Cannabis

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California allows the cultivation, processing and sale of cannabis for recreational use. All cannabis businesses must obtain the necessary state and local permits to operate.

Different types of cannabis operations require different permits.
Certain operation types, including retail sales and cultivation, are limited to a specific number of permits.

Permit regulations also depend on where in Contra Costa County the operation is doing business.

Incorporated cities: If your cannabis operation is located in an incorporated city, contact that city for information about local regulations.
Unincorporated areas: If you are doing any type of commercial cannabis activity in one of the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County, you need a commercial cannabis health permit from Contra Costa Environmental Health.

More Information

Applications and Fees

To obtain a permit for a cannabis operation, you must follow the application and inspection process.

Complete a commercial cannabis health permit application and submit the applicable fee to Contra Costa Health's Environmental Health program.
Your application is reviewed.
Once Environmental Health has determined that your application is complete, they will conduct an onsite permit inspection.
Unannounced inspections are done afterward.

Cannabis businesses must reapply for a new health permit annually before expiration on June 30th.

Application resources:

Types of Operations

There are several different types of cannabis operations. They can operate separately or in combination, depending on the permit(s) the operator obtains.

Cultivation – Any activity involving the planting, growing, harvesting, drying, curing, grading or trimming of cannabis plants.
Delivery – An operation delivering cannabis products directly to the consumer.
Distribution – An operation selling cannabis products to other cannabis vendors, but not directly to the public.
Manufacturing – An operation involved in the extraction process, infusion process, packaging, and labeling. Includes the manufacture of products containing cannabis, such as edible cannabis products.
Retail sales – A store that sells cannabis products directly to the consumer.
Testing laboratory – An operation conducting laboratory testing of cannabis and cannabis products.

Resources