Colorado’s legalization of cannabis for adult use came into effect on Jan 1, 2014. Since its inception, CO has generated over $500m in tax revenue alone, a portion of which is given to CO educational system. Colorado has served as an example and inspiration to many other states as to how cannabis can not only be beneficial medically but also economically. CO medical marijuana program came into effect in 2000.

At a Glance

Legislation & Important Dates

Legalization & Important Dates

• November 07, 2000, Colorado voters approved Ballot Amendment 20,
• removing state-level criminal penalties on the use, possession and cultivation of marijuana, by patients possessing a written recommendation from their certified physician, advising that he or she may “benefit from the medical use of marijuana”.
• “House Bill 1284 provides a regulatory framework for dispensaries, including giving local communities the ability to ban or place sensible and much-needed controls on the operation, location and ownership of these establishments
• Amendment 64 – Adult use. Passed in 2013
• 2014 – First adult use dispensaries open

Types of Licenses

• Retail Marijuana Store: license type necessary to operate a business that sells Retail Marijuana to an individual twenty-one years of age
• Retail Marijuana Cultivation: license type necessary in order to operate a facility to grow and harvest Retail Marijuana plants
• Retail Marijuana Product Manufacturer: license type necessary in order to operate a facility that manufactures retail marijuana-infused products such as edibles, concentrates or tinctures
• Retail Marijuana Testing Facility: license type necessary in order to operate a facility that conducts potency and contaminants testing for other MED Licensed Retail Marijuana businesses
• Retail Marijuana Transporter: license type necessary in order to provide transportation and temporary storage services to Retail Marijuana Businesses
• Retail Marijuana Operator: license type necessary to provide professional operational services to one or more Retail Marijuana Businesses

Associated Fees

A. Base Retail Marijuana Application Fees
a. Application Fee for Existing Medical Marijuana Licensees in Good Standing and Qualified
b. Applications.
i. A Person licensed pursuant to the Medical Code, shall pay a $500 application fee, for each application submitted
c. Application Fee for New Applicants – Retail Marijuana Store, Cultivation Facility, or
d. Product Manufacturer.
i. $5000 application fee that must be submitted with each application before it will be considered.
e. Retail Marijuana Testing Facility Application Fee – $1,000.00
f. Retail Marijuana Transporter Application Fee – $1,000.00
g. Retail Marijuana Establishment Operator License Application Fee – $1,000.00

B. Retail Marijuana Establishment Application Fees for Indirect Beneficial Interest Owners, Qualified Limited Passive Investors and Other Affiliated Interests
a. Affiliated Interest that is not an Indirect Beneficial Interest Owner – $200.00
b. Commercially Reasonable Royalty Interest Holder receiving more than 30 percent of the gross revenue profit from the sales of the product or lines of products subject to the royalty – $400.00
c. Commercially Reasonable Royalty Interest Holder receiving less than or equal to 30
d. percent of the gross revenue or gross profit from the sales of the product or lines of
e. product subject to the royalty – $200.00
f. Permitted Economic Interest – $400.00
g. Employee Profit Sharing Plan – $200.00
h. Qualified Limited Passive Investor
i. Standard limited initial background check – $75.00
ii. Full background check for reasonable cause – $125.00
i. Qualified Institutional Investor – $200.00

All application fees are due at the time Retail Marijuana Establishment submits an application and/or at the time a Retail Marijuana Establishment submits an application for a new Financial Interest. An Applicant must follow Division policies regarding payment to local jurisdictions.

Schedule of Business License Fees: Retail Marijuana Establishments
A. License Fees – Medical Marijuana Business Converting To or Adding a Retail Marijuana
Establishment Pursuant to 12-43.4-104(1)(a)(I).
1. Medical Marijuana Center Applying For A Retail Marijuana Store License – $2,000.00
2. Retail Marijuana Cultivation Facility License (Tier 1: 1 – 1,800 plants) – $1,500.00
3. Expanded Production Management Fees for Applicants with an increased production management tier approved by the Division pursuant to rule R 506(E):
a. Expanded Production Management Fee for Tier 2 (1,801 – 3,600 plants) -$1,000.00
b. Expanded Production Management Fee for Tier 3 (3,601 – 6,000 plants) – $2,000.00
c. Expanded Production Management Fee for Tier 4 (6,001 – 10,200 plants) – $4,000.00
d. Expanded Production Management Fee for Tier 5 (10,201 – 13,800 plants) – $6,000.00
e. Expanded Production Management Fee for each additional tier of 3,600 plants over Tier 5 $1,000.00
4. Retail Marijuana Products Manufacturing License – $1,500.00
B. Retail Marijuana Transporter License Fee – $4,400.00
C. Retail Marijuana Establishment Operator License Fee – $2,200.00
D. License Fees – New Retail Marijuana Establishment Applicants That Have Applied Pursuant
1. Retail Marijuana Store License – $2,000.00
2. Retail Marijuana Cultivation Facility License (Tier 1: 1 – 1,800 plants) – $1,500.00
3. Expanded Production Management Fees for Applicants with an increased production management tier approved by the Division pursuant to rule R 506(E):
a. Expanded Production Management Fee for Tier 2 (1,801 – 3,600 plants) –
$1,000.00
b. Expanded Production Management Fee for Tier 3 (3,601 – 6,000 plants) –
$2,000.00
c. Expanded Production Management Fee for Tier 4 (6,001 – 10,200 plants) –
$4,000.00
d. Expanded Production Management Fee for Tier 5 (10,201 – 13,800 plants) –
$6,000.00
e. Expanded Production Management Fee for each additional tier of 3,600 plants over Tier 5 – $1,000.00
4. Retail Marijuana Products Manufacturing License – $1,500.00
5. Retail Marijuana Testing Facility License – $1,500.00
E. When License Fees Are Due. All license fees are due at the time an application is submitted.
F. If Application is denied. If an application is denied, an Applicant may request that the State
Licensing Authority refund the license fee after the denial appeal period has lapsed or after the completion of the denial appeal process, whichever is later.

