With a Cannabis Retail Store licence, you can sell cannabis products and cannabis accessories. Licensees can only sell federally approved cannabis products.
To apply, you
* You must apply for a separate licence for each store. A licensee can only hold or have valid interest in a maximum of eight cannabis retail store licences.
The relevant local government or Indigenous Nation must recommend that a licence be issued before the general manager may consider whether to issue a cannabis retail licence. The general manager will consider, but is not bound by, the recommendation.
The LCRB will contact the relevant local government or Indigenous Nation for their recommendation as part of the application process.
Learn more about the role of local governments and Indigenous Nations in cannabis retail licensing.
This application requires the following:
The application fee for a cannabis retail store licence is generally non-refundable.
However, the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) may consider a refund if
To request a refund, email a written request to LCRBCannabis@gov.bc.ca with reasons for the refund. The deputy general manager of licensing has the discretion to approve or deny the request.
Cannabis retail licensees must abide by the terms and conditions of their licence. For more information, read the Cannabis Retail Store Terms and Conditions Handbook (PDF, 319KB).
Check requirements for the application and fees, including
Start early and understand the process. Depending on your local government or Indigenous Nation's requirements, this step can add processing time.
Cannabis stores must be a permanent building or structure and cannot co-locate with another business.
When you apply, you must provide the following information about the proposed store location:
Parcel Identifier (PID)
A PID identifies the parcel of real property where a store is located. It is either a nine-digit number or a legal description of the property.
Property in the area of an Indigenous Nation may not have a PID. In this case, you must provide information identifying the parcel from the registry used for that land by the Indigenous Nation.
You can find the property's PID
Full street address
The address must include the
You can’t change the address of the proposed cannabis store after submitting your application.
Local governments or Indigenous nations may have requirements about your proposed store location, including its
Property ownership or lease
Before a licence can be issued, you must meet certain ownership or control requirements of the property for the proposed store location.
This means your application must demonstrate that you, either:
If you have an agreement to purchase or lease the property, the property must be purchased or leased before a licence can be issued. Leases or other property arrangements must be in place for at least 12 months from the time you receive your licence.
Learn more about shopping malls and shared vestibules below.
Complete the Business Financial Integrity form (PDF, 177 KB).
To complete the form, you will need
Your application must include:
You are responsible for all matters related to the suitability of your store’s name and branding. The Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) doesn’t consider or grant any intellectual property rights for:
The floor plan, site plan and photos of the exterior of the store must show that it meets the requirement for a self-contained cannabis store, a store in a shopping mall or a store that shares a vestibule with another business. Review the Cannabis Retail Store Terms and Conditions Handbook (PDF, 328 KB) and the document checklist for your business type for more information.
The plans must be clear and legible, and in PDF format that is still legible when zoomed in.
Both you and any associates will need to complete a Consent for Cannabis Security Screening Form. Applicants do this as part of the online application process in step 7.
This form requires:
Associates (directors, shareholders, partners, etc.) of applicants are required to submit documentation for security screenings and/or financial integrity checks.
Learn about the associate forms you must submit with your cannabis retail store licence.
Once you have gathered and prepared the necessary documents, log in to the Liquor and Cannabis Licensing Portal with your BCeID.
Once you submit, you will receive an application number from the LCRB.
Through the portal, you can invite your associates to complete and upload the necessary forms.
Approval in principle indicates you are eligible to receive a licence if you pass a final inspection. Once approval in principle is granted, you may decide to
You must have
More information can be found in the Cannabis Retail Store Terms and Conditions Handbook (PDF, 319KB).
After you have approval in principle, the LCRB must conduct an inspection before you can open to the public. The LCRB will conduct an inspection for all new cannabis retail store applicants before issuing a licence.
When you believe you are ready to open, contact the LCRB to schedule an inspection.
There cannot be any cannabis products in the store during this inspection.
During the inspection, the inspector will
As a licensee, you must have your Selling It Right certification. Workers who sell or supervise the sale of cannabis must also complete the training course Selling It Right.
Local governments may have additional business licence requirements for workers.
All the cannabis sold in your store must be purchased from the Liquor Distribution Branch. You must be issued a licence before you can order cannabis.
Agreements with federally-licensed cannabis producers
Licensees and their employees must not
Cannabis retail stores must submit monthly reports to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB). The LCRB submits these reports to Health Canada for inclusion in the federal Cannabis Tracking System (CTS).
Reporting can be done through the Cannabis Licensing Portal. Learn more about your reporting requirements.
Contact our client support team.
