Apply for a Cannabis Business Permit

Applicants are strongly encouraged to work with SF Planning to finalize your proposed location. There are specific requirements for the locations of retail businesses, including Cannabis Cafés. If you are unsure whether a property is zoned for your proposed cannabis business, please contact cpc.cannabis@sfgov.org prior to making any commitments to a commercial space.

Register your business with the City and State. Gather information on your business Owners, as you will need to complete a background check on all Owners during the OOC's application process.

The Office of Cannabis will send you a link to Part 1 of the form, if you are eligible.

The Office of Cannabis will check your proposed location and your business formation documents. All Owners will need to complete a background check with the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD).

For a Cannabis Café application, applicants should plan to engage with other relevant City departments during Part 1, depending on your proposed business activities. These departments may include, but are not limited to, the Department of Public Health (DPH). For DPH, they will need to review the proposed business activities and the proposed cannabis consumption area to ensure compliance with applicable requirements. Applicants should work with their assigned analyst to ensure that they have contacted all of the appropriate City departments.

Submit a Virtual Community Outreach (VCO) Strategy to the Office of Cannabis to prepare for your outreach meeting.

Cannabis businesses should write a Good Neighbor Policy to support the neighborhood where the business will be located.

If your location is viable, you will be referred to SF Planning. You might need to prepare for a hearing in front of the Planning Commission.

You can also meet with other departments before you get plan checks for building permits. These departments may include:

• Planning Department (PLN): for zoning rules
• Department of Building Inspections (DBI): for code compliance, such as electrical
• San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD): for having large groups of people in one space
• Department of Public Health (DPH): for using cannabis on-site
• Entertainment Commission (ENT): for hosting live performances

If you have questions about which other City departments you need to contact, please email the OOC at officeofcannabis@sfgov.org.

Hire an architect to draw your plans. Get your plans checked by the Department of Building Inspection (DBI). You will then get a Building Permit ("Job Card") from DBI to start construction. You might also need to receive other permits and pay other fees, depending on your proposed business activities.

For a Cannabis Café application, you must obtain an approval letter from the Department of Public Health (DPH) confirming that your proposed cannabis consumption area complies with applicable requirements before the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) can accept your plans. Accordingly, you should begin working with DPH at Step 5 above.

Set up a meeting with the Office of Cannabis to prepare for your operations.

In the application, we will ask you how you will run your business for the activities for which you applied.

We will ask you about your staff. There are union requirements for larger businesses. Cannabis businesses must get City help to hire for entry level positions.

The OOC will send you links to any other forms you need.

We will check your operations plans, neighborhood notices, and staffing.

The OOC may require that you provide revisions to your submitted forms before accepting them.

Prospective operators can apply online at the Department of Cannabis Control Website.

You will also get a background check for the state license application.