Dispensary Licensing and Operations Guides
In-depth guides to licensing, opening and operating a dispensary, each with a clear answer up front, sources and a last-updated date.
How to Open a Dispensary in New York: The Full Timeline
Opening a dispensary in New York takes most licensees 9 to 18 months from a provisional license to opening day.Read the guideLicensed But Not Open: 10 Reasons Stores Stall and How to Fix Each
Most licensed dispensaries that fail to open stall for one of ten reasons: no eligible site, a lease that does not protect the licensee, proximity conflicts,...Read the guideTrue Party of Interest Rules in New York, Explained
In New York, a true party of interest (TPI) is anyone with a financial or controlling interest in a cannabis license.Read the guideManagement Agreements: What Regulators Allow in NY, MA, NJ and CT
All four states allow licensees to get outside operating help, but each limits how far a manager's pay and control can go.Read the guideVirginia Adult-Use Licensing 2027: What Applicants Need Now
Virginia's first adult-use applications open by February 1, 2027, and retail sales start July 1, 2027.Read the guideHow to Choose a Dispensary Location: Foot Traffic, Buffers and Proximity
Choose a dispensary location in two passes.Read the guideDispensary Lease Negotiation: 15 Clauses to Get Right
A dispensary lease has to work while approvals are still uncertain.Read the guideBuilding a Compliant Dispensary: Security, Vault and Camera Requirements
Every state requires dispensaries to have camera coverage of all areas with cannabis, every entrance and exit and parking areas, recordings kept for a set...Read the guideSeed-to-Sale and POS Setup: Metrc, Dutchie and Common Errors
Your state's seed-to-sale system tracks every package from the supplier to the sale, and your point of sale (POS) has to report to it accurately in real time.Read the guideDispensary KPIs Every Owner Should Track Monthly
Track eight numbers every month: customers per day, average ticket, gross margin, labor cost as a share of sales, new customers as a share of transactions,...Read the guideSocial Equity Licenses: Ownership, Control and Partnership Rules
Social equity licensees must keep majority ownership and real control of their businesses, often for years, and several states now penalize partnerships that...Read the guideBuying or Selling a Cannabis License or Store: Due Diligence Checklist
When you buy or sell a dispensary, the license is often the most valuable asset and the easiest to lose.Read the guide
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