License Types

Adult-Use License Types

MRTA Article 4; Sections 68–75, 77

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What license types can I apply for under New York adult-use cannabis law?

New York offers multiple adult-use cannabis license types. Each license has a defined legal scope — what you are allowed to do, what you are prohibited from doing, and how your business may operate.

Choosing the wrong license type is one of the fastest ways to get denied or blocked later in the process.

Adult-Use License Types

License TypeWhat You’re Allowed to Do (Legal Scope)CultivatorGrow cannabis plants at a licensed cultivation site.ProcessorTurn raw cannabis into finished products such as edibles, extracts, pre-rolls, and packaged goods.DistributorPurchase cannabis or cannabis products from cultivators or processors and supply them to licensed retailers or other licensees (not consumers).Retail DispensarySell cannabis products directly to adult consumers from a licensed retail location.MicrobusinessOperate a small, vertically-limited business that may cultivate, process, distribute, and retail its own products within strict size and volume limits.CooperativeMember-owned business that cultivates, processes, or distributes cannabis to other licensees (not to consumers).NurseryProduce and sell immature plants, seeds, and clones to cultivators and other eligible licensees.Delivery LicenseDeliver cannabis products directly to consumers where delivery is legally permitted.On-Site Consumption(Not Yet Open)Operate a licensed space where adults may consume cannabis on-premises, subject to zoning, safety, and local approval.Registered Organization Adult-Use (68-A / 68-B)Allows medical cannabis companies to participate in adult-use under specific RO-only license pathways.Conditional Licenses (CAURD / CUP / Conditional Cultivator / Conditional Processor)Transition-phase licenses created to establish the market before the full licensing system opened, including justice-involved CAURD retail.

Important Legal Notes for All License Types

You cannot hold multiple license types unless the law explicitly allows it. Most license categories are restricted to prevent vertical integration.

All licensees must comply with state and local laws, including:

• Security requirements (cameras, locks, alarms)
• Inventory tracking (seed-to-sale system)
• Record-keeping (sales, deliveries, waste)
• Packaging and labeling rules (child-resistant, no cartoons)
• Mandatory product testing before sale
• Zoning restrictions (distance from schools, houses of worship, other dispensaries)
• Municipal notice requirements (local officials must be notified)

Additional limits apply:

• Cultivators, processors, and microbusinesses are restricted by canopy size, production volume, and operational scope.
• Retail, delivery, microbusiness, and on-site licenses must:
  • Serve only customers 21+ with valid ID
  • Refuse sales to visibly intoxicated individuals
  • Follow strict rules for layout, staffing, and daily operations

Violations can result in fines, license suspension, or denial of renewal.

References

• License Types — MRTA Article 4, Sections 68–75, 77

Related Pages

• Ownership, Equity & Eligibility Rules
• Application Process

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