Bulletin | Administrative Extension of Licenses | May 24, 2024

To: Marijuana Establishments and Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers
From: Acting Chief of Investigations and Enforcement
Date: May 24, 2024
Subject: Bulletin – Administrative Extension of Licenses

This Bulletin applies to all Marijuana Establishments and Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (collectively, “Licensees”). Following the enactment of Chapter 180 of the Acts of 2022, Licensee and License applicants must submit a compliant Host Community Agreement as part of the License application and renewal process. To afford additional flexibility while adjusting to this new process, at its May 23, 2024 Public Meeting, the Cannabis Control Commission (“Commission”) voted to approve a limited delegation of authority to the Chief of Investigations and Enforcement (CIE) to administratively extend License expiration dates under certain circumstances.

Per the Commission’s vote, the CIE or their delegee can administratively extend a License for up to 120 calendar days for any reason at their discretion. After the initial 120 calendar day extension has been exhausted, Licensees may request additional extensions up to 240 calendar days for the exclusive purpose of allowing the Licensee to submit a compliant Host Community Agreement or Host Community Agreement waiver. Licensees are required to pay a prorated License fee to cover the extension of their License, which shall be calculated based on the number of days the License expiration date is extended.

Licensees must submit a request to administratively extend their License prior to the expiration of their License. The Commission cannot administratively extend an expired License under this limited delegation of authority. To avoid a License expiring while a request for an administrative extension of the expiration date is pending, Licensees should submit a request at least 14 days in advance of their License expiration date.

To request an administrative extension at this time, Licensees may submit a request via email to Licensing@CCCