Greetings!
In a few days, the 2027 DCR Renewal Period begins. DCR hopes that the many resources it has provided will create an easier renewal experience for operators and record holders. DCR will host its final renewal webinar on September 2, 2026. It will provide step-by-step instructions on renewing via the licensing portal. In this news bulletin, you find out how to join this webinar and how to watch past webinars.
Though I addressed an increase in DCR fees in my remarks last month, it’s important to point out again that the 2027 renewals have changed to reflect higher operational costs. Additional information is available on DCR’s Fees, Fines Payments page. Please note that fee waivers that are limited in scope might be available for Social Equity Individuals. Read more in this bulletin.
I am also happy to announce two items from the Social Equity Program: 1) an upcoming in-person training event on August 27; and 2) the release of the Social Equity Program’s latest installment of the “Day in the Life” video series. Read on for more information on the in-person training event and how to access the video about Pauwels Cannabis Company. Hear their story in this video.
As the summer months wind down and the bustle of the fall season nears, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with and take advantage of the many resources available to you as an entrepreneur. DCR’s webinars are recorded and available for viewing 24/7, and online business courses are available on DCR’s Access Cannabis website. Social equity individuals have added opportunities through the Social Equity Program that include business consultations, no or low cost legal assistance and in-person events.
Enjoy the last few days of summer.
Best,
Michelle Garakian
Executive Director
Department of Cannabis Regulation
DCR will open its renewal period on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, and continue through Monday, November 2, 2026. All DCR records must be renewed annually in order to remain active into the following calendar year. Please visit DCR’s website page on the 2027 Renewal Period for requirements and deadlines. DCR will have one late renewal period only in November.
Please join the September 2, 2026, webinar called “Road to Renewal and Beyond: Navigating the 2027 Process” that walks individuals through submitting your renewal. You can RSVP and presubmit questions on DCR’s events page. It begins at noon. Below see the required information needed for this renewal period.
2027 Renewal Requirements
For the 2027 DCR renewal period, applicants and licensees must either: retain an active California licensed Engineer or Architect that will prepare building plans OR submit building plans and obtain a building permit application number from LADBS. Applicants will be required to include the name and license number of their Engineer or Architect OR provide the LADBS building permit application number on the LIC-4025-FORM.
Please note that 2027 Renewal Fees have changed. For additional information, please visit DCR’s Fees, Fines, and Payments page. For verified Social Equity Individual Applicants, DCR is utilizing grant funds to provide Social Equity Applicants a renewal fee waiver limited in scope. Social equity licensees who submit for renewal may receive a fee waiver, subject to availability; don’t wait, submit early. The fee table is available on the Access Cannabis website.
The Department of Cannabis Regulation's (DCR) Social Equity Program will host an In-Person Training Summit on Thursday, August 27, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., bringing together DCR subject matter experts to help Social Equity applicants and licensees navigate key milestones in the licensing process.
The summit will feature presentations and interactive breakout sessions covering:
- Certificate of Occupancy
- Operating Permits
- 2026 Annual License Renewal changes
- licensing milestones
- compliance requirements
- and other important topics
Participants will also have the opportunity to meet directly with members of DCR's Licensing and Compliance teams to ask questions, discuss individual challenges, and connect with available resources.
The event is part of the Social Equity Program's ongoing outreach efforts to better understand the needs of applicants and licensees; and to provide timely, practical education that supports long-term success in Los Angeles' regulated cannabis industry.
You can RSVP to the event to be held at Figueroa Plaza, 221 Figueroa St., Los Angeles, in Room 550. Free parking will be provided. The goal of this workshop is for business owners to confidently submit renewal applications independently and to work effectively and efficiently with hired professionals and city staff throughout the building and public health permit processes. There is no cost to attend but is limited to verified Social Equity Individual Applicants.
Running a business, specifically a cannabis business, takes a lot of hard work, ingenuity, confidence, and sometimes luck. David and Tiffany Pauwels are veterans in the cannabis space with decades of good and not-so-great experiences. In the latest episode of “A Day in the Life,” a Social Equity Program series of videos, the Pauwels team talks about their strategy of working with administrators/regulators, rather than procrastinating in doing so; finding the sweet spot between promotion and profit; and utilizing the resources available to them to increase the odds of success for their shop Pauwels Cannabis Company. Get a glimpse into their day-to-day life.
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