California Resources

The California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) licenses and regulates cannabis businesses in the state. Specifically, it regulates the growing of cannabis plants; manufacture of cannabis products; transportation and tracking of cannabis goods throughout the state; sale of cannabis goods; events where cannabis is sold or used; labeling of goods sold at retail. Cannabis businesses require licenses from the state and the local jurisdiction to conduct business activity.

Resources available from DCC are below

• DCC Website
• DCC Fact Sheet
• California Cannabis Law
• Resources for Applicants
• Resources for Licensees
• Resources for Consumers

City of Los Angeles Resources

Taxation

• The Office of Finance collects fees and tax receipts from licensed cannabis businesses in the City of Los Angeles. For more information on local taxation, see links below.
• City of Los Angeles Cannabis Tax Rate Table
• City of Los Angeles Taxation of Cannabis Code

Permits

Several city departments participate in the permitting process required for new businesses in order to operate in the City of Los Angeles to protect public health and safety. Below are a few of the departments involved and links to receive more information.

The Los Angeles Fire Department’s Cannabis Unit conducts and/or oversees annual compliance of fire and life safety, chemical inventory, permit fees, and plan approvals for all businesses conducting cannabis related operations in the City of Los Angeles.

The Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) conducts inspections, provides plan checks, issues building permits and Certificates of Occupancy to cannabis businesses in the City.

Approvals from other departments may be required prior to issuance of permits depending on location and project scope.

Some examples include:

• Department of City Planning
• Fire Department
• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
• Department of Public Works, Bureau of Engineering
• Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation - Industrial Waste

LADBS also provides a Restaurant and Small Business Express Program that helps businesses navigate the permit process with city departments by assigning your business a case manager. For more information, click here.

Los Angeles County  - Identifying Local, Legal Cannabis Retailers

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LADPH) operates the Cannabis Compliance and Enforcement Program (CCEP) that conducts public health inspections of cannabis businesses in the City of Los Angeles. The program ensures that licensed cannabis businesses are complying with public health standards for consumers, state regulations, and local ordinances. For retail storefront businesses, CCEP also operates the Emblem Program for Authorized Cannabis Stores that provides signage to qualifying stores as a way for consumers to identify that the retail facility has received all required state and local licenses and approvals.

Members of the general public can learn more about the County of Los Angeles Public Health Inspections & Emblem Program for cannabis businesses here.

Cannabis business license applicants and license holders can learn more about the Los Angeles Public Health Inspections & Emblem Program for cannabis businesses here.