Schedule of Business License Renewal Fees: Retail Marijuana Establishments
A. Renewal Fee Amount and Due Date. The renewal fee shall be $300 for each renewal application.
Renewal license and processing fees are due at the time the renewal application is submitted.
B. Late Renewal Application and Fee Pursuant to 12-43.4-310(2)(a), C.R.S. A Licensee whose license has been expired for no more than 90 days may file a late renewal application upon payment of a late renewal fee. The late renewal fee is non-refundable and shall be $500. This late renewal fee must be paid in addition to the $300 renewal fee required pursuant to paragraph
A of this rule R 209.
C. Renewal Fees.
1. Retail Marijuana Store – $1,500.00
2. Retail Marijuana Cultivation Facility License (Tier 1: 1 – 1,800 plants) – $1,500.00
3. Expanded Production Management Renewal Fees for Applicants with an increased
production management tier approved by the Division pursuant to rule R 506(E):
a. Expanded Production Management Renewal Fee for Tier 2 (1,801 – 3,600
plants) – $800.00
b. Expanded Production Management Renewal Fee for Tier 3 (3,601 – 6,000
plants) – $1,500.00
c. Expanded Production Management Renewal Fee for Tier 4 (6,001 – 10,200
plants) – $3,000.00
d. Expanded Production Management Renewal Fee for Tier 5 (10,201 – 13,800
plants) – $5,000.00
e. Expanded Production Management Renewal Fee for each additional tier of 3,600
plants over Tier 5 – $800.00
4. Retail Marijuana Products Manufacturing License – $1,500.00
5. Retail Marijuana Testing Facility License – $1,500.00
6. Retail Marijuana Transporter License – $4,400.00
7. Retail Marijuana Establishment Operator License – $2,200.00
D. If Renewal Application is Denied. If an application for renewal is denied, an Applicant may
request that the State Licensing Authority refund the license fee after the denial appeal period
has lapsed or after the completion of the denial appeal process, whichever is later.

Schedule of Other Application Fees: All Licensees
A. Other Application Fees. The following application fees apply:
1. Transfer of Ownership – New Owners – $1,600.00
2. Transfer of Ownership – Reallocation of Ownership – $1,000.00
3. Change of Corporation or LLC Structure – $800.00/Person
4. Change of Trade Name – $50.00
5. Change of Location Application Fee – Same Local Jurisdiction Only – $500.00
6. Modification of Licensed Premises – $100.00
7. Duplicate Business License – $20.00
8. Duplicate Occupational License – $20.00
9. Off Premises Storage Permit – $1,500.00
10. Retail Marijuana Transporter Off Premises Storage Permit – $2,200.00
11. Responsible Vendor Program Provider Application Fee: $850.00
12. Responsible Vendor Program Provider Renewal Fee: $350.00
13. Responsible Vendor Program Provider Duplicate Certificate Fee: $50.00
B. When Other Application Fees Are Due. All other application fees are due at the time the application and/or request is submitted.

Qualifying Conditions
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Chronic nervous system disorders
• Glaucoma
• HIV or AIDS
• Nausea
• Persistent Muscle Spasms
• Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome
• Seizures
• Fees

Qualifying Conditions

Card Holder Benefits

Caregivers

Yes, primary caregiver is a person other than the patient or the patient’s physician. The caregiver must be 18 years of age or older. A patient can only have one primary caregiver at a time. A patient who has designated a primary caregiver for himself or herself may not be designated as a primary caregiver for another patient. A primary caregiver may be listed on the medical marijuana registry for no more than 5 patients.

Physicians

1. Patients are required to obtain legitimate medical records or documentation from their primary care physician describing the diagnosis of their qualifying condition — *Learn how to request your medical records
2. To qualify, a patient needs to be diagnosed by a Colorado physician as having one of the following debilitating medical conditions, as is specifically identified in the law:
a. Cancer;
b. Glaucoma;
c. HIV/AIDS;
d. Acute Stress Disorders or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
e. A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition other than HIV, cancer or glaucoma; or treatment for such conditions, which produces for a specific patient one or more of the following, and for which, in the professional opinion of the patient’s physician, such condition or conditions may reasonably be alleviated by the medical use of marijuana: cachexia; severe pain; severe nausea; seizures, including those that are characteristic of epilepsy; persistent muscle spasms including those that are characteristic of multiple sclerosis; and other condition, as subject to the approval of the Colorado Board of Health.
f. Patients and physician alike, may petition to include other medical conditions that would benefit from the medical use of marijuana, in the event the patient’s condition is found to be invalid by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
3. Patients are required to obtain a signed Physician’s Statement from a physician, currently licensed to practice medicine in Colorado — *Find a certified medical marijuana physician in Colorado
4. Upon receiving a signed physician’s statement, all patients are required to register with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Medical Marijuana Registry Program — registration is mandatory.
5. To register, patients must apply online. Patients who do not have access to the internet may apply by mail, but these applicants won’t have access to their online account.