10 Updates to Regulations for CA Dispensaries and Deliveries

The California Bureau of Cannabis Control officially re-adopted the emergency regulations as of June 6th which will be in effect for the next 180 days. There have been several amendments to the these regulations and many of them directly affect California dispensaries and delivery services. Today, we’ll highlight some of the major regulation changes and how they will affect cannabis retailers across the State of California.

Licenses A & M

One of the biggest regulation changes for California dispensaries is that only one application is required when filing for both an Adult-Use business license and Medical business license. Previously, applicants were required to submit two separate applications to be approved for the adult-use as well as the medical. This should cut down on the amount documentation required as well as the turnover time for the business license to be issued.

Annual License Fee

In addition to the regulation changes for the applications, the associated fee for an annual license is not required to be paid until the business license has been approved. Once the annual license is approved, the cannabis business must pay the licensing fee before the Bureau of Cannabis Control will issue the license. This change was probably enacted so the BCC wouldn’t have to issue licensing fee refunds to businesses who were not approved.

Security Personnel

All dispensary storefronts must employ security guards as part of compliance, however new regulation changes will now require all security personnel to be at least 21 years old and be licensed by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. On the plus side, security guards will not be required to maintain 24/7 surveillance which will cut wage costs for California dispensaries.

Display Cannabis

Previously, cannabis retailers were not allowed to display any cannabis products that would be visible from outside of the licensed premises. This specific regulation has been removed so that cannabis retailers do not need a partition to block their storefront windows. Display cannabis sole purpose is to allow consumers to examine and inspect different marijuana strains before purchasing. Once these strains have been sold, the display cannabis must be destroyed as organic waste.

Onboard Amount

Most of the new regulation changes pertain to how cannabis can be delivered to qualifying customers. Initially, delivery drivers were only allowed to carry up to $3,000 worth of cannabis product in their vehicle at one time. Now delivery employees will be allowed to carry up to $10,000 of cannabis product in their vehicles so they can make multiple deliveries after departing the dispensary. The only stipulation is that at least one delivery order must be received and processed before the courier departs the dispensary.

Locked Container

One of the more common sense regulations was that all delivery vehicles were required to be locked when couriers were making deliveries to customers. The BCC has gone even further stipulating that all cannabis goods must be kept in a locked box, container, or cage that is secured to the inside of the vehicle. The amendment also clarifies that the inside of the car can either be in the cab or the trunk of the car.

Inventory Ledger

Now that the new regulation changes allow cannabis couriers to carry a larger on board inventory, they will responsible for maintaining an accurate inventory ledger. The inventory ledger is required to include the following information: the type of cannabis product, the brand, the retail price, the track and trace number, and the weight/volume/number of pieces. The dispensary courier must update this leger after every delivery transaction. Fortunately, this is something that delivery applications like IndicaOnline can streamline.

Validating Age

Ensuring that no minors are being sold cannabis is one of the highest priorities of the BCC and law enforcement so there have been new regulation provisions when it comes to validating the age of delivery customers. Dispensary couriers are required to validate the age and identity of every delivery customer. IndicaOnline’s delivery application already includes this functionality and can scan the customer’s driver’s license to make sure that it corresponds with person who placed the order.

Destination Log

Not only does the BCC want a ledger to account for the on board inventory, they are now asking for a destination log that will account for the location where each order was fulfilled. The destination log must include all stops from the time the courier departs the dispensary to the time when they return. If there are no deliveries scheduled for a 30 minute period or more, the delivery driver must return to the dispensary. A destination log is something that will be easy to record using an advanced mobile application that tracks the driver’s GPS.

Delivery Activities

The newly re-adopted regulation changes also clarify the allowable activities that a courier can engage in during deliveries. Delivery drivers are only allowed to fulfill delivery orders, make vehicle repairs, refuel the vehicle, and rest for a reasonable amount of time. All other activities are forbidden under the new regulation changes. For a complete summary of the Bureau of Cannabis Control Regulation amendments, visit their website.