Mississippi Cannabis Consultant Overview:

How To Open A Marijuana Business in Mississippi

Are you interested in starting a cannabis business in Mississippi? The cannabis consultants at New Leaf can help you navigate the process!

This summary of Mississippi requirements and license application process outlines what it takes to win a marijuana business license. Get started today to meet the demands of consumers! Schedule a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable cannabis consultants in Mississippi.

Mississippi Cannabis Consulting & License Application Writing Experts

New Leaf Cannabis Consulting is the #1 Top Rated Cannabis Application Writing, Consulting, and Capital Fundraising one-stop-shop in the U.S. We offer a complete range of services from business model formation and planning, to state licensure, to raising capital and finding investors for the business.

New Leaf has worked with over 180 clients in over 16 different states since we opened our doors in 2015. Our success rate is well over 95% across the board. We offer more services than any of our competition.

If you need cash for your cannabis startup, and/or state and municipal license approval for a completely reasonable price, look no further than New Leaf Cannabis Consulting.

Cannabis Market Condition Overview

Business Climate and Timeline

November 2020 — 74% of Mississippi voters approved a bill legalizing medical marijuana.
May 2021 — MS State Supreme Court overturned the measure in a 6-3 ruling on procedural grounds nullifying that victory based on a legal technicality.
February 2022 — Mississippi Governor, Tate Reeves, signed SB 2095 also known as the Mississippi Medical Cannabis Act. The Mississippi Department of Health is to oversee the medical cannabis program (MMCP) while The Mississippi Department of Revenue will oversee the licensing of medical Mississippi cannabis dispensaries.
June 2022 — Per SB 20995, the licensing of medical cannabis facilities is set to begin in June 2022.

Real Estate & Zoning

In most states, you will need to lock down the location for business operations in the form of either a lease, lease with option to purchase, or a purchase agreement.

Most importantly, during the real estate acquisition process, your company MUST make sure that the actual location COMPLETELY adheres to state and municipal regulations regarding distance restrictions from other businesses such as a daycare or school. An example of this would be Dispensary/Retail. Most times you will not be able to locate your dispensary in a section of the city which is not zoned specifically for retail. Your dispensary location cannot be located anywhere else. Check with the The Mississippi Department of Revenue website for locality resolutions and ordinances.

Usually the next step is Municipal/City/Township Approval. Nine times out of ten, these steps will need to take place before the full license application can be completed and submitted.

Laws and Regulations

As you get started, read up on Mississippi’s laws, rules, and regulations. The Mississippi Department of Revenue has been tasked with licensing, regulating, and enforcing the law for medical cannabis dispensaries. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Enforcement Division of the Mississippi Department of Revenue will be the point division within the Department for licensing and regulating dispensaries. It will also be responsible for enforcing medical cannabis laws.

The Mississippi Department of Health will oversee the medical cannabis program and will handle the licensing, regulating and enforcement of laws relating to:

Patient’s cards
Medical Practitioners
Cannabis Cultivation Facilities
Cannabis Processing Facilities
Cannabis Testing Facilities
Cannabis Waste Disposal Entities
Cannabis Transportation Entities

Need assistance getting a Mississippi cannabis business license? Schedule a Free Consultation

Mississippi Cannabis License Types

Currently there are nine different types of cannabis business licenses in Mississippi:

Medical Cannabis Dispensary
Cannabis Cultivation Facilities (six tiers)
Micro-cultivation (two tiers)
Processing
Micro-processing (two tiers)
Transportation
Disposal
Research
Testing

There are two types of medical cannabis cultivator licensee in Mississippi, Cultivator and Micro-Cultivator. Each cultivator license type is also subcategorized in tiers. More information about tiers and application fees here.

Mississippi Cannabis License Process and Scoring Criteria

Mississippi Cannabis License Requirements

Cannabis licenses are awarded by having a complete and well written application and all required supplemental documentation as well as city approval. An applicant’s criminal history also comes into play as well as past taxes of the owner/directors of the company. And of course, sometimes there is a required proof of capitalization — i.e. proving that you will have enough money in the bank to build out and run your business.

In highly competitive states such as Illinois or New York, there is a scoring process for an extremely limited number of available licenses. Licenses will be awarded to only the best of the best submissions. It is highly suggested that you hire an agency that can provide you with an “above and beyond” application submission.

Eligibility for a Cannabis License in Mississippi

To apply for a marijuana license in Mississippi, applicants must meet several qualifications and eligibility requirements necessary to receive a license. Each applicant must be 21 years of age or older and is required to undergo a criminal background check.

Application Requirements for Marijuana Licenses in Mississippi

To apply for a cannabis business license, you must show compliance with Mississippi laws and local ordinances. To illustrate your commitment to the process, hundreds of pages of technical writing may be necessary.

Some of the necessary documentation includes the following:

License Application (Required Measures and/or Exhibits). A well written application will need to be written in lockstep with the State Regulations for each Exhibit/measure.
Business Plan. Including executive summary, mission statement, market analysis, 5 to 7 year business life-cycle timeline with expansion events. Products and services, management and staff, SWOT analysis, quality assurance and compliance.
Financials. Full 5 to 7 year financial projections, income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flows.
Operations Manuals, Exhibits and SOP’s such as:
- Inventory and Recordkeeping/Diversion
- Quality Assurance Manuals
- Operations Manuals/Procedures for cultivation, processing, dispensary, lab testing, transportation
- Transportation and Distribution Plan
- Employee, Staffing and Training Manuals
- Social and Economic Impact/equity plans/community outreach plan
- Environmental Plans with water and electrical usage plan/manual
- Chemical and Pesticide Storage Plans
- Waste Disposal Procedures
- Accounting and Tax Compliance
- Hemp Research Plan
- Sanitation and Maintenance Plans
- Odor Control Plan
- Patient/Customer Education Manuals (mainly for dispensary/retail)
Labor/Union Compliance Agreements
Training Manuals. New Leaf will design manuals to your specifications, along with state regulations, for all cannabis business models
Regulatory Compliance Manuals. These explain all the different regulatory compliance regulations, such as quality assurance, product recall, packaging and labeling, advertising, hours of operation, patient and/or customer purchase limits, staffing and training, inventory and record keeping, security, tax payment and insurance compliance.
Security Plan. Video Surveillance, Alarm System, Emergency Procedures.
Floor Plans, Blueprints. To-Scale, with Security Overlays. Floor plans of the entire facility.
Corporate Structuring. Social Equity Certification and Registration, LLC and Corporation Registration and FEIN filing, Operating Agreements, Capitalization Tables, Shareholder Rights and Regulations Consultation, Corporate Bylaw Strategy.

