Apply online for a new marijuana business license or permit

Applications for business licenses and amendments must be complete. They must include all required information and documents. Remember:

• All materials must be digital files and saved as a .pdf or .jpg file only. Do not include any other file types in your application. The Department of Excise and Licenses will not accept other file types.
• Legal documents included with the application must be properly signed and executed.
• All materials must be legible.
• In some cases, you could have to combine documents and upload them in a single .pdf. You can use a free, online tool to merge documents into a single file.
• Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Applicants can use this checklist(PDF, 136KB) to gather the required information and documents.

Important: If you are applying for multiple licenses at a single location or under a single entity name, you only need to complete the licensed establishment and entity registration records once. After you complete the initial licensed establishment and entity registration applications, you can add licenses to those records. Only create new licensed establishment and entity registration records for new locations and new entities.

For the licensed establishment record, every applicant (except for no-premises transporters and mobile hospitality businesses with no licensed premises in Denver) will provide:

• Any location name you may use to distinguish locations. For example, if you have multiple licenses at multiple locations.
• The name, position, date of birth, home address, phone number and email address for an onsite manager. They have the authority to make decisions about the licensed establishment. And they have access to and control over the licensed establishment at all times (required for all applicants).
• A zoning use permit or acknowledgement of zoning use permit form(PDF, 109KB). An acknowledgement of zoning use permit form can be used to submit a new license application. A new license will not be issued until the applicant provides a valid zoning use permit.
• Proof of legal possession of the premises. It must be valid for at least 90 days from the date a complete application is submitted. Only one of the following must be submitted:
  • A complete possession of property certificate(PDF, 161KB) (recommended); or
  • A deed; or
  • A complete, unredacted lease, including all amendments. If leased, the owner must provide written consent to lease the property to a marijuana facility. The the lease must be valid for at least 90 days from the date a complete application is submitted.
• A floor plan that meets the requirements for marijuana licensing. See floor plan requirements below.
• A copy of burglar alarm monitoring contract.
• A copy of burglar alarm permit.

For the entity registration record, every applicant will provide:

• Any trade names under which the entity operates.
• Information for every controlling beneficial owner (natural persons and entities) associated with the license. This includes the name, home address, date of birth (or the date of incorporation of the entity), position, phone number, email address, percentage owned, state owner license number, relevant social equity qualification information, and voluntary demographic information for every owner.
• For owner-entities associated with the license, select "Holding Company" in the "Position" drop-down.
• A copy of a valid government-issued identification for each controlling beneficial owner (natural person) associated with the license, directly or through an entity
• A copy of organizational documents or corporate governance documents (articles of incorporation, by-laws, operating or partnership agreement, and certificate of trade name).
• An organizational chart to clarify ownership structure.

For the business file number (license) record, applicants will provide:

• A valid, related state business license number.
• A burglar alarm permit number. This is not required for no-premises transporters or mobile hospitality businesses with no licensed premises in Denver.
• A business employer identification number.
• Proof of eligibility for any social equity licensee(PDF, 86KB) listed in the ownership structure. This is required only if social equity licensees are listed in the ownership structure.
• A complete social impact plan(PDF, 40KB). This must be on the city's provided template. This is required for every license (every license type, medical and retail). Only one business file number should be entered per form.
• A copy of the city sales tax license. This is required only for stores and hospitality and sales businesses.
• A copy of the state sales tax license. This is required only for stores and hospitality and sales businesses.
• Proof of an occupational privilege tax license. This is required only for transporters.
• An odor control plan(PDF, 202KB). This is required only for hospitality and hospitality and sales businesses.
• A health and sanitation plan(PDF, 162KB). This is required only for hospitality, hospitality and sales, and mobile hospitality businesses.
• Business Tax Account ID. This is not required for transporter or off-premises storage facility. This is the occupational privilege tax. It's the first six digits of that account number.

More information for mobile hospitality business licenses

If you are applying for a mobile hospitality business license, you must apply for separate licenses for each mobile premises (vehicle). You must provide:

• The Vehicle Identification Number.
• Bus layout diagram should include ingress and egress labeled, driver division, GPS tracking device, security cameras, consumption areas, limited or restricted access areas, licensed premised, entity name, and key/legend.
• The license plate number.
• A copy of the vehicle registration.
• Proof of insurance for the vehicle.
• Route log form(PDF, 142KB) that shows pickup and drop-off locations, as well as all stops along the route, must be submitted as a single PDF document. Sample route log(PDF, 186KB).

More information for off-premises storage facility licenses

For a medical or retail marijuana off-premises storage facility application, you must provide:

• The related Denver marijuana business file number associated with the new off-premises storage facility. For example, the business file number for the store, cultivation, etc., associated with the off-premises storage facility.
• The related state of Colorado marijuana business license number associated with the new off-premises storage facility. For example, the state business license number for the store, cultivation, etc., associated with the off-premises storage facility.

