Cannadispatch: News, Events and Education from the Social Equity Program
NOVEMBER 2026
Every step they took protected the peace we live today. Happy Veteran’s Day
Beyond the Battlefield: How Veterans Cope After Service
When the mission ends, how do we learn to cope with what comes home with us? Veterans Day offers an opportunity to honor those who served while recognizing the physical and emotional challenges that can continue long after service. PTSD, chronic pain, disrupted sleep, anxiety, and isolation can shape how Veterans cope and reconnect with life after the battlefield. For some, cannabis may become part of that coping strategy, particularly when seeking relief from pain, stress, or difficulty sleeping. The VA encourages evidence-based care alongside a whole health approach that considers the Veteran as a whole person. This Veterans Day, perhaps the conversation should be less about finding one answer, and more about making comprehensive services available to Veterans who have served our country honorably.
2026 Retail Storefront Application Lottery
Earlier this month, the Department of Cannabis Regulation announced that it will host a lottery for retail storefront license applications in December. Over 2,000 individuals have been verified as Social Equity Individual Applicants (SEIA) in 2019, 2022, and 2025. Individuals verified during these verification processes are eligible to register for the lottery. On November 10, 2026, at noon Pacific Standard Time (PST), registration to participate in the application lottery will open to verified SEIAs. Registration is required to participate in the lottery and will not be automatic. The lottery registration period will close on November 17, 2026, at noon Pacific Standard Time (PST) .
Registration is simple, but requires SEIAs to log into their DCR Licensing Portal account, click the appropriate record type box to apply for the lottery, and follow the lottery registration record prompts from there. Only the SEIA and no other individuals associated with the SEIA may login to the account to submit a Lottery record on behalf of the SEIA. DCR will host a webinar at noon, November 4, 2026, to review the registration process and briefly go over the timeline for the Retail Storefront Application Lottery. SEIAs can RSVP for the Lottery Registration webinar.
If you intend on submitting a lottery registration record, DCR recommends taking some time in advance of the registration period to ensure you know your username and password for logging into the DCR Licensing Portal. If you have any issues logging in, please email DCRLicensing@lacity.org as soon as possible. DCR will dedicate staff to assist with login issues during the Lottery registration period, but depending on the number of inquiries, cannot guarantee we will be able to accommodate all requests within the registration window.
On November 18, 2026, DCR will publish on the DCR website the procedures for how the lottery will be executed and will host a webinar at noon, November 19, 2026, to review the procedures for the lottery execution. SEIAs can RSVP for the Lottery Procedures webinar.
BLC Spotlight
The Social Equity Team is thrilled to present our new docuseries, "Day in the Life." This series provides a behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations of successful cannabis businesses. The first episodes are available now on YouTube; check the latest out below!
Social Equity Team
Green Qween
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM THE SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAM IN 2026?
City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation Business, Licensing, Compliance and Technical Assistance
FREE COACHING
DCR offers over 1,500 hours of free business, professional, and workforce development coaching with subject-matter experts. Complete and submit the Coaching Indemnification Form. SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT COACHING SESSION.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The Business, Licensing & Compliance Assistance Program’s 2026 Webinar Series has begun! For the latest one on Business Risks & Protections click on the Technical Assistance title above.
FREE & LOW-COST LEGAL SERVICES
You are eligible to apply for 10 hours of free legal assistance and 30 hours of legal assistance for $35 per hour.
Visit our Job Board !
Whether you're hiring or on the hunt for your next opportunity, our updated platform is now live and ready to connect top talent with the roles they’re made for. Fresh listings, easier navigation, and new features to help you land the perfect job, check it out now!
THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS) LETS YOU ACCESS POPULAR TRAINING TOPICS FOR FREE.
GET STARTED TODAY!
Advocacy Workshop: Events & Lounges (10/1/2026)
If you are accessing the LMS system for the first time, please log in using the email address linked to your DCR Accela Account and use “Password1”. If you are having difficulty logging into the LMS, contact us at dcr.sep@lacity.org.
Important Updates
Webinars Are Back!
| Date / Time | Title |
|---|---|
12:00 pm, November 5, 2026 | Compliant Marketing of Effects-Based Products Presenter - Angela Bacca-Cordovez |
12:00 pm, November 10, 2026 | Session 1, Your Plan with AI, 4-Part Webinar Presenter - LaWanda Knox |
12:00 pm, November 4, 2026 | How to Register for the 2026 Retail Storefront Application Lottery - Zoom link - RSVP |
12:00 pm, November 19, 2026 | 2026 Retail Storefront Application Lottery Procedures - Zoom Link - RSVP |
Don’t Forget!
Today, November 2, 2026, the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) will close its regular 2027 Renewal period. Beginning November 3, 2026, DCR will allow for late renewals through Monday, November 30, 2026. Late renewals are subject to additional fees. Renewal submissions will not be accepted after November 30, 2026. If your record is not successfully renewed, business activities must cease on 12/31/2026.
