Minnesota to Open Social Equity Cannabis Business License Preapproval Window on July 24

[PRESS RELEASE] ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) will open the cannabis business license preapproval window on July 24 for applicants who have been verified that they meet social equity eligibility requirements.

This is the next step applicants need to take to be considered in the launch of Minnesota’s new cannabis industry.

The application window for social equity business license preapproval will be open from July 24 through Aug. 12, a timeline defined in state statute. Business license applications and all required documentation are submitted through OCM’s website.

Submitted business license applications will go through a review and vetting process, and if qualified, be entered into a lottery, which will award licenses in nine different categories. The first license lottery will be held this fall.

Applicants for business license preapproval can go to OCM’s website for informational and technical resource materials.

“The high degree of interest we’re seeing from prospective business operators reflects the excitement of Minnesotans as we continue working to launch the market,” said Charlene Briner, OCM interim director. “We’re committed to providing a wide range of resource materials and documents to help applicants at this important stage of the process.”

Anyone who intends to apply for license preapproval in this round must have received social equity verification in order to proceed with the license application. OCM plans to offer additional social equity verification opportunities for future licensing application rounds.

For more information, visit mn.gov/ocm.