Cultivation Permits now Transferable in Mendocino County
By Lauren Mendelsohn
January 27, 2020
On Friday, January 24, 2020, the Mendocino County Department of Planning & Building Services released the much-anticipated application and instructions for transferring a county-issued cannabis cultivation permit to a new owner. This is big news for operators currently in Mendocino County’s cultivation permit program as well as those who’ve been looking at trying to gain a foothold there, as previously cultivation permits were only issued to individuals (not entities) and were not transferable to a new owner (other than to family for estate-planning purposes). Transfer applications will be accepted beginning today, Monday, January 27, 2020.
Only issued cultivation permits can be transferred, meaning anyone still in the application phase must complete that first and receive their permit before they can transfer it to a new owner. In addition, the permit must be active and not expired. Permits can be transferred to a new individual or to an entity, which is a welcome change considering that many people would prefer not to hold a risky asset such as a cannabis permit in their personal capacity for liability purposes.
The application requires that certain documentation be provided by the Assignee (legal person to whom the county-issued cannabis cultivation permit is assigned), including proof that all required state permits and licenses have been applied for, as well as information about the Assignee’s business structure, an employee list, and LiveScan receipts, among other things. The Assignee may not legally cultivate until the county has reviewed the transfer application and all necessary state approvals (including a cultivation license from CDFA) have been received.
There is a $333.62 fee to apply for a permit transfer. Applications can be mailed (along with a check or money order) to the Mendocino County Department of Planning & Building Services, ATTN: Cannabis Program, 860 N. Bush Street, Ukiah, CA, 95482. Applications can also be submitted in-person to the department’s Ukiah office on a Monday or Wednesday between 8am – 12pm.
The Mendocino County cultivation permit transfer application is available here: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/home/showdocument?id=32204
More information about Mendocino County’s cannabis cultivation program is available here: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/government/planning-building-services/cannabis-cultivation
More information about Mendocino County’s other cannabis licensing programs is available here: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/business/cannabis-permits-and-licenses
This information is provided as a public educational service and is not intended as legal advice. For information about cannabis permitting and compliance in Mendocino County or elsewhere in California, please contact the Law Offices of Omar Figueroa at (707) 829-0215 or info@omarfigueroa.com.