Social equity licensees who submit for renewal may receive a fee waiver, subject to availability. Renewal applications submitted between November 3, 2026, to November 30, 2026, are subject to late fees. Fee waivers will not apply to late fees, and may not be available after November 2, 2026.
Please note that invoices will take time to process for online payment. If you submit your renewal on November 2, 2026, you will not be able to pay the renewal fees online that same day. Payments can be made in person or mailed, but please see the guidelines for this on DCR’s Fees, Fines and Payments page. Please be aware that other outstanding fees on the record will require a review by DCR staff during regular business hours and require planning on the record holder’s part. Late fees will apply after November 2, 2026. Please do not wait to submit your renewal and plan for submission and payment with adequate time.
For additional information on the 2027 Renewal please visit DCR’s web page.
Important Update: Preparing for the 2031 Operating Permit Requirement
All commercial cannabis businesses must obtain an Operating Permit from the Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) on or before January 1, 2031. Achieving this milestone requires long-term planning and consistent progress through a series of permitting, inspection, and compliance requirements over the coming years.
Obtaining an Operating Permit is not a process that can be completed in a matter of weeks or months. It often requires coordination with multiple City departments, including the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), and may involve permit applications, plan reviews, inspections, public health approvals, and other regulatory requirements. Because each business's circumstances are unique, the timeline can vary significantly.
To help applicants and licensees successfully navigate this process, DCR has established annual renewal milestones designed to keep businesses on track toward obtaining an Operating Permit by the January 1, 2031 deadline. During each renewal cycle, licensees must demonstrate progress by submitting the required documentation through DCR's Licensing Portal.
DCR will continue providing guidance, educational materials, and outreach resources to help applicants and licensees understand these requirements and prepare for each milestone well in advance of the 2031 deadline.
DCR Renewal Milestones Timeline
2027 Renewal Period (9/1/2026-11/2/2026): By the end of this renewal period either, retain an active California licensed Engineer or Architect listed on the DCA website and include their name and license # OR provide your building permit application # from LADBS in the LIC-4025-FORM.
2028 Renewal Period (9/1/2027-10/31/2027): By the end of this renewal period, provide a building permit application # AND in-progress Clearance Summary Worksheet required by the LA Department of Building and Safety (LADBS).
2029 Renewal Period (9/1/2028-10/31/2028): By the end of this renewal period, provide an active LA County Public Health Permit AND a building permit from LADBS.
2030 Renewal Period (9/1/2029-10/31/2029): By the end of this renewal period either, obtain an LADBS Certificate of Occupancy OR complete a final inspection with LADBS if they determine a Certificate of Occupancy is not required.
By January 1, 2031: Obtain DCR’s Operating Permit by passing a final inspection and submitting an LADBS Certificate of Occupancy to DCR.*
*Businesses will require an Operating Permit after 1/1/2031 to operate. No exceptions.
Annual Licensing
To date, 347 retailers have received approval for Annual Licensure from the City of Los Angeles Cannabis Regulation Commission (CRC).
Community meetings are a requirement prior to scheduling a hearing in front of the Cannabis Regulation Commission, who is ultimately responsible for the approval or denial of an Annual License.
DCR continues to prioritize the review of all annual applications based on the following criteria: (1) upcoming State license expiration dates; (2) non-retail Social Equity businesses who do not have a state provisional license; (3) Social Equity retail businesses; and, (4) all other businesses.
To find out more about the Annual Licensing process, please visit our website. DCR will be releasing a guide with next steps this month for all recent recipients of an Annual License, stay tuned.
Is Your DBA On File With DCR?
Do you have a DBA (Doing Business As)? Is it registered in Accela?
If not, you will also need to submit a Modification Request with DCR (via Accela) to add your DBA.
To complete this process, please submit form LIC-4001-MOD and include the Fictitious Business Name (FBN) filing stamped by the LA County Registrar Recorder/Clerk. Modification requests are free of charge.
Please file this ASAP as it needs to be completed before you receive a Notice of Completed Application pertaining to the annual licensing process. If you have any questions about the DBA process, reach out to your assigned DCR licensing staff member.
Need Some Assistance? Make an Office Hours Appointment
DCR has introduced Office Hours so that stakeholders can meet one-on-one with staff from the licensing, compliance, or social equity teams. This service replaces DCR’s Public Counter Hours with expanded access to DCR staff.
- Anti-Marijuana Attitudes In Sports Are Easing Up, But Ongoing Stigma Makes Athletic Trainers' Jobs Harder, NFL-Funded Study Shows
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Black People Accounted For 83% Of Last Year's Increase In U.S. Marijuana Arrests, Report Shows
Thank you for reading our monthly CannaDispatch newsletter, designed to provide timely and useful information about DCR-SEP news, services, programming and resources for the Los Angeles Social Equity community, SEIAs, licensees and operators.
If you have suggestions for future newsletter topics, please email us at dcr.sep@lacity.org. 221 N. Figueroa St, Suite 1245, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Call (213) 978-0738 to speak with a DCR representative.
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Department of Cannabis Regulation.
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