Cannabis Regulatory Commission

Applications are accepted in the NJ-CRC Licensing portal. You must already have a Class 5 Retail license or medicinal permit to dispense cannabis. 

Your application for a consumption area must include: 

  1. Municipal approval  
  2. Detailed floor plans  
  3. Business and operating plan, which include plans for ventilation 
  4. Standard Operating Procedures covering 1) safe consumption, 2) transfer of cannabis items, 3) good faith efforts to ensure consumers and patients bring only regulated cannabis into the cannabis consumption area, 4) age verification, 5) emergency protocols, and 6) destruction of unused cannabis 
  5. A notarized attestation form affirming the accuracy of the application 

Only a licensed Class 5 Retailer or permitted medicinal cannabis dispensary are allowed to operate consumption areas. Applications from anyone who does not already have a Class 5 Retailer license, or a medicinal permit to dispense will automatically be rejected. 

No. Only operators with a licensed Class 5 Retailer or a permitted medicinal cannabis dispensary may operate a cannabis consumption area pursuant to N.J.S.A. 24:6I-21. Applications from anyone who does not already have a Class 5 personal-use recreational license or a medicinal permit to dispense will automatically be rejected. 

No. Entities can only operate one cannabis consumption area, regardless of the number of Class 5 Retailer licenses or medicinal cannabis dispensary permits they hold. 

No. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. 

Diversely-Owned dispensaries (minority owned, woman owned, disabled veteran owned) and all other microbusinesses can apply beginning April 2, 2025. As of January 2, 2025, only Social Equity designated retail businesses can apply. All other Class 5 Retail operators may apply starting July 2, 2025. 

You will be notified that your application was rejected, and you will need to resubmit your application during the designated time for acceptance. A letter will be sent to the primary contact email provided on your application notifying you of this information. 

Yes. The application fee is $1,000 ($200 submission fee + $800 approval fee). 

Yes. The initial or renewal licensing fee is $1,000 for a microbusiness and $5,000 for standard businesses. 

Yes. The municipality can deny the application for municipal endorsement if the application does not comply with its local ordinances on cannabis consumption areas. 

Reasons an endorsement application does not move forward in the licensing process include:  

  • Municipal issues - If the applicant fails to submit evidence of municipal approval 
  • Unpaid fees - Required application or licensing fees are not submitted 
  • Noncompliant premises -The proposed site does not meet legal and/or regulatory requirements for ventilation and capacity 
  • Incomplete submission - The application does not include all the required information and documents

The NJ-CRC will give the applicant the opportunity to cure its endorsement application.  The NJ-CRC may deny the endorsement application if it is found the applicant violates the Commission’s regulations, which include, but is not limited to, submitting excess applications, misrepresenting information on an application, failing to pay the required fees after the deadline, and failing to respond to a cure letter after multiple attempts.  Additionally, if the municipality denies the application or revokes the municipal endorsement, the NJ-CRC is required by law to deny or revoke the State endorsement.   

Yes. Municipalities have the authority to establish limitations on the number of cannabis consumption areas allowed in their jurisdiction. 

Yes. The regulations require all personnel of a cannabis retailer or medicinal cannabis dispensary that operates a cannabis consumption area to complete any additional trainings required by the Commission. Municipalities may also require training. 

You can contact the NJ-CRC by sending an email to crc.licensing@crc.nj.gov or you can check your status by logging into your portal. In the license application dashboard portion of the page, select the ‘Applications’ option, and in the status column of your application select the information icon to see your current status. 

For Diversely-Owned and Social Equity designated retail businesses, questions may be forwarded to ODI@crc.nj.gov.  For all other Class 5 Retailers, all questions may be submitted to crc.licensing@crc.nj.gov.  


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