Minnesota OCM Opens First Adult-Use Cannabis License Application Window for Retailers and Cultivators (October 2025)

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management opened its first adult-use cannabis retail and cultivator license application window on October 1, 2025, 29 months after HF 100 legalized adult-use cannabis, with applications prioritized for social equity applicants and medical cannabis manufacturers converting to adult-use.

Context

Minnesota HF 100, enacted May 30, 2023, legalized adult-use cannabis for persons 21 and older effective August 1, 2023. The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) was established to oversee licensing, but buildout of the regulatory framework delayed the first license application window. Medical cannabis manufacturers (registered under the former MMJ program) began a conversion process in early 2025.

Application Window: October 1 – December 1, 2025

The OCM will accept applications for the following license categories:

| License Category | Annual Fee | Application Fee | |---|---|---| | Retail Cannabis Store | $10,000 | $2,000 | | Microbusiness Retailer | $1,000 | $500 | | Cannabis Cultivator (Tier 1: ≤2,500 sq ft) | $2,500 | $500 | | Cannabis Cultivator (Tier 2: ≤10,000 sq ft) | $5,000 | $1,000 | | Cannabis Cultivator (Tier 3: ≤30,000 sq ft) | $10,000 | $2,000 |

Social Equity Priority

Minn. Stat. § 342.17 requires the OCM to prioritize license applications from:

Individuals from communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis enforcement
Veteran-owned small businesses
Economically distressed farmer applicants

Priority applicants receive a 30-day head start in the review queue and a 50% reduction in application fees.

Conversion Applications

Existing medical cannabis manufacturers may submit conversion applications through a separate, expedited track with no additional application fee. Conversions are expected to be approved by Q1 2026.

Key Deadlines

| Date | Milestone | |---|---| | Oct 1, 2025 | Application portal opens (priority applicants) | | Nov 1, 2025 | Application portal opens (all applicants) | | Dec 1, 2025 | Application portal closes | | Q2 2026 | First license issuances expected |

Note

Minnesota law prohibits more than one retail license per household address and limits single-entity ownership to 3 retail licenses statewide. Multi-location operators must plan their entity structure accordingly.