Greetings!
The Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) has now wrapped up the regular 2026 license and record renewal period. Through the regular renewal period which ended on November 1, 2025, over 80% of record holders submitted renewal applications. DCR reached out to you through targeted emails, text messages, social media and even phone calls throughout over 80 different separate communications.
DCR also updated its Rules and Regulations for Cannabis Procedures last month. Please read more about it below as it's very important for licensees to stay compliant with current rules.
Other important information that you should know about in this edition include:
- A status update on license exclusivity for Social Equity Individual Applicants.
- Information on an Office of Finance memorandum to the Los Angeles City Council about a possible tax amnesty program.
- A call for business operators to include their job postings on the Social Equity Program’s Jobs Board.
We know that you all have many things to do during this season. DCR hopes that this bulletin makes it a bit easier for you to stay on top of the news you need to know.
Please note that DCR offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 11, for Veteran’s Day, and on Thursday, November 27, and Friday, November 28, for Thanksgiving.
Wishing you all a very warm and happy Thanksgiving,
Regards,
Michelle Garakian
Executive Director
Department of Cannabis Regulation
The regular Cannabis Regulation Commission (CRC) meeting, scheduled for Thursday, November 6, 2025 was cancelled due to a lack of quorum. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
Effective October 17, 2025, the Department of Cannabis Regulation has adopted important updates to its Rules and Regulations to help licensees stay compliant and aligned with state standards.
Updates to the Violations System
There is a new five-tier violation system: 1) Low; 2) Minor; 3) Moderate; 4) Major; and 5) Severe. The newest system includes updated fine amounts to ensure that penalties more closely reflect the severity of each violation.
Product Tracking
Additionally, there are new regulations governing product tracking and accountability, requiring all cannabis to be traceable in the State’s system and all inventory and sales to be accurately recorded.
Other updates simplify business operations by:
- removing trash collection hours;
- consolidating workplace conduct rules to cover staff, vendors, and customers;
- eliminating the requirement to provide an employee code of conduct; and,
- eliminating the requirement for visitor sign-ins at all facilities.
Other Updates
Finally, retailers may now provide trade samples to employees for education, consistent with state law, and only one age-verification device is required on the Business Premises and not at each point-of-sale locations.
For more detailed information, please see the updated Rules and Regulations for Cannabis Procedures here. For a summary of revisions, please click here.
If you are looking for the next star to add to your team, post your job opening on the Social Equity Program’s Jobs Board. See the video below to find out more and click here to post your job opening. You can also email DCR.SEP@lacity.org
Currently, there are nearly 20 job postings listed from sales account managers to drivers to assistant managers to account associates to budtenders. Let us know you are hiring, too!
In June, Council introduced a Motion requesting DCR to pause the Phase 3 Round 3 retail license lottery in 2025. Council also requested the City Attorney to prepare and present an Ordinance to amend LAMC Chapter X, Article 4 which would extend the Social Equity Applicant exclusivity period for retail licenses.
That same month, Council adopted a Motion concerning Existing Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (EMMD’s), which proposes thoughtful updates to certain location-based sensitive use restrictions and zoning requirements. These updates offer broad benefits by aligning City regulations with State law, fostering more consistent and efficient land use review processes, and promoting equity, fair opportunity, and real estate access for cannabis businesses through reduced licensing barriers.
In September, the Council approved a Motion to extend the applicant re-filing period from two to five years.
The City Attorney submitted ordinances for the actions above on Friday, October 31, 2025, which will be heard at the Government and Operations Committee on Friday, November 7th. You may listen here.
Also, last month, the City’s Office of Finance sent a memorandum to the Los Angeles City Council in response to its 2025-26 Adopted Budget request to report on the potential of a tax amnesty program for licensed cannabis businesses. The report was referred to the Government Operations and Budget & Finance committees.
Click here to learn more.
In case you missed the regular 2026 DCR Renewal period, late 2026 Renewal Applications and/or late renewal payments may be submitted after their due dates, however, the renewal fee will be subject to Expedited Services Fees. Renewal applications submitted on or after November 2, 2025, or those without renewal payments made by November 3, 2025, will be subject to Expedited Services Fee Level 1 (150% rate) through December 31, 2025. Expedited Services Fee Level 2 (200% rate) will apply from January 1, 2026 through February 28, 2026. Submission of a renewal application and/or payment of the renewal fees does not guarantee renewal. Activities associated with unpaid Annual License Application fees will be deemed abandoned and those activities are ineligible for refiling.
2025 record(s) and license(s) expire after 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2025. All persons who have allowed their license(s) to expire and who continue to engage in Commercial Cannabis Activity are subject to an enforcement action and/or criminal penalties for unlicensed Commercial Cannabis Activity. (Los Angeles Municipal (“LAMC”) Section 104.15.)
For more information on the renewal process, click here.
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