HOW TO APPLY
How do I apply to register my dispensary?
Please visit our Dispensary How To Apply page for details.
Are there any location restrictions for a medical marijuana dispensary?
Yes. Dispensaries may not be in an area zoned residential. It is recommended that you check with your local government to ensure there are no prohibited uses at the location where you intend to open a dispensary.
Dispensaries may also not be located within 1000 feet of a school or another registered dispensary.
What zoning documentation is acceptable?
Please contact the city or county planning office of where the dispensary is located. Written documentation should be obtained that indicates the proposed dispensary is not located in an area that is zoned for residential use.
Is there a Land Use Compatibility Statement (LUCS) requirement for medical marijuana dispensaries?
No. However, it is recommended that you check with the local government to ensure there are no prohibited uses at the location where you intend to open a medical marijuana dispensary.
How will I know if the location I have chosen for my dispensary is more than 1,000 feet from a school or 1,000 feet from a registered dispensary?
The OMMP offers an online School Locator Map that applicants can use to see if a site is too close to a school. However, as some school locations are confidential, results from the mapping tool should not be considered official or binding. The final decision on whether a proposed location complies with OMMP rules will be made by program staff. Please be aware that a facility’s premises must not be anywhere within 1,000 feet of a school's property boundary. Applicants are also expected to canvas the area surrounding their proposed location and sign an affirmation that they have done so when applying.
What kinds of schools do dispensaries need to be 1,000 feet away from?
Private or public schools, primary or secondary schools.
- Primary – institutions containing any combination of grades kindergarten through 8th or age level equivalent.
- Secondary – institutions containing any combination of grades 9th through 12th or age level equivalent, including junior high schools which include 9th grade.
- Please refer to OAR 333-008-1040(4)(c)(A) for details.
May I operate a mobile dispensary, a medicine delivery service or have a drive-thru at my dispensary?
No. Mobile services, including but not limited to farmers markets, drive-thrus, delivery services and mobile dispensaries are not allowed. Any transfer of marijuana to or from a dispensary must take place at the registered address of the dispensary.
Can a dispensary be located at the same address as a grow site?
No. Also, if you have any knowledge that a patient has designated your dispensary as a grow site, please ask the person to change the grow site address with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. Otherwise, this could delay the approval of your application.
Can a dispensary sublet or share any portion of the dispensary premises with any other business?
No.
What are the security requirements for a dispensary?
Rules regarding security requirements may be found in OAR 333-008-2080 to 333-008-2120.
What is the process for approval? How long should it take?
After your online application, fee payment, and all required application documents have been received, program staff will review your application to determine whether all program rules have been satisfied. Your application will be processed in the order it is received, based on the timestamp of the approved payment.
The timeline for approving your application will depend on several factors, including the volume of applications received.
Once my application is approved, when may I begin to operate my dispensary?
You may open for business as soon as you receive your physical registration certificate.
Is there a limit on the number of dispensaries that will be registered by the Oregon Health Authority?
There is no limit on the number of dispensaries that may be registered by OHA. However, dispensaries cannot be within 1,000 feet of each other or a school.
How many dispensaries may an individual own or be responsible for?
There is no limit on the number of dispensaries an individual may be responsible for. However, any person who wishes to register more than one location must submit a separate application and all required documentation for each location.
What is a PRD?
A PRD is a “Person Responsible for a Dispensary.” For more information or for information on how to change a PRD, visit our PRD page.
Can I have more than one PRD?
Yes. Multiple PRDs may be named on an application. Anyone named as a PRD must pass a background check and must be involved in the day to day operations of the dispensary. One PRD must be named as the primary PRD.
What is a Primary PRD?
A Primary PRD is an individual who:
- is designated as the primary point of contact for dispensary;
- is authorized to receive any and all communications and legal notices from the Oregon Health Authority;
- meets the qualifications in OAR 333-008-1073 through 333-008–1075; and
- is involved in the day-to-day operations of the dispensary.
Only one person may act as a Primary PRD, and a dispensary must have a registered Primary PRD in order to operate.
DISPENSARY FEES
What is the fee to apply for a license to operate a dispensary?
The registration fee is $3,500 and the application fee, which is non-refundable, is $500. In other words, a total of $4,000 must be paid at the time of application. Payment can only be made with a credit card, debit card, or pre-paid debit card.
There is a $35 background check fee, payable by check or money order, for:
- Each person listed in the initial application, including all owners and PRDs;
- A request to add an owner; or
- Change a PRD or primary PRD.
Lastly, there is a $480 Cannabis Tracking System (CTS) user fee.
I don’t have a credit card. How can I pay the fee?
If you do not have or are unable to acquire a credit card, prepaid credit cards can be purchased at many stores. The fee must be paid online at the time of application.
FINDING A DISPENSARY
Where can I find a list of registered dispensaries?
A list of dispensaries can be found on the OMMP website.
GENERAL DISPENSARY FACTS
What is a medical marijuana dispensary?
A medical marijuana dispensary is a facility, registered by the Oregon Health Authority, that is allowed to receive marijuana, immature marijuana plants, or marijuana products and transfer that marijuana to a patient or a patient’s caregiver, if the patient or caregiver has an Oregon Medical Marijuana Program card or a receipt letter from the OMMP.
Where may dispensaries be located?
Dispensaries in Oregon may not be located in an area zoned residential. A dispensary may not be located within 1,000 feet of a school or another registered dispensary and may not be at an address registered with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program as a grow site. Local government agencies may have additional restrictions, and applicants should communicate with those local agencies when deciding where to locate a dispensary.
How often does a medical marijuana dispensary get inspected?