Post Licensure Support. New Leaf serves as a liaison between you, your company, and the State Licensing Commission to help you get through the application evaluation. The State, no matter how good your application is, most definitely will have follow up questions and requests for additional documentation and/or information.

Denial Appeal. Denial appeal is also part of the Post licensure Support.

Financial Requirements — How much does it cost to get a cannabis license in Mississippi?

Many states will require what is known as a Capitalization Attestation. What is this, you may ask? A capitalization attestation is usually done by a CPA. It involves submitting your profit and loss statements, bank account information, proof of funds, and an assumption of the costs for startup CapEx and OpEx.

Need Cash for your Cannabis Startup? New Leaf offers a full suite of Investment Capital Fundraising Services including corporate structuring and partnership agreements, 409 (B) company valuations, 5-7 year pro forma financial projections, and more! New Leaf will act on your behalf in actually SHOPPING the deal to our syndicate of accredited investors from across the globe. We can help you successfully raise the capital needed to get your project off the ground. Find out more here.

Application Fees and Annual License Fees

Medical Cannabis Dispensary (application fee $15,000, annual license fee $25,000)

Cannabis Cultivation Facility

Mississippi Cannabis Cultivators

Tier 1. Canopy size larger than 2000 square feet but less than 5,000 square feet (application fee $5000, annual license fee $15,000)
Tier 2. Canopy size larger than 5000 square feet but less than 15,000 square feet (application fee $10,000, annual license fee $20,000)
Tier 3. Canopy size larger than 15,000 square feet but less than 30,000 square feet (application fee $20,000, annual license fee $50,000)
Tier 4. Canopy size larger than 30,000 square feet but less than 60,000 square feet (application fee $30,000, annual license fee $75,000)
Tier 5. Canopy size larger than 60,000 square feet but less than 100,000 square feet (application fee $40,000, annual license fee $100,000)
Tier 6. Canopy size 100,000 square feet or more (application fee $60,000, annual license fee $150,000)

Mississippi Cannabis Micro-Cultivators

Tier 1. Canopy size of 1000 square feet or less (application fee $1500, annual license fee $2000)
Tier 2. Canopy size larger that 1000 square feet but less than 2000 square feet (application fee $2500, annual license fee $3500)

Mississippi Cannabis Processing Facility
Micro-Processors

Tier 1: Processes less than 2000 lbs of dried biomass cannabis material annual (application fee $2000, annual license fee $3500)
Tier 2: Processes more than 2000 lbs and less than 3000 lbs of dried biomass cannabis material annual (application fee $2500, annual license fee $5000)

Processors: Processes more than 3000 lbs of dried biomass cannabis material annual (application fee $15,000, annual license fee $20,000)

Mississippi Cannabis Transportation Entity
application fee $5000, annual license fee $7500

Mississippi Cannabis Disposal Entity
application fee $5000, annual license fee $7500

Mississippi Cannabis Testing Facility
application fee $10,000, annual license fee $15,000

Mississippi Cannabis Research Facility
application fee $10,000, annual license fee $15,000

How to Win a Mississippi Cannabis Business License

A step-by-step guide on how to apply for and WIN a cannabis license in Mississippi.

Review the state laws, rules & regulations. Learn about the rules and regulations necessary to operate a cannabis business in the state of Mississippi. This will help you and your team understand the requirements to win a cannabis license.
Choose an Mississippi cannabis business license type. Mississippi issues nine different types of cannabis business licenses.
Connect with a Mississippi cannabis consulting firm. Consider reaching out to a Mississippi cannabis consultant. Cannabis business license applications can be extremely complex and time-consuming to write. The professional Mississippi marijuana consultants at New Leaf can manage the entire process for you. We can assist you with license application writing services, increasing your chance of winning a cannabis license in Mississippi. Book a free consultation today!
Form a business entity. Forming a legal business entity is the next step in the process of applying for a cannabis license in Mississippi. LLCs and corporations are the two types most commonly formed by cannabis applicants. Find out which is the best choice for your business goals — we can help.
Select a location for your cannabis business in Mississippi. Choosing a property for your cannabis business that meets all the state and local requirements can be complicated as well. Our experience with zoning processes that can help you find the ideal property for your marijuana business.
Build the best team. The team that you list on your application will have a major impact on whether or not you receive a license.
Write a business plan. After securing a location for your cannabis business, the next step is to develop a carefully detailed business plan. Your business plan will help lay out your goals and track progress as your business begins to grow. Business plans can also help attract investors. Investors use them to determine if a business is on the right path and worth putting money into.
Raise capital for your Mississippi cannabis business. Although start-up costs for a cannabis business can be significant, careful planning and the right team can make it a huge success. New Leaf can help you craft a detailed plan and get it into the hands of investors.
Write and submit your Mississippi cannabis business application. Depending on type of license, applicants may need to write and submit the following documentation: