Alaska Cannabis Business Consultants
Cannabis is legal for both medical and adult-use in Alaska. Their medical marijuana program became legal in 1998, and in November 2014 the production, sale, and distribution of marijuana was legalized. Now entrepreneurs are able to obtain cannabis business licenses in Alaska and have legal cannabis businesses. Our Alaska cannabis business consultants at Quantum 9 are here to explain the different types of cannabis business licenses in Alaska.
Current Marijuana Market in Alaska
To begin with, Alaska has currently issued 468 recreational cannabis business licenses. 436 of these companies are currently operational. There are currently 239 growers, 145 retail stores,
Overview of Bills and Cannabis Laws in Alaska
Chapter 306. Regulation of Marijuana Industry
Table of Contents for the Bill | Articles
- Licensing Fees
- Local Options
- Retail Marijuana Stores
- Cultivation Facilities
- Marijuana Product Manufacturing Facilities
- Testing Facilities
- Operating Requirements for All Marijuana Establishments
- Enforcement; Civil Penalties
- General Provisions
Applying for a Cannabis Business License in Alaska
Each application for a cannabis business establishment in Alaska must be submitted to the board.
First, if the applicant for a cannabis business in Alaska is a corporation, the application must be executed by the authorized officers of the corporation. A corporation applying for a license needs to provide the names and addresses of:
- President, Vice President, Secretary, Managing Officer, all stockholders who own 10 percent or more of the stock in the corporation
Second, if the applicant is a partnership, including a limited partnership, the application must be executed by an authorized general partner. A partnership needs to provide the names and addresses of all general partners and all partners with an interest of 10 percent or more.
Each application for a cannabis business establishment in Alaska must include:
- First, the name and address of the applicant
- Secondly, the type of license desired
- Thirdly, a description of the premises for which the license is desired
- Lastly, the application fee
Want to apply for a cannabis business license in Alaska? Contact our cannabis consulting firm.
Cannabis Business Licenses Available in Alaska | Cannabis Business Consultants in Alaska
There are multiple cannabis business opportunities in Alaska. Also, each license type allows for the licensee to perform different cannabis-related tasks.
Marijuana Retailer License in Alaska
A marijuana retailer license in Alaska allows the holder to sell up to one ounce of marijuana a day to a customer. Additionally, a marijuana retailer can only purchase marijuana from a marijuana producer or a marijuana processor.
A marijuana retailer in Alaska can not:
- Sell, offer for sale, give, furnish, or deliver marijuana or marijuana products on licensed premises between the hours of 12 midnight and 8:00 a.m.
- Consume marijuana or marijuana products on licensed premises or permit a person to be a patron
- Sell marijuana to another licensed entity
- Offer to deliver, as a marketing device to the general public, free marijuana or marijuana products to a patron
Standard Marijuana Cultivation Facility in Alaska
A Standard Marijuana Cultivation Facility in Alaska allows for the business entity to operate a marijuana cultivation facility that is over 500 square feet. This allows the business to plant, propagate, cultivate, harvest, trim, dry, cure, package, or label marijuana.
Additionally, with this license type, you are able to sell marijuana to a licensed retail store, to another licensed marijuana cultivation facility, or to a licensed marijuana product manufacturing facility in Alaska. Also, you can provide samples to licensed marijuana testing facilities for testing purposes. Your business is also able to provide samples to licensed retail marijuana stores for the purpose of negotiating a sale.
Lastly, you can store your inventory within the licensed premises.
Standard Marijuana Cultivation Facility | Applying for Additional Licenses
A licensed standard marijuana cultivation facility can also apply for a marijuana product manufacturing facility license and a retail marijuana store license.
Any standard marijuana cultivation facility that obtains another marijuana establishment license has to:
- Conduct any product manufacturing or retail marijuana store operation in a room separate from the cultivation facility.
- Comply with each provision of this chapter that applies to any other type of marijuana establishment license that the standard marijuana cultivation facility obtains.
Lastly, a licensed standard marijuana cultivation facility can not:
- Sell, distribute, or transfer marijuana or marijuana products to a consumer
- Allow any person to consume marijuana products on licensed premises or within 20 feet of the licensed premises.
- Treat or adulterate marijuana with any organic or nonorganic chemical or compound to alter the marijuana products.
- Except as permitted under a marijuana product manufacturing facility license, extract marijuana concentrate.
- Lastly, sell marijuana that is not packaged and labeled in compliance with the Act.
If you obtain a marijuana cultivation facility license, you can not have a direct or indirect financial interest in a licensed marijuana testing facility.
Application for a Marijuana Cultivation Facility in Alaska
When applying for a marijuana cultivation facility license in Alaska, you must include several forms within your application. This includes:
- An Operation Plan
- A Marijuana Handler Permit
- Information about Restricted Access Areas
- Information about Marijuana Inventory Tracking
- Health and Safety Requirements
- Standards for Cultivation and Preparation
- Required Laboratory Testing
- Information about Samples and Random Sampling
- Information about Packaging and Labeling
- Lastly, LastlMarijuana Tax Information
Application for a Standard Marijuana Cultivation Facility in Alaska
Contact our Alaska cannabis business consultants for additional assistance on your cannabis application.
Limited Marijuana Cultivation Facility in Alaska
With this license type, you have all of the privileges set out with a Standard Marijuana Cultivation Facility. However, your facility must be fewer than 500 square feet under cultivation.
Marijuana Product Manufacturing Facility in Alaska
Next, a marijuana product manufacturing facility license in Alaska allows your business to extract marijuana concentrate for sale or formulate or manufacture any marijuana product for sale.
If you have a marijuana product manufacturing facility license in Alaska, you can:
- Purchase marijuana from a cultivation facility or from another marijuana product manufacturing facility.
- Extract marijuana concentrate
- Manufacture, refine, process, cook, package, label, and store marijuana products. This includes marijuana concentrate or any product intended for consumption (lotions, edibles, salves, patches, tinctures).
- Sell, distribute, or deliver marijuana extract or any marijuana product to a licensed retail marijuana store or marijuana product manufacturing facility.
- Provide and transport samples of marijuana concentrate or other marijuana products to a testing facility.
- Store inventory in a restricted access area
- Conduct in-house testing for the marijuana product manufacturing facility’s own use
Additionally, with this license type, you can not:
- Sell, deliver, distribute, or transfer marijuana, marijuana concentrate, or marijuana product that is not manufactured, packaged, and labeled
- Allow any person to consume marijuana on the premises
- Manufacture or sell any product that is an adulterated food/drink, or closely resembles a familiar food or drink item
- Lastly, you can not package your product to look like candy, or in bright colors or with packaging that would appeal to children
Application for a Marijuana Product Manufacturing Facility
In order to obtain this license type, you must file an application on a form the board prescribes. You must include information and forms such as:
- First, a copy of a food safety permit
- A diagram of the proposed licensed premises
- In-house testing information (if applicable)
- Information about storage for marijuana and marijuana products
- An Operating Plan
- Approval of concentrates and marijuana products
- Information about restricted access and storage areas
- Information about the tracking system
- Health and safety standards
- Production of marijuana concentrate
- Potency limits per serving and transaction for edible marijuana products
- Packaging and labeling of marijuana products
Application for Marijuana Product Manufacturing Facility
Marijuana Concentrate Manufacturing Facility in Alaska
With a Marijuana Concentrate Manufacturing Facility in Alaska, you have all of the same privileges a Marijuana Product Manufacturing Facility, except that you may not:
- Manufacture, refine, process, cook, label, or store any marijuana product other than marijuana concentrate
- Sell, distribute, or deliver a marijuana product other than marijuana concentrate to a retail marijuana store or to another marijuana product manufacturing facility
- Provide or transport a sample of marijuana product other than marijuana concentrate to a licensed marijuana testing facility
- Provide samples of a product other than marijuana concentrate to a licensed retail marijuana store.
Contact our Alaska cannabis consultants for additional information about this license type.
Marijuana Testing Facility in Alaska
Lastly, a marijuana testing facility license in Alaska allows a business to provide marijuana testing services or test results for other marijuana facilities.
With this license type, you are able to:
- Have any amount of marijuana and marijuana products on its premises at any given time if the marijuana testing facility’s marijuana inventory tracking system and other records that all marijuana and marijuana products are on the premises only for testing purposes.
However, you can not:
- Have a licensee, employee, or agent who holds a type of marijuana establishment license other than a marijuana testing facility license
- Sell, deliver, distribute or transfer marijuana or marijuana product to a consumer, with or without compensation
- Allow a person to consume marijuana or marijuana product on its licensed premises
Application for a Marijuana Testing Facility License in Alaska
A business applying for a Marijuana Testing Facility License must include forms and information such as:
- Operation Plans
- Each test the marijuana testing facility will offer
- The testing facilities Standard Operating Procedure for each test the marijuana testing facility will offer
- Lastly, the acceptable range of results for each test the marijuana testing facility will offer
Additionally, the applicant must agree to:
- Participate in a proficiency testing program,
- Employ a scientific director,
- Use guidelines for testing methodologies,
- Provide a standard operating procedure manual,
- Establish an adequate chain of custody,
- Have a Marijuana inventory tracking system
- Provide a plan for failed materials
- Demonstrate supplemental marijuana quality testing
- Report and verify all results, provide records.
Application for a Marijuana Testing Facility in Alaska
Integrated Marijuana Licenses in Alaska
Additionally, the board can issue a marijuana producer, marijuana processor, and marijuana retailer license to one person. Also, the board can issue a marijuana producer and marijuana processor license to one person. Lastly, a person with an integrated license can not grow or process marijuana on more than one licensed premise.
Alaska allows vertical integration. Additionally, there is no cap on the number of licenses that can be issued or the number of licenses for a single individual or company.
Application and Licensing Fees in Alaska
Application Fees for Cannabis Business Licenses in Alaska
The application fee for a cannabis business license in Alaska is a non-refundable fee of $1,000. Additionally, this application fee applies to an application for a new marijuana establishment license, an application for a license conversion, and an application to transfer a license to another person.
If you want to renew your cannabis business license in Alaska, the application fee is $600.
Now, let’s break down the application fees for different cannabis business types in Alaska.
First, for a retail marijuana store, the endorsement fee is $5,000. For a renewed retail marijuana store, the fee is $7,000.
Secondly, for a limited marijuana cultivation facility license, the endorsement fee is $1,000. For a renewed license, the fee is $1,400.
Thirdly, for a standard marijuana cultivation facility license, the endorsement fee is $5,000. For a renewed license, the fee is $7,000.
Fourthly, for a marijuana concentrate manufacturing facility, the endorsement fee is $1,000. For a renewed license, the fee is $2,000.
Fifthly, for a marijuana product manufacturing facility license, the endorsement fee is $1,000. For a renewed license, the fee is $5,000.
Lastly, for an onsite consumption facility, the endorsement fee is $2,000.
Transferring a Cannabis Business License in Alaska | Alaska Cannabis Business Consultants
If you want to transfer a license, the application must have the same information about the transferee as is required of an applicant for a new license.
Also, the application for a transfer must include a statement, under oath, executed by the transferor that lists all debts of the business and all taxes due by the business.
Lastly, if you want to transfer your license to a new location you are able to do so as well.
Municipality Opt-Out in Alaska | Cannabis Business Consultants
A local government can prohibit the operation of marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana product manufacturing facilities, marijuana testing facilities, or retail marijuana stores with an ordinance by a voter initiative.
Applying for a License Within a Locality
A local government in Alaska can designate a local regulatory authority that is responsible for processing applications submitted for a registration to operate a marijuana establishment within the boundaries of the local government.
Additionally, the local government can establish procedures for the issuance, suspension, and revocation of registration issued by the local government.
Personal Use and Growing Cannabis at Home in Alaska
Individuals over the age of 21 are able to possess, use, display, purchase, or transport marijuana accessories or one ounce of marijuana. Additionally, individuals can possess, grow, process, or transport no more than 6 marijuana plants. You can also transfer one ounce or less of marijuana and up to 6 immature marijuana plants to a person who is 21 years of age or older. Lastly, you can not consume marijuana in public.
Tips for Winning a Cannabis License in Alaska from our Business Consultants
If you want to win a cannabis business license in Alaska, there are certain steps you need to take. First and foremost, make sure to contact a cannabis consultant in Alaska. Our Alaska cannabis business consultants provide application services that allow you to win the license type that you want. Additionally, you should:
- Read the bill. This gives you information about the rules and regulations for the market.
- Choose the license type you want. Different license types exist within each cannabis market. The cannabis license types for Alaska were mentioned above within this article.
- Build a team. Each cannabis business needs a team of experts in order to operate the business. If you do not have a team, our cannabis consultants can help you build a team so that you can operate your cannabis business successfully.
- Raise capital for your cannabis business in Alaska
- Secure real estate for your desired license. Also, choose the locality you want to apply to. You also want to garner local support for the business.
- Lastly, write and submit your application for a license. Utilize our cannabis consulting services in order to win a license.
Finally, if you want a cannabis business license in Alaska, now is the time to apply. Our cannabis consulting firm makes this process easy for you, so make sure to contact us for a successful application process.
Not interested in a cannabis license in Alaska, check out these other states that have cannabis business opportunities coming up soon.