The OMMP is required to inspect dispensaries annually to ensure compliance with the law. Program staff may also visit dispensaries at any time and assess compliance. Inspections are always unannounced.
Can medical dispensaries provide, sell, or dispense marijuana at an off-site event or to an off-site event?
No. All transfers of marijuana must be done on-site at the dispensary in accordance with dispensary rules.
May local governments ban dispensaries?
Yes. ORS 475C.950 allows local governments in Oregon to adopt ordinances that prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries or medical marijuana processing sites within its jurisdiction. For more information, visit our Local Government Option page.
Are dispensaries allowed to advertise, market or promote the prices of their products?
Rules regarding advertising can be found in OAR 333-008-2070. There is nothing in the rules that relates to pricing. However, marijuana retailers must comply with Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act, which prohibits deceptive marketing and promotion of consumer products.
Are there any advertising restrictions?
Yes. OAR 333-008-2070 outlines a set of restrictions registrants must comply with for advertising. In addition, dispensaries may not promote products in a manner of shape or design that is likely to appeal to children and adolescents such as products modeled after an animal, vehicle, person or character.
Are there any advertising requirements?
Yes. OAR 333-008-2070 indicates that a registrant must include the following statements on all advertising:
“Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana.”
“Keep marijuana out of the reach of children.”
DISPENSARY OPERATIONS
Are children allowed inside dispensaries?
No. Minors under 18 are not allowed inside any part of a dispensary where marijuana is present, even if they are patients.
Are there any age restrictions for employees of a dispensary?
Yes. A dispensary may employ an individual between the ages of 18 and 20 if the individual is an OMMP patient. Otherwise, employees must be 21 years of age or older.
Is onsite consumption of marijuana allowed at a dispensary?
No. Onsite consumption of marijuana is prohibited by program rules. The only exception is for an employee who is a current and valid Oregon Medical Marijuana Program patient who must medicate during working hours. However, it is important to note that as of March 1, 2016, an employee may not smoke or use a system that includes combusting, inhaling, vaporizing, or aerosolizing. Otherwise, consumption is only permitted if the employee is not visible to any individual while medicating and alone in a closed room where no dispensary marijuana items are present. Please refer to OAR 333-008-1110(7) for more information.
How are transfers of usable marijuana or immature plants made to a dispensary?
Transfers of usable marijuana or immature plants may only be authorized by a registered OMMP patient using the Medical Marijuana Transfer Authorization form. The patient may authorize their caregiver or their grower to transfer usable marijuana or immature plants to the dispensary. Also, a personal agreement may be used which includes at least:
- The patient’s name, OMMP card number and expiration date and contact information;
- The name and contact information of the PRMG to whom the patient’s property rights have been assigned and the producer’s OMMP card number and expiration date, and the grow site address;
- The portion of the patient’s rights to possess seeds, immature plants and usable marijuana that is being assigned to the producer.
Who gets the original Transfer Authorization form and who should keep a copy?
The original form should be sent to the registered dispensary and the dispensary must keep that original. The patient should keep a copy of the Transfer Authorization form for their records; if the caregiver or grower is authorized to transfer, the caregiver or grower should also keep a copy.
Does the Transfer Authorization form ever expire?
Yes. The Transfer Authorization form automatically expires on the date the patient’s OMMP card expires, unless the patient has specified an earlier expiration date. Once the authorization expires, the patient may renew it by submitting a new transfer form to the registered dispensary. It should be noted that once usable marijuana or immature plants are transferred to a registered dispensary, they are no longer the property of the patient unless the usable marijuana or immature plants are returned by the registered dispensary for any reason.
What must a PRD do when accepting usable marijuana or immature plants?
A PRD must ensure he or she has a valid Transfer Authorization form on file that authorizes the transferor of usable marijuana or immature plants to make the transfer and must verify the identity of the transferor by viewing and copying the transferor's OMMP card and photo identification.
Are dispensaries allowed to pay growers for medical marijuana?
A dispensary is permitted to reimburse a grower for the normal and customary costs of doing business, including costs related to transferring, handling, securing, insuring, testing, packaging, and processing usable marijuana and immature marijuana plants, and the cost of supplies, utilities, and rent or mortgage.
If I have a registered dispensary, can I continue to receive transfers of cannabinoid products and concentrates from an unregistered processor?
No. As of April 1, 2017, these types of marijuana items must come from an OHA-registered medical marijuana processor.
If I have a registered dispensary, can I still accept the transfer of extracts from an unregistered processor or from an OMMP patient, caregiver or grower?
No. Under HB 4014, passed in the 2016 Legislative session, the unlicensed processing of extracts is illegal.
A dispensary may only accept transfers of marijuana products from a registered medical marijuana processor.
How much may a dispensary charge for medical marijuana?
A dispensary is permitted to seek reimbursement for immature plants and medical marijuana products based on its normal and customary costs of doing business. A dispensary is required to document its costs of doing business and provide that information to the OMMP on request. Please refer to OAR 333-008-1200 for specifics.
Are there any reporting requirements for a dispensary?
Yes. Dispensaries are required to use he Cannabis Tracking System. Visit the Reporting Requirements page for more information.
Is there a limit on how much a dispensary can sell to an OMMP patient or caregiver?
Yes. A dispensary may not transfer at any one time to a patient or caregiver, within one day, more than:
- 24 ounces of usable marijuana;
- 16 ounces of a medical cannabinoid product in solid form;
- 72 ounces of a medical cannabinoid product in liquid form;
- 16 ounces of a cannabinoid concentrate whether sold alone or contained in an inhalant delivery system;
- Five grams of a cannabinoid extract whether sold alone or contained in an inhalant delivery system;
- Four immature marijuana plants; and
- 50 seeds.