Alert: Welcome to the first edition of the DCC California Cannabis Chronicle newsletter

• The latest news and announcements about DCC
• New and updated regulations
• Relevant and helpful resources to help you stay in compliance
• Profiles of California cannabis licensees and DCC staff members

We want to hear from you how we can grow and evolve this new resource. Reach out to us at [email protected] with your thoughts on additional content and story ideas.

Bookmark the CannaConnect resource hub for easy access. DCC staff update these resources regularly to keep you informed on the latest regulations, and offer support through guidance documents, FAQs, video, and more.

• Looking for a list of the state agencies that you’ll need to work with on your license application or renewal?
• How about guidance on the new electricity reporting requirements? .
• Or an FAQ on hosting a temporary cannabis event? That’s on there, too.

The DCC team is committed to providing the resources and materials you need to stay in compliance from seed to sale. But we want to hear from you: help us prioritize the tools we work on first by reaching out to us with suggestions, comments, and recommendations. Tell us in which areas you need support by emailing us at [email protected].

Licensees seeking disaster relief are encouraged to submit a Request for Disaster Relief (Form DCC-8101) to DisasterRelief@cannabis.ca.gov.

Licensees should be prepared to identify the specific DCC regulations from which they are requesting relief from and explain what regulatory relief is needed. DCC may also require that licensees obey certain conditions to receive temporary disaster relief. DCC has no authority to offer relief from requirements that are administered by other agencies or imposed by statute.

Having technical issues? More information can be found on this Metrc bulletin. Questions can also be sent to Metrc Support at [email protected].

The following resources, including Frequently asked Questions, are available on our website. Links below!

• DCC Emergency Track and Trace Regulations 
• Record-keeping and Track and Trace Requirements for Delivery Guidance – New!

If you need assistance from DCC or have any questions, please email [email protected].

• Applications for Large Cultivation licenses.
• Requests to convert other cultivation licenses into a Large or Medium cultivation license.

You may have received an email from DCC relating to these and other new cultivation license regulations.

You can find resources relating to these updates on our website or click on the links below to go directly to each resource. 

• Approved text of regulations
• Conversion guidance document
• Checklist to help you prepare your required information and documents
• Licensing system guidance document – New!
• Instructional video on how to apply online – New!

For assistance with conversion requests, email [email protected].gov.
For questions about inventory reconciliation procedures, email trackandtrace@cannabis.ca.gov.

• Indoor cultivation;
• Tier 2 mixed-light cultivation; OR
• Nursery using indoor OR tier 2 mixed-light techniques

If these requirements apply to you, you must:

• Report total electricity for each power source used to DCC; AND
• Comply with renewable energy requirements, including any required purchase of carbon offsets.

Here are some tools to help you gather and report energy information. The reporting worksheets are optional templates provided by the Department.

• Electricity Usage Reporting Guide 
• Electricity Reporting Worksheet
• Energy Demand Worksheet  – New!

Visit the CannaConnect Compliance Hub for more information on these requirements. If you have any questions about how to comply with the renewable energy requirements or suggestions on what resources might be helpful for you, please reach out to the DCC’s licensing team at [email protected]. 

Equity Fee Relief options include: 
For each calendar year, qualified and approved equity applicants/licensees may receive:

• Fee Waiver – Allows qualified and approved equity applicants to have either an initial or renewal license fee waived. If a business has multiple licenses, it can only obtain a fee waiver for one license per calendar year.
• Fee Deferrals – Allows qualified and approved equity applicants/licensees to defer payment of their initial or renewal license fees for six months. Businesses with more than one license can request a deferral one time on each license within the same calendar year. All deferrals must be paid in full no later than six months after the issuance of a license or renewal of a license.

Resources & Eligibility Information: 

• Regulation Text Cannabis License Fee Waivers and Deferrals
• Equity Fee Relief Program Guidance Document
• DCC-Form 1601_Equity Fee Relief Request Form 
• DCC-Form 1602_Equity Fee Relief Request – Additional Equity Owner Form

For assistance with your equity fee relief request, email equity@cannabis.ca.gov.
For more information about DCC’s equity relief effort, visit: https://cannabis.ca.gov/applicants/apply-for-equity-fee-relief/.

This year, DCC worked closely with the organizers to support licensee compliance, hosting a presentation before the event to answer questions and created an FAQ for temporary cannabis events that licensees can now find on our website.  The audience also got to hear directly from Deputy Director of Equity & Inclusion Eugene Hillsman and Chief Engagement Officer Cassandra DiBenedetto, during a moderated panel discussion.

“The Emerald Cup was a fantastic opportunity to engage with licensees, consumers, and other members of the cannabis community,” said Cassandra DiBenedetto. “We learned from the feedback we received, and the Department gained tremendous insight into industry resource needs.”