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California’s Department of Cannabis Control Now Accepting Equity Fee Waivers

Banner that says "Equity Fee Waiver Program"

By Lauren Mendelsohn

January 3, 2022

 

On January 1, 2022 the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) announced that it is now accepting applications for equity fee waivers. We previously discussed equity fee waivers and the regulations governing them here. The DCC has published a guidance document about equity fee waivers which we’ve posted below.

Fact Sheet: Equity Fee Waivers

There are two basic requirements for a business to be eligible for an equity fee waiver:

  1. An annual current/expected gross revenue of no more than $1.5 million; and
  2. At least 50% of the business must be owned by people who meet certain equity criteria relating to their criminal history record (arrested/convicted for a cannabis offense before November 8, 2016), income level (household income less than or equal to 60% of the applicable local Area Median Income – available by county on this page), or at least 5 years of residency in an area disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition (see this map tool and information about qualifying neighborhoods).

Applicants who are not part of a locally-verified cannabis equity program will need to submit documentation demonstrating they meet the qualifying criteria. New license applicants will submit the fee waiver request form with their initial application documents in order to be considered for a waiver of their application fee, while existing licensees should submit the request form to equity@cannabis.ca.gov at least 60 days before their existing license expires to be considered for a waiver of their renewal fee. The fee waiver itself is available on the DCC’s website, and is also posted below.

Equity Fee Waiver Request Form

More information about the DCC’s equity fee waivers is available here.

 

This information is provided as a public service and is not intended as legal advice. For specific questions regarding cannabis equity fee waivers or other topics pertaining to California’s cannabis or hemp laws and regulations, please contact the Law Offices of Omar Figueroa at 707-829-0215 to schedule a confidential legal consultation.

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