More information for transporters applying for delivery permits

• The Vehicle Identification Number for each delivery motor vehicle.
• The license plate number for each delivery motor vehicle.
• Proof of insurance for each delivery motor vehicle (combined and uploaded in a single .pdf).
• A copy of the business' state delivery permit.
• A copy of the vehicle registration for each delivery motor vehicle (combined and uploaded in a single .pdf).

Provide a floor plan, or several floor plans, drawn to scale on a standard 8 ½-inch-by-11-inch piece of paper. It is preferred and strongly recommended that you submit plans that have been prepared digitally by a design professional. Floor plans must be labeled with the business name and complete address, including unit and suite numbers. Separate floors must be shown on separate pieces of paper and clearly identified. For example, the basement, first floor, etc. Your floor plan must be complete and accurate. The submission must include:

• The physical layout of the establishment with the legibly labeled principal uses of each room that includes but is not limited to all walls and doors.
• The legible identification of all security cameras and DVR locations.
• The intended licensed premises must be contiguous and outlined in red.
• The intended limited access areas must be contiguous and outlined in green.
• A legend or key must define the features on the map. This includes but is not limited to the red and green lines. And any symbol or marker used to identify security cameras.
• Stores only: Each room that is a restricted access area must be clearly labeled as such. Each point-of-sale station and sale counter location must be identified.
• Modification of premises applications only: Copies of current and proposed floor plans must be included in the application. It must be combined in a single PDF. You can use a free, online tool to merge documents into a single file. The current copy must be legibly labeled "CURRENT FLOOR PLAN." And the proposed copy must be legibly labeled "PROPOSED FLOOR PLAN."
• If you submit several floor plans to satisfy all requirements outlined above, the physical layout and room uses must be identical for each floor plan showing the same section of the premises.

Definitions

• Licensed premises: The premises in possession of the licensee. It's where the licensee can cultivate, manufacture, distribute, sell, store, transport, or test marijuana.
• Limited access area: The building, room, or other contiguous area upon the licensed premises. It's where regulated marijuana and regulated marijuana products are grown, cultivated, manufactured, stored, weighed, packaged, sold, possessed for sale, transferred, or processed for transfer, under control of the licensee, with access limited to only those persons licensed by the State Licensing Authority and those visitors escorted by a person licensed by the State Licensing Authority. All areas of ingress or egress to limited access areas must be clearly identified as such by a sign as designated by the State Licensing Authority.
• Restricted access area: A designated and secure area within a licensed premises in a medical marijuana store where medical marijuana is sold to patients or their caregiver, possessed for sale, and displayed for sale, and where no one without a valid patient registry card or that patient's caregiver is permitted. Also, in a retail marijuana store or a retail marijuana hospitality and sales business where retail marijuana is sold to consumers, possessed for sale, and displayed for sale, and where no one younger than 21 years old is permitted.

See examples of floor plans(PDF, 291KB).

Visit our Fees for marijuana license, permit and amendment applications webpage for more information.

Inspection status

Check your inspection status in the Online Permitting and Licensing Center.

Inspection process and information

When a licensing technician's review of your change of location application is complete, they will provide you with an inspection notice. You should engage professionals to ensure you're in compliance with building, zoning, public health and fire prevention requirements. Here is a non-comprehensive guide(PDF, 860KB) to common marijuana business license inspection requirements.

Inspecting agencies will digitally pass or fail your inspections. All inspecting agencies must pass your inspections before the Department can close your change of location records.

Inspections vary by license type. For example, the environmental quality inspects for only certain license types (cultivation and manufacturing facilities). In general, the following inspections are required for most new marijuana business license applications:

Community Planning & Development: Zoning and neighborhood inspections

• Applicable zoning code information
• Permit information
• Schedule an inspection by calling 311 (if outside of Denver, call (720) 913-1311)

Community Planning & Development: Building Inspections Division

• Applicable building code information
• Permit information
• Schedule an inspection by calling 311 (if outside of Denver, call (720) 913-1311)

Fire prevention

• Applicable code information
• Permit information
• Schedule an inspection by calling (720) 913-3409

Public Health & Environment: Public Health Inspections Division. Inspection required only for stores, manufacturing, testing, transporter, and off-premises storage facilities.

• Schedule an inspection by calling 311 (if outside of Denver, call (720) 913-1311)

Public Health & Environment: Environmental quality. Inspection required only for cultivation and manufacturing facilities.

• Schedule an inspection by calling 311 (if outside of Denver, call (720) 913-1311)

Excise and Licenses (this cannot be scheduled until all other inspections have passed)

• Schedule an inspection by calling 311 (if outside of Denver, call (720) 913-1311)