Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Investigators in the Office of Compliance and Investigation verify the eligibility and legal status of cannabis business license and permit applicants and their employees, while compliance officers work with existing businesses to ensure adherence to New Jersey laws and NJ-CRC regulations.
The unit:
- Investigation
- conducts background checks and investigates persons and entities of interest on all business license/permit applications
- processes applications for legally required cannabis business employee identification cards
- Compliance
- investigates reports of non-compliance at licensed cannabis facilities
- inspects cannabis businesses for compliance with operational requirements, makes recommendations for remediation, and/or carry out appropriate enforcement actions
- makes recommendations to the NJ-CRC board of commissioners on enforcement actions against operators out of compliance with laws and/or regulations
- collects product samples for testing
- oversees laboratories licensed to carry out cannabis testing
- reviews applications for proposed facility modifications, location changes, changes to ownership or ownership structure, names changes, and other facility and operational alterations
Criminal History Review and Rehabilitation Determination Process*
Anyone wishing to participate in the recreational or medicinal cannabis industry as an owner, principal, director, manager, management services contractor, employee, or other significantly involved person, must be issued a Cannabis Business Identification Card (for recreational) or an ATC Identification Card (for medicinal). Each of these individuals is also required to submit to a criminal history background check before they may participate in either industry. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (“NJ-CRC” or “Commission”) will not approve an individual for a Cannabis Business Identification Card or an ATC Identification Card if the results of the individual’s criminal history report identify a disqualifying conviction.
Whether an offense is disqualifying** depends, in part, on whether the person is seeking to participate in the recreational or medicinal cannabis industry. If the Commission determines that a conviction is disqualifying under the applicable law and regulations, the individual will receive a formal notice (“Notice”) advising them of this determination and listing any and all disqualifying convictions. The Notice will also provide information on the next steps, including what to do if the individual believes there is an error with the convictions listed, or if the individual wants to demonstrate that they are rehabilitated.
** A disqualifying conviction for recreational is defined under N.J.A.C. 17:30-7.12(d) and Sections 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 of P.L. 2021, c.16. A disqualifying conviction for medicinal is defined under N.J.S.A. 24:6I-7.
Challenging accuracy of criminal history and/or requesting determination of rehabilitation
Anyone who has been disqualified from participating in the recreational or medicinal cannabis industry has the option to challenge the results of their criminal history background check or demonstrate rehabilitation.