Document Checklist 

Each applicant must submit a complete application that includes supporting documents to verify their responses in the application, for their application to be reviewed and scored by the Social Equity Contractor. Applications that do not include supporting documents will not be accepted for review. The below Document Checklist is a list of the supporting documentation that could be submitted by the applicant which will be evaluated by the Social Equity Contractor to determine whether the applicant meets the social equity requirements. Please be advised that each applicant may use his or her discretion to determine which supporting documents to submit to verify their responses. Acceptable documents may include, but not be limited to the following:

  • Applicant's arrest or conviction records or family member's arrest or conviction records

  • Bank records

  • Leases or rental agreements

  • Loan documents

  • Mortgage statements

  • Property tax information

  • School records or student identification

  • Social Equity Plan

  • Tax returns of applicant demonstrating their income for the prior year

  • Tax returns that indicate the applicant's address(es)

  • Utility bills

  • Other documentation that verifies eligibility

These documents verify information provided in the application of social equity applicants. Specifically, they may provide proof of time spent in a disproportionately impacted area, arrest and conviction information, household income, and cannabis business experience as specified below:

  • True Party of Interest (TPI) Verification (Required)

    • Federal, state, or local government issued identification card showing applicant’s name

    • Government employee ID card (state or federal) with signature and photograph

    • Professional license (i.e., nurse, physician, engineer, etc.)

    • Veteran Administration identification with photograph

    • Washington driver’s license

  • Proof of Residency.

    • Bank loan documents that show the applicant’s address

    • Bank statements or credit card bills

    • Correspondence from the federal, state, or local government

    • Correspondence from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or Washington government agency

    • County tax notice

    • Deed or title to real estate residential property

    • Federal, state, or local government issued identification card showing applicant’s name

    • Leases or rental agreements

    • Medical records

    • Mortgage statements that show the applicant’s address

    • Pay stubs that show the applicant’s name and Washington address

    • Property tax information

    • Rental agreements that show the applicant’s address

    • Residential lease or rental agreements with the name of the applicant as lessee or renter

    • School records or student identification

    • School records that show the applicant’s address

    • Statement from a major creditor

    • Statements from a landlord

    • Tax returns

    • Utility bills that show the applicant’s address

    • Vehicle registration

    • Voter registration card

    • Washington driver’s license

  • Proof of time spent in a disproportionately impacted area may include:

    • Bank loan documents that show the applicant’s address

    • Bank statements or credit card bills

    • Correspondence from the federal, state, or local government

    • Correspondence from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or Washington government agency

    • County tax notice

    • Deed or title to real estate residential property

    • Federal, state, or local government issued identification card showing applicant’s name

    • Leases or rental agreements

    • Medical records

    • Mortgage statements that show the applicant’s address

    • Pay stubs that show the applicant’s name and Washington address

    • Property tax information

    • Rental agreements that show the applicant’s address

    • Residential lease or rental agreements with the name of the applicant as lessee or renter

    • School records or student identification

    • School records that show the applicant’s address

    • Statement from a major creditor

    • Statements from a landlord

    • Tax returns

    • Tax returns that indicate the applicant's address(es)

    • Utility bills that show the applicant’s address

    • Vehicle registration

    • Voter registration card

    • Washington driver’s license

  • Proof of arrest information may include:

    • Arrest Citation

    • Arrest reports

    • Criminal history background reports

    • Other court document related to the conviction or vacated sentences

    • TPI arrest record

    • TPI family member arrest record (must include an affirmation of the familial relationship signed by the applicant and the family member) 

    • Washington State Patrol Report

  • Proof of household income may include:

    • Copies of their most recent tax return

    • Documentation from the Office of Unemployment on their statements of benefits

    • IRS tax form W-2

    • Most recent federal tax return

    • Pay stubs that show the applicant’s name and Washington address

    • Student identification or confirmation of secondary education status

  • Proof of Loss of Home or Inability to Purchase Home as a Result of TPI’s Drug Convictions or Arrests

    • Court record

    • Email from banks or landlords denying a mortgage or rental to the TPI because of the TPI's drug conviction or arrest.

    • Employment Termination Letter

    • Eviction Notice

    • Letter from banks or landlords discussing the reason for denial in mortgage or rental due to the TPI's drug conviction or arrest

  • Proof that TPI or TPI’s Family Member’s Incarceration Prevented TPI from Obtaining Employment

    • Court record which shows that the TPI was terminated or denied employment due to the TPI or the TPI’s family member’s incarceration

    • Email from an employer which rejects or terminates employment and states the reason of the TPI’s rejection or termination was because the TPI was incarcerated

    • Letter from an employer which reject or terminates employment and state that the reason of the rejection or termination was because the TPI was incarcerated

  • Proof of Business Entity Ownership

    • Certificate of membership

    • Corporate tax returns

    • Documentation from the Washington Secretary of State

    • Ownership statement

    • Partnership agreement

    • Profit-sharing agreement

    • Stock certificates

    • Stock ledger

    • Washington business registration

  • Proof of conviction information may include:

    • Abstract of a record of conviction prepared by the court in which the conviction was entered, or by a state official associated with the state’s repository of criminal justice records, which indicates the following: the charge or section of the law violated; the disposition of the case; the existence and date of conviction; and the sentence

    • Criminal history background reports

    • Docket entry from court record that indicate the existence of a conviction

    • Minutes of a court proceeding or transcript of a hearing that indicates the existence of a conviction

    • Other court document related to the conviction or vacated sentences

    • Probation documents

    • Probation report

    • Record of judgement and conviction

    • Record of plea, verdict and sentence

    • Sentencing reports

  • Proof of previous cannabis business experience may include:

    • Business Plan that identifies the member in the charter

    • Documentation from local jurisdiction

    • Organization Documents for Corporation: Articles of Incorporation; By-laws' Shareholders’ Agreement; Stock Certificate

    • Organization Documents For LLC: Articles of Organization; Operating Agreement

    • Organization Documents for Sole Proprietor: copy of DBA

    • IRS tax form W-2

The documents specified above are recommended by WSLCB to prove eligibility to participate in the Social Equity in Cannabis Program. This is not an exhaustive list of all documents that may be submitted by social equity applicants. Pursuant to our legal research, we have identified additional documents which are included in the Document Checklist in the social equity application. All of the specified documents in the Document Checklist are not required to be submitted by every applicant. Applicants are advised to submit each applicable document, as well as any other supporting documentation that may verify their eligibility. It is important that applications are complete with each question answered and that the application is submitted with the required information as specified in the Document Checklist. Incomplete applications will not be scored for eligibility to participate in the Program.

Each applicant is also required to submit a social equity plan. A Social Equity Plan must include at least one of the three options below:

  • A description of how issuing a cannabis retail license to you will meet social equity goals

  • Person or family history with the criminal justice system including any offenses involving cannabis and how issuing a license to you will meet the social equity goals

  • How your business plan involves partnerships or assistance to organizations with connection to areas that have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition

You are required to include at least one of the three options but may include all three.