CANNABIS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

A. SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

To be considered to participate in the WSLCB Social Equity in Cannabis Program, the following requirements must be met by each applicant:

At least a 51% majority or controlling interest in the applicant must be held by a person or persons who has or have resided in Washington state for six months prior to the application date and meets at least two of the following three qualifications:

  • Qualification 1: The social equity applicant or applicants have lived in a disproportionately impacted area in Washington state for a minimum of five years between 1980 and 2010;

  • Qualification 2: The social equity applicant or a family member of the applicant has been arrested or convicted of a cannabis offense; or

  • Qualification 3: The social equity applicant's household income in the year prior to submitting the application was less than the median household income ($82,400) within the state of Washington as calculated by the United States Census Bureau.

B. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

To be considered to participate in the WSLCB Social Equity in Cannabis Program, the following requirements must be met by each applicant, in addition to the above stated requirements:

  • Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.

  • Applicants must submit a Personal Criminal History form and have their fingerprints taken.

  • An individual or married couple may not be a “true party of interest” in more than five retail cannabis licenses. True party of interest typically refers to individuals that have ownership in a cannabis business, receive profit from the business, and/or exercise control of the business.

  • An individual or married couple may not be a “true party of interest” in both a cannabis retail license and a cannabis producer or processor license.

C. APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Application Submittal

To be considered to participate in the WSLCB Social Equity in Cannabis Program, each applicant must adhere to the application submittal requirements:

  • WSLCB will open the application window for an initial period of 30 calendar days. WSLCB may reopen the application window at its sole discretion.

  • Application for a business license must be submitted via the Department of Revenue’s business licensing website within the 30-day application window. Next, applicants will be invited to complete the Social Equity Application by the Social Equity Contractor.

  • Social equity applicant, whether applying as a person, persons or entity, may apply for a cannabis license only once during each window.

  • Social equity title certificate holder may apply for a social equity license and an application to reinstate their existing license through the Program.

  • When the application window is closed, the social equity contractor will evaluate and prioritize all applications received within the 30-day application window.

2. Application Requirements

To be considered to participate in the WSLCB Social Equity in Cannabis Program, each applicant must include certain information and documents in their application:

  • Social equity applicants must select one county where they would like to operate their business.

  • Social equity applicants must submit documentation verifying that they meet each of the eligibility requirements. Documentation that is either required and/or deemed acceptable is specified in the application Document Checklist.

  • If additional materials are needed, the social equity applicant will receive a letter electronically from the social equity contractor requesting the applicant to submit additional application materials directly to the social equity contractor.

  • Social equity applicant must submit complete and accurate additional application documents directly to the social equity contractor within 15 business days of the date of the letter. It is the responsibility of the social equity applicant to comply with the application requirements and ensure that their application is complete, accurate, and successfully submitted to the social equity contractor in a timely manner.

  • After the social equity contractor determines that the requirements have been met, the social equity contractor will score social equity applications using the WSLCB Scoring Rubric to prioritize the applicants.

  • Social equity contractor will provide WSLCB with a list of eligible and scored social equity applicants.

  • Social equity contractor and its employees are prohibited from benefitting from any licenses that are granted.

3. Social Equity Application

a. Application Form Document

Application questions are intended to request information from the social equity applicant that will be evaluated by the social equity contractor to determine whether the applicant meets the social equity requirements. Such questions may include, but not be limited to:

  • Does the social equity applicant have a person or persons who: a) hold at least a 51% majority or controlling interest in the applicant; b) has or have resided in Washington state for six months prior to the application date; and c) meets at least two of the following three qualifications:

    • Qualification 1: The social equity applicant or applicants have lived in a disproportionately impacted area in Washington state for a minimum of five years between 1980 and 2010; or

    • Qualification 2: The social equity applicant or a family member of the applicant has been arrested or convicted of a cannabis offense; or

    • Qualification 3: The social equity applicant's household income in the year prior to submitting the application was less than the median household income ($82,400) within the state of Washington as calculated by the United States Census Bureau.

  • How long has the social equity applicant lived in a DIA?

  • Has the social equity applicant been arrested of a drug offense other than cannabis?

  • Has a social equity applicant's family member been arrested for drug offense other than cannabis?

  • If the social equity applicant was convicted of a cannabis offense, what type of sentence did the social equity applicant receive?

  • Did the social equity applicant's family member's incarceration keep them from getting employment?

  • Did the social equity applicant lose their home or ability to purchase a home because of their convictions or arrests?

  • Did the social equity applicant own or operate a medical cannabis dispensary or collective garden, licensed as a business, prior to July 1, 2016?

  • Did the social equity applicant own and operate a medical cannabis dispensary or collective garden licensed as a business in a DIA?