Florida Cannabis Consultants

Would you like help with your Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) license application? The Department of Health recently announced that it would be accepting Florida cannabis business license applications from Arpil 24 – April 28 2023. You can increase your chances of winning by allowing our Florida cannabis consultants to manage your application from start to finish. We received the highest score in the most recent MMTC licensing round (i.e., Pigford/black farmer), and we know the recipe for success.

Below is an overview of the application process and a step-by-step guide for winning a Florida medical marijuana business license. But if you’d prefer to speak with our Florida Marijuana Consultants and ask questions directly, please contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

Florida Cannabis Consultants

Table of Contents

Rules and Regulations

As your first step, our Florida cannabis license consultants recommend familiarizing yourself with the rules and regulations.

By doing so, you will learn about the application process and regulations that you will need to follow when operating your business. You’ll also determine if you’re eligible to apply for a medical cannabis business license. Don’t worry, our Florida Marijuana License Application Writers summarize all this below.

In addition to the rules and regulations, you should know that the Florida Department of Health Office of Medical Marijuana Use oversees the medical marijuana market in Florida, including the issuance of licenses.

Timeline for Florida Cannabis License Applications

You can apply for a Florida medical cannabis treatment center (MMTC) license between Monday, April 24, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. and Friday, April 28, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. eastern time. But you should begin preparing now if you want to win a license.

Types of Florida Cannabis Licenses

Currently, Florida only has one type of medical cannabis business license. The State offers a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) license, which allows you to cultivate, process, distribute, and dispense medical marijuana in Florida.

In other words, Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers in Florida are vertically integrated and are the only businesses in Florida that can dispense medical cannabis.

Eligibility

So who can apply for a medical marijuana business license in Florida? Well, in the case of the Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) licenses, the pool of eligible applicants is limited. For instance, to apply for the upcoming MMTC license in Florida, you must:

Provide documentation demonstrating that the applicant has been registered to do business in Florida for the previous five consecutive years;
Not include any owners, officers, or employees with disqualifying criminal offenses (defined below); and
Not include any owners that already have ownership in a medical marijuana treatment center (see ownership limitations below).

Do you have questions about if you can apply for a Florida medical marijuana business license? If so, feel free to contact our Florida cannabis application writers today.

Application Process for a Marijuana Business License in Florida

Let’s analyze the sections you must include in your application. Each section will receive a score, and the highest-scoring application will win a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) license.

Thus, our cannabis consultants in Florida provide you with a list of the sections you must include in your application for scoring:

4.1 – Applicant Information
4.2 – Declaration of Exempt Information
4.3 – Certificate of Registration, DACS, and Background Screening
- 4.3.1 – Florida Business Registration
- 4.3.2 – DACS Documentation
- 4.3.3 – Level 2 Background Screening
4.4 – Cultivation of Marijuana and Supporting Infrastructure
- 4.4.1 – Cultivation Plan
- 4.4.2 – Cultivation Infrastructure
- 4.4.3 – Ability to Secure Cultivation Infrastructure
4.5 – Plan for Processing Mariuana and Supporting Infrastructure
- 4.5.1 – Processing Plan
- 4.5.2 – Processing Infrastructure
- 4.5.3 – Ability to Secure Processing Infrastructure
4.6 – Plan for Dispensing Marijuana and Supporting Infrastructure
- 4.6.1 – Dispensing Plan
- 4.6.2 – Dispensing Infrastructure
  - 4.6.2 Addendum
- 4.6.3 – Ability to Secure Dispensing Infrastructure
4.7 – Plan for Security and Accountability
- 4.7.1– Premises Security
  - 4.7.1 Addendum
- 4.7.2 – IT Security
- 4.7.3 – Diversion, Unlawful Access, and Transportation
- 4.7.4 – Personnel Screening and Training
- 4.7.5 – Recalls
4.8 – Ability to Execute Proposed Plans
- 4.8.1 – Experience in the Marijuana Industry
- 4.8.2 – Other Relevant Experience
- 4.8.3 – Business Plan
- 4.8.4 – Prior Enforcement Action
4.9 Medical Director
- 4.9.1 – Experience in the Marijuana Industry (Medical Director)
- 4.9.2 – Other Relevant Experience
  - 4.9.2 Addendum
- 4.9.3 – Oversight
- 4.9.4 – Managing Conflicts of Interest
- 4.9.5 – Medical Director Acknowledgment and Certificate of Course Completion
4.10 – Personnel
- 4.10.1 – Personnel Qualifications
  - 4.10.1 Addendum
- 4.10.2 – Drug-Free Workplace
- 4.10.3 – Personnel Training
4.11 – Diversity Plan
- 4.11.1 – Diversity Plan
- 4.11.2 – Implementation of Diversity Plan
4.12 – Certified Financial Documents and Available Funding
- 4.12.1 – Certified Financial Statements
- 4.12.2 – Available Funding
  - 4.12.2 Addendum
- 4.12.3 – Projected Budget
  - 4.12.3 Addendum
4.13 – Business Ownership and Structure
- 4.13.1 – Ownership Information for Individual (Natural Person) Applicants
- 4.13.2 – Ownership Information for Entity Applicants
- 4.13.3 – Capitalization Tables, Change of Control, and Related Entities
4.14 – Applicant Acknowledgment
4.15 – Citrus Preference Documentation
4.16 – Pigford/BFL Application Fee Transfer Request

Seems like a lot? Don’t worry, it is a lengthy and confusing application. It’s meant to weed out the unqualified.

