{"id":232501,"date":"2021-01-22T14:15:51","date_gmt":"2021-01-22T20:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/?p=232501"},"modified":"2025-07-14T17:06:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T23:06:24","slug":"how-to-get-a-michigan-dispensary-license","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/how-to-get-a-michigan-dispensary-license\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get a Michigan Dispensary License"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to get a Michigan Dispensary License\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-232505 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-300x200.webp\" alt=\"Michigan Dispensary License\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-610x407.webp 610w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-1080x720.webp 1080w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-980x653.webp 980w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-480x320.webp 480w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License-600x400.webp 600w, https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Michigan-Dispensary-License.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A Michigan Dispensary License is a legal document that allows its holder to possess, store, test, sell, transfer purchase or transport marijuana to or from a marijuana establishment, whose primary aim would be to sell marijuana products to individuals that are 21 years old or older.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In that sense, getting a dispensary license should be your top priority if you want to enter the adult-use cannabis industry in Michigan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Below, you\u2019ll find the answers to many questions regarding how to get a dispensary license in Michigan, what\u2019s the cost of getting a Michigan dispensary license, and what do you need in order to apply for one.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to get a Michigan dispensary license<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Michigan works with a \u201ctwo-step\u201d program, in which you\u2019d need to prequalify to get a Michigan marijuana license, and then get licensing qualification. If you want to know more about the process of prequalification in Michigan, you might want to check our \u2018<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/michigan-marijuana-license-how-to-get-prequalified\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How To Get Prequalified for a Michigan Marijuana License<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2019 post.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A Michigan dispensary license prequalification involves quite a bit of audit of the applicant&#8217;s financial and operational history, as well as relevant information such as data of all significant stakeholders and their spouses. Applicants undergoing the prequalification process will be required to collect, process, and submit a significant amount of information to the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Once you and any supplemental applicant complete the prequalification process, you\u2019ll be able to move to the second step of the Michigan marijuana licensing process: licensing qualification, which includes the review of the proposed retail establishment, including a physical inspection, as well as payment of the licensure fee once approved.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Business owners that would like to acquire a Michigan dispensary license will need to submit an application and pay the licensing fees. You can check the application resources and download application forms at the MRA\u2019s adult-use marijuana application page.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Michigan Dispensary License Requirements<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to the latest legislation on the matter, each applicant has to disclose the identity of any other person who has control whether directly or indirectly over the applicant, including \u2013but not limited to- date of birth, government-issued identification, and any other documents required by the agency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As well, the applicant will have to provide:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Financial statements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Property ownership information, including deeds, leases, rental agreements, real estate trusts or purchase agreements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tax information<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Disclosure of the applicant of the identity of people who control \u2013directly or indirectly- or are controlled by the applicant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Disclosure of all shareholders holding a direct or indirect interest of greater than 5%, as well as officers and directors of the proposed marijuana facility<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The sources and the total amount of the applicant\u2019s capitalization to operate and maintain the marijuana facility.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A financial statement attested by a certified public accountant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Information on the financial ability of the applicant to purchase and maintain adequate liability and casualty insurance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any other disclosure or requirement requested by the MRA<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Another requirement you need to provide in order to complete the application process is a description of the type of marijuana business that includes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An estimate or the actual number of employees<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The projected or actual gross receipts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A business plan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The proposed location for the marijuana business<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A security plan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A copy of the proposed marijuana business location plan<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After all of this, the applicant has to confirm that he is in compliance with any municipal ordinance that its municipality may have adopted under the medical marijuana facilities licensing act, or the Michigan regulation and taxation of marijuana act.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the MRA identifies a deficiency in the application, it will have to notify the applicant and the applicant must submit the missing information or proof that the deficiency has been corrected to the agency within 5 days of the date the applicant received the deficiency notice.\u00a0 If the applicant doesn\u2019t correct the deficiency, the agency will deny its application.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED POST: <a href=\"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/\">HOW TO OPEN A MARIJUANA DISPENSARY IN MICHIGAN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED POST: <a href=\"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/how-to-get-your-marijuana-growers-license-in-michigan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HOW TO GET A COMMERCIAL GROWERS LICENSE IN MICHIGAN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How much is a Michigan dispensary license\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take into consideration that some types of applicants may qualify for reduced application fees, such as social-equity applicants.\u00a0 However, the fees of getting a Michigan dispensary license can be steep. The application fee must be submitted before an application can be processed and is usually $6,000 for a state license.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are also municipal licensing fees that must be paid to most cities where facilities are permitted to be located. Most municipalities charge a $5,000.00 non-refundable fee, though there are some that charge less.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This obviously doesn\u2019t include additional costs such as renewal fees, the three percent tax on the dispensary\u2019s gross retail receipts, and \u2013maybe even more important- the costs of investigation and processing during the application process, needed in order to get the license.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Further, you will need real estate, which has to meet zone requirements. There are laws in Michigan that place restrictions on where you can open a retail marijuana dispensary. If you\u2019re unsure whether your location is appropriate for the venture, make sure to seek guidance and contact a professional.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Under state law, no marijuana retail establishment can be located in an area specifically zoned for residential use.\u00a0 Additionally, a marijuana dispensary can\u2019t be opened within 1,000 feet of any school that accommodates grades K-12.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Local municipalities may reduce the distance requirement or impose other location requirements as they see fit. What this means is: you have to check with your local authorities if it\u2019s allowed to open a business in your municipality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You\u2019ll also need to have the capital for your operation, for which it\u2019s recommended budgeting for at least $500,000 to be on the safe side. It may seem like much, but the state won\u2019t give a license to a business that they consider likely to flop.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So, you would probably need to look for investors, because no bank or financial institution is going to lay a finger in any cannabis business until federal legalization occurs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In order to raise money, we\u2019d recommend checking our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/cannabis-company-startup-bundle\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">startup bundle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> package, which provides your team an application-ready business plan, a pitch deck in order to secure investors, and a fundraising suite to legally raise money to use in your application.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ineligibility for a Michigan dispensary license<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A Michigan dispensary license applications will be declared ineligible if any of the following circumstances exist:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant has a prior conviction that involved the distribution of a controlled substance to a minor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant has knowingly submitted an application for a state license under the Michigan regulation and taxation act that contains false information<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant is an employee, advisor, or consultant of the agency involved in the implementation, administration, or enforcement of the Michigan regulation and taxation of marihuana act<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant holds an elective office of a governmental unit of Michigan, another state, or the federal government; is a member of or employed by a regulatory body of a governmental unit in Michigan, another state, or the federal government; or is employed by a governmental unit of Michigan. This subdivision does not apply to an elected officer of or employee of a federally recognized Indian tribe or to an elected precinct delegate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant does not hold a state operating license pursuant to the MMFLA and is applying for a marihuana retailer license under the Michigan regulation and taxation of marihuana act and the marijuana facility\/establishment administrative rules on licensing published by the MRA.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The agency determines the municipality in which the applicant\u2019s proposed marihuana establishment will operate has adopted an ordinance that prohibits marihuana establishments or that the proposed establishment is noncompliant with an ordinance adopted by the municipality under section 6 of the Michigan regulation and taxation of marihuana act<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant will hold an ownership interest in both a marihuana safety compliance facility or in a marihuana secure transporter and in a marihuana grower, a marihuana processor, a marihuana retailer, or a marihuana microbusiness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant will hold an ownership interest in both a marihuana microbusiness and in a marihuana grower, a marihuana processor, a marihuana retailer, a marihuana safety compliance facility, or a marihuana secure transporter<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant will hold an ownership interest in more than 5 marihuana growers or in more than 1 marihuana microbusiness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant fails to meet other criteria established in the rules enacted by the MRA.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The MRA will also take into consideration deciding whether or not to grant a license the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether the applicant has convictions involving dishonesty, theft, or fraud, which indicates that e the proposed marihuana establishment is unlikely to be operated with honesty and integrity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether the applicant has been served with a complaint or other notice filed with any public body regarding payment of any tax required under federal, state, or local law that has been delinquent for 1 or more years.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether the applicant has a history of noncompliance with any regulatory requirements, all legal judgments, lawsuits, legal proceedings, charges, or government investigations, whether initiated, pending, or concluded, against the applicant, that are related to business operations, including, but not limited to fraud, environmental, food safety, labor, employment, worker\u2019s compensation, discrimination, and tax laws and regulations, in Michigan or any other jurisdiction<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether the applicant meets other standards in rules applicable to the state license category.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><i>Don\u2019t miss out on our<\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/map-of-marijuana-legality-by-state\/\"> <b><i>Marijuana Legalization Map<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i> where you can browse the current status of laws in every state in the United States and see all our posts on each of them.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"ql-align-justify\"><strong>Check Out:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Tom Howard at <a href=\"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CannabisIndustryLawyer.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Miggy at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCKNkQ8jVCkCwLQCw7rJbVsw\/featured?view_as=subscriber\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cannabis Legalization News<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Interested in coming on as a guest? Email our producer at <a class=\"c-link\" href=\"mailto:lauryn@cannabislegalizaitonnews.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"mailto:lauryn@cannabislegalizaitonnews.com\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" aria-describedby=\"sk-tooltip-1218\">lauryn@cannabislegalizaitonnews.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to get a Michigan Dispensary License\u00a0 A Michigan Dispensary License is a legal document that allows its holder to possess, store, test, sell, transfer purchase or transport marijuana to or from a marijuana establishment, whose primary aim would be to sell marijuana products to individuals that are 21 years old or older. In that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":232505,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_10159899886659716_192280154726328":"","linkedin_KxGK1cpoyu_18867983":"","linkedin_KxGK1cpoyu_18867996":"","facebook_10159899886659716_101009339946101":"","gmb_107014840478386198019_accounts\/107014840478386198019\/locations\/13663623334228469609":"","gmb_107014840478386198019_accounts\/107014840478386198019\/locations\/13578439455962341608":"","gmb_107014840478386198019_accounts\/107014840478386198019\/locations\/2216853526574478760":"","gmb_107014840478386198019_accounts\/107014840478386198019\/locations\/11095239898183912131":"","gmb_107014840478386198019_accounts\/107014840478386198019\/locations\/9468418315235281460":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[1322,1107,1],"tags":[1121,1326,1324,1323,1271,1325],"class_list":["post-232501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michigan-dispensary-license","category-michigan-marijuana-laws","category-uncategorized","tag-adult-use-michigan","tag-mi-dispensary","tag-michigan-dispensary","tag-michigan-dispensary-license","tag-michigan-marijuana-license","tag-michigan-recreational-cannabis"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232501"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232501\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/232505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=232501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisindustrylawyer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=232501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}