Types of Licenses
Types of Licenses
The Cannabis Control Division regulates all licensees operating in cannabis markets in New Mexico. This includes reviewing applications and issuing licenses for adult-use cannabis establishments.
The division’s goal is to provide licensing information to applicants and licensees so that they can more easily navigate the application and licensing processes, and remain compliant with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
If you are a first-time applicant, it is important to determine the type of license that fits your business model. Below is a brief description of the license types available.
Cannabis Consumption Area
A licensed premise where cannabis products may be served and consumed. Alcohol cannot be sold or consumed in a cannabis consumption area. Local jurisdictions may deny cannabis consumption area licenses.
Cannabis Courier
A person or business licensed to transport cannabis products to qualified patients, primary caregivers, or reciprocal participants, or directly to consumers.
Cannabis Manufacturer
A person or business licensed to processes and prepare cannabis into usable cannabis products; has cannabis products tested by a third-party cannabis testing lab and package cannabis products for retail use; or to purchase, acquire, sell, or transport wholesale cannabis products to other cannabis establishments.
Cannabis Producer
A person or business licensed to cultivate cannabis plants; has unprocessed cannabis plants; has unprocessed cannabis products tested by a third-party cannabis testing lab; transport unprocessed products only to other cannabis establishments; or sell cannabis products wholesale.
Cannabis Producer Microbusiness
A person or business licensed to produce cannabis products at a single premise that possesses no more than two hundred (200) total mature cannabis plants at any one time.
Cannabis Research Laboratory
A licensed facility that produces or possesses cannabis products and all parts of the plant genus Cannabis for the purpose of studying cannabis cultivation, characteristics, or uses. A cannabis research laboratory does not test cannabis or cannabis products for wholesale or retail use.
Cannabis Retailer
A person or business licensed to sell cannabis products to qualified patients; primary caregivers or reciprocal participants; or directly to consumers twenty-one (21) years of age and older with active, valid identification.
Cannabis Testing Laboratory
A person or establishment that samples, collects, and tests cannabis products for wholesale or retail use only. A cannabis testing laboratory does not produce or possess plant genus Cannabis for the purpose of studying cannabis cultivation, characteristics, or uses.
Integrated Cannabis Microbusiness (MICB)
A person or business authorized to conduct one or more the following: production of cannabis at a single licensed premises with no more than two hundred (200) total mature cannabis plants at any one time in their possession; manufacture of cannabis products at a single licensed premises; sales and transportation of only cannabis products produced or manufactured by that person or business; operation of only one (1) retail establishment; couriering of cannabis products to qualified patients, primary caregivers or reciprocal participants, or directly to consumers. A micro integrated cannabis business (MICB) may not have multiple sublicenses of each type under the mother MICB license, only one (1) of each function.
Vertically Integrated Cannabis Establishment (VICE)
A person or business authorized to act as any of the following: a cannabis courier, a cannabis manufacturer, a cannabis producer, or a cannabis retailer. A vertically integrated cannabis establishment may have multiple sublicenses of each type under the mother VICE license.