Let us manage your Florida Cannabis Business License application from start to finish. Our Florida Marijuana Business Consultants will take the stress out of it for you. Our cannabis application writers have one of the highest success rates in the industry (90.12%) and thrive in extremely competitive markets (like Florida).

Evaluating and Scoring Florida MMTC Applications

Your application must undergo scoring to determine who will win the license. The Department will choose nine (9) evaluators with expertise in relevant disciplines.

Each of the evaluators will score only one section, and they will score the section related to their expertise.

Also, the Department states that “evaluators will evaluate and score their assigned sections by comparing the relative quality of an application section to the same section in all other applications.”

Are you prepared to receive a perfect score? It won’t be easy. But our cannabis consultants in Florida can drastically increase your chances of receiving the top score.

For instance, in nearby Georgia, where there were only four cannabis business licenses available (extremely competitive), we helped our clients win one of the four, beating out the largest Multi-State Operators in the world.

Fees

To apply for an MMTC license in Florida, you will have to pay a non-refundable application fee in the amount of $146,000.

Yes, that is a pretty high non-refundable fee. So if you submit, don’t risk your capital. Work with our Florida cannabis consultants, whose core competency is winning cannabis licenses in extremely competitive markets. We have a track record to prove it, as shown in this video.

Step-by-Step Guide for Winning a Florida Cannabis License

Below are actions you can take now to increase your chances of winning a Florida cannabis business license.

Step 1: Read the Laws and Rules

The first step you should take is reading the laws and rules of the Florida Medical Market. By doing so, you’ll have a significant leg up on any applicant that chooses not to. You’ll understand what it takes to win a license and operate a successful business.

Don’t have time to read hundreds of pages of laws and regulations? No problem. Engage a Florida marijuana business consultant (step 2).

Step 2: Engage a Florida Cannabis Consultant

A cannabis consultant in Florida can guide you through the entire application. Our cannabis application writers will manage your application from start to finish.

For instance, our cannabis consultants in Florida can assist with technical writing, real estate selection, talent acquisition, raising capital, building local support, and more.

Learn more by speaking directly with our cannabis license consultants in Florida.

Step 3: Form Business Entity

You’ll want to form a business entity for your proposed cannabis business. We most commonly find applicants forming LLCs or corporations. But you should consult your attorney to determine what fits your goals best.

Step 4: Choose a location

At this time, its a good to begin choosing locations for your cannabis business. It can take months to secure a location.

Check with the municipality and make sure your proposed location is compliant and zoned correctly.

Step 5: Build a team

One major area that Florida will score your application on is the team that you apply with. In other words, the team you list on your application better has expertise related to business management and medical cannabis business operations.

Quantum 9 offers talent acquisition services to help you build a strong team for your application. Our Florida cannabis consulting firm has a deep network of industry-leading experts that will help you receive the highest score on your application.

Step 6: Develop Business Plan

It’s never too early to put together a strong business plan. You can use it to raise capital, build awareness, garner local support, build your brand, recruit a team, and more.

Moreover, you can use portions of your business plan in your actual cannabis license application.

Step 7: Raise Capital

Starting a cannabis business is a costly endeavor. Start-up costs will run you and your team millions.

Now is a good time to get your financials in order. You’ll have to show the source of all your financing for the application.

Step 8: Garner Local Support

Having proof of local support can make your application stick out for the rest and help you win a license. Try to obtain a letter of support from the municipality and any local organizations.

Step 9: Write and Submit License Application

Finally, you can begin writing portions of your Florida cannabis license application. We listed the sections of the application above that you will have to submit.

You’ll easily end up writing hundreds of pages of technical narratives. The State will score your application based on merit and compliance.

Allow our Florida cannabis consultants to write your application for you. We have one of the highest success rates in the industry for winning licenses (90.12%). We thrive in extremely competitive markets.

Contact our cannabis consulting firm in Florida for more information about our cannabis license application services.

Conclusions from our Florida Cannabis Consultants

In conclusion, the opportunity to enter the billion-dollar medical marijuana industry in Florida is around the corner. Working with a cannabis consulting firm like Quantum 9 will save you time and reduce stress. Allow the pros to win you a license.

Additional Information from our Florida Cannabis Consultants

Below is supplemental information that our Florida cannabis consultants included for your reference.

Ownership Limitations

You can only be an owner, officer, board member, or manager of one application. Similarly, you are only allowed to own one medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC) in Florida.

Transferring Ownership

So are you allowed to sell or buy a medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC) license? In other words, can you transfer ownership of the license? The short answer is yes.

However, the acquiring entity must submit an application to the Department and meet all of the licensure requirements mentioned above.

Profit-Sharing

You cannot have a profit-sharing agreement with the property owner or lessor of any of your MMTC facilities.

Disqualifying Criminal Offenses

As mentioned earlier, Florida will not award you a license if you have anyone on your team (owners, officers, employees, etc.) that has any disqualifying offenses. Florida considers the following as disqualifying offenses:

Disqualifying offenses provided in s. 435.04;
Perjury (Chapter 837);
Offenses Concerning Racketeering and Illegal Debts (Chapter 895);
Offenses related to Financial Transaction (Chapter 896); or
Similar law of another jurisdiction.

Florida Cannabis Consultants