’s established thresholds.
In an April report to the City Council, the Department of Cannabis Regulation said existing licensing provisions had not kept pace with changes to California’s marijuana regulatory system. The city’s cultivation licensing framework had last been substantially updated in 2018, while delivery provisions dated to 2017.
The department said modernizing the licensing process could encourage participation in the regulated market and generate additional tax revenue for Los Angeles.
Other marijuana business categories remain subject to different requirements. The department currently accepts applications for distribution, testing, delivery and nonvolatile manufacturing, while applications for volatile manufacturing remain closed. Storefront retail licensing continues to operate under separate social equity restrictions.
Businesses seeking to apply for cultivation licenses can access the city’s application system through the Department of Cannabis Regulation’s official website. Applicants must obtain both local and California state authorization before conducting commercial marijuana activities.
