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How to Open a Dispensary in Rhode Island in 2025
Rhode Island is one step closer to a larger legal cannabis market. The state’s Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) just released the draft for the rules and regulations to prepare businesses and stakeholders who want to open a dispensary in Rhode Island in 2025.
With only nine Rhode Island dispensaries currently offering both medical and adult-use cannabis, this upcoming application window presents a key opportunity for businesses and entrepreneurs. Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested in opening an adult-use dispensary in Rhode Island.
Cannabis Dispensary Rhode Island: Regulatory Takeaways
The CCC is about to complete the rules and regulations for Rhode Island’s legal cannabis market. The nearly 200 pages of draft of rules were released on January 8, 2025, and open to public comments until February 7. The proposed rules address packaging and labeling, license awarding, a quality assurance testing program, and criteria for six social equity licenses, and more. Here are some important points from the drafted regs.
License Allocation:
There will be 24 new Rhode Island marijuana dispensary licenses across six geographical zones, with each zone allocated four licenses. In each zone, one license will be granted to a social equity applicant and one to workers’ cooperative applicants. These licenses aim to promote inclusivity and support for communities affected by cannabis prohibition, as well as employee-owned businesses. The total allocation:
- 12 Standard Adult-Use Retail Licenses
- 6 Social Equity Retail Licenses,
- and 6 Workers' Cooperative Licenses.
Application and Selection Process:
Applicants must submit detailed business plans and financial projections for a merit-based screening, along with various other requirements. Only qualified applicants enter the lottery pool. During the lottery applicants will be accepted randomly to determine who wins a license. To ensure your application is included in the lottery, you will need to submit all of the required documents and complete all of the application steps. a strong application is crucial for selection. After getting a license, licensees will have 9 months to complete additional steps before before opening their dispensary.
Initial Application Process for Dispensary Licenses
The CCC has yet to announce the formal dates of the 2025 application window for those who want to open a Rhode Island marijuana dispensary. Regardless, it’s time to begin thinking planning your business and preparing preliminary documents. Applicants must submit the following:
- Legal Business Documentation (including Certificate of Good Standing from Rhode Island Secretary of State, business structure, and organization chart)
- Business Plan
- Security and Safety Plan
- Operations Manual (including record-keeping and training practices)
- Financial Disclosures
- Zoning Compliance Documentation
- Labor Peace Agreement
Eligibility Requirements for Dispensary License
Applicants seeking a license for a dispensary in Rhode Island must fulfill specific requirements:
- Primary applicants and key persons must be at least 21 years old.
- Social equity applicants must be residents of Rhode Island. No residency requirements for standard and workers’ cooperative applicants.
- Background checks
- Financial capability—Applicants must prove they have sufficient funding for at least one year of business operations
- Compliance with local and State Laws (including zoning and licensing restrictions)
- Facility-ready before final approval
- Staffing and training plan
Selection Process
Rhode Island does not accept incomplete applications and does not refund fees. CCC highly advises that interested businesses prepare for dispensary license application window.
After you submit your complete application, the selection process will begin. CCC will review applications for dispensaries in Rhode Island to verify they meet eligibility criteria and program guidelines. The committee uses a “merit-based” scoring system to create a pool of qualified applicants who will then enter the lottery. Social equity applicants and workers’ cooperatives will follow dedicated selection processes to ensure fair consideration.
License Types and Zoning Requirements
Rhode Island offers three distinct types of licenses for retail operations. Each has specific eligibility criteria and requirements for applicants.
- Standard Adult-Use Retail Licenses—for general applicants wishing to operate retail dispensaries.
- Social Equity Retail Licenses—for individuals from communities adversely affected by previous cannabis laws.
- Workers' Cooperative Retail Licenses—for cooperatives that operate on a worker-owned model.
The state of Rhode Island has six geographic zones. To ensure fair access, the state distributes these licenses equally among the zones. Applicants can submit applications in different geographical zones. However, if selected in more than one, the applicant must choose to push through with only one license.
Zoning Restrictions
To comply with cannabis dispensary Rhode Island zoning laws, dispensaries must be at least 500 feet away from any K-12 school. Applicants must also check with the local committee if their municipality allows dispensaries. Some municipalities opted out through referendums to not allow dispensaries within their jurisdiction.
Social Equity Cannabis Retail Licenses
CCC designated the first six of the 24 new dispensary licenses for social equity applicants. Aside from license application privileges, qualified social equity applicants and licensees can enjoy assistance from the State. This includes reduced fees, resources, and business growth support. To take advantage of these license privileges, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Live in an area (within Rhode Island) that’s affected by past cannabis laws.
- Have an income below 400% of the median income.
- Have past cannabis-related convictions or be a family member of someone affected.
- The business must have at least 51% ownership and control by a qualifying social equity applicant.
Applicants seeking social equity status must show they meet the required criteria. Note that only one applicant per geographic zone can apply for a social equity license. Furthermore, the first year’s license fee is the only one waived for these applicants. Then, a tiered fee structure will apply for subsequent years. Like standard applicants, social equity applicants must secure a facility location before final approval.
Workers' Cooperative Cannabis Retail Licenses
R.I. designated the next six licenses for workers’ cooperatives. These are Rhode Island dispensaries that are collectively owned and operated. With this type of license, the worker-owners decide democratically and share the profit equally. To qualify as a workers’ cooperative, the applicant must:
- Run the business as a cooperative with shared management
- Show employees have an equal say over business operations
- Secure a state-compliant operational plan
Workers’ cooperative license applicants need to outline worker benefits and structured management that will function in their business plan.
Aside from the no residency requirement, the workers’ cooperative licenses are highly coveted because of their fair and sustainable structure. They have shared operational responsibilities that limit risks and barriers. For example, the collaborative nature makes them much more resilient to economic downturns. Before final approval, the facility requires securing, similar to other license types.
Fees and Financial Requirements
The Cannabis Control Commission requires standard and worker cooperative applicants to pay $7,500 to complete their applications for a Rhode Island dispensary. Qualified social equity applicants do not need to pay the application fee.
Once approved, licensees must pay their annual license fees. $30,000 for standard and worker cooperative applicants. Social equity licensees will follow a tiered structure, increasing annually over five years.
Key Deadlines and Next Steps For New Dispensaries in Rhode Island
The CCC has yet to announce when the Rhode Island dispensary application process will begin, but it lasts between 30 and 90 days. Then, following selection via the random lottery process, applicants will receive provisional approval and have up to 9 months to meet all requirements for licensing. This includes securing local permits, building a facility, passing inspections, and setting up required security systems. If applicants cannot meet these requirements within 9 months, they must prove they’ve made progress to show they’re worthy of an extension.
The exact duration and dates of the application process will depend on certain regulatory regulations, so it’s crucial to prepare now to give your application the best chance of success. With these draft regulations moving the state closer to awarding licenses for up to two dozen retail marijuana shops, the opportunity is extremely limited.
Secure Your Dispensary License With CannDelta
Timely and organized preparations can make a huge difference. As cannabis experts, CannDelta has helped businesses navigate licensing processes regardless of legal complexities and time-sensitive requirements. Our team is here to maximize the chances of success for your license application—so you can be the owner of one of the new 24 new dispensaries in Rhode Island.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a dispensary license in Rhode Island?
Businesses that wish to operate a dispensary in Rhode Island must apply for a license through the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). Based on the draft released on January 8, 2025, requirements include, but are not limited to, detailed business plans, financial projections, background checks, and facility documentation (to be submitted before license approval). To determine qualified applicants for the lottery pool, CCC conducts a merit-based screening. The lottery will randomly award licenses to applicants in the pool; therefore, a strong application is crucial for selection. Selected applicants must meet all licensing requirements within 9 months before opening their dispensary.
How much does a Rhode Island dispensary license cost?
Rhode Island requires an annual $30,000 licensing fee for adult-use retailers, specifically for those who qualified for standard and workers’ cooperative licenses. Meanwhile, social equity licensees will operate under a tiered system, with annual increases over the course of five years. Getting a dispensary license in Rhode Island also requires an application fee. CCC requires a $7,500 application fee for standard and workers’ cooperative applicants. Qualified social equity applicants are exempted from paying for application fee.
When will Rhode Island recreational dispensaries open?
There is no official date yet on when recreational dispensaries will open in Rhode Island.
Consumers and businesses alike must wait for the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC)’s announcement for the application process and the date of awarding of licenses. The office is hoping, that once the new rules and regulations, they can finally start getting things running for the legal cannabis market. As of February 2025, adult consumers can only access the seven medical dispensaries in Rhode Island that could sell marijuana products.
Are there dispensaries in Rhode Island?
Adult consumers may only purchase recreational and medical marijuana from the seven legal dispensaries in Rhode Island. The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) hopes to grant 24 Rhode Island marijuana dispensary licenses soon; however, rules and regulations for legal adult-use marijuana are still being finalized.
