Cultivating, Processing and Testing

• What are the costs of cultivator licensing fees?

  The cultivator licensing fees are non-refundable and are as follows:

  	Level I	Level II
  Application fee	$20,000	$2,000
  Initial license fee	$180,000	$18,000
  Annual license renewal fee	$200,000	$20,000

• How many cultivators have been licensed by the Department of Commerce?

  The Department of Commerce has awarded 33 cultivator provisional licenses, including 19 Level I cultivators and 14 Level II cultivators.

  Level I cultivators are permitted to operate an initial marijuana cultivation area up to 25,000 square feet. Level II cultivators are permitted to operate an initial marijuana cultivation area of 3,000 square feet. Licensees may submit an expansion request pursuant to the cultivator rules.

• How was the number of cultivators determined?

  We consulted with industry experts and reviewed comments from the public regarding the potential patient population and supply of medical marijuana, as well as the number of cultivators needed to meet the demand for medical marijuana. The proposed number of cultivator licenses will promote competition and proficiency in meeting the demand for medical marijuana in order to provide patients with a safe, consistent supply of medical marijuana.

• How do I get an application to become a cultivator?

  The application period is now closed.

• What were the application acceptance periods?

  Level II cultivator applications were accepted June 5-16, 2017, and Level I cultivator applications were accepted June 19-30, 2017.

• What is the cost of obtaining a processor license?

  The processor application fee is $10,000 and the certificate of operation fee is $90,000; a processor annual license renewal fee is $100,000.

• How many processors will be licensed by the Department of Commerce?

  The Department may issue up to 40 processor provisional licenses prior to September 9, 2018.

• Who can operate a testing laboratory?

  For one year following the date on which the Department of Commerce begins accepting applications, licenses issued to conduct laboratory testing of medical marijuana will only be granted to institutions of higher education that are public, located within the state of Ohio, and have the resources and facilities necessary to conduct testing in accordance with the rules. After this one-year period, the Department will issue licenses to qualified private testing labs.

• What is the cost of obtaining a testing laboratory license?

  The laboratory application fee is $2,000 and the certificate of operation fee is $18,000; a laboratory annual license renewal fee is $20,000.

• How many testing laboratories will be licensed by the Department of Commerce?

  There is no limit to the number of testing laboratory licenses that may be awarded by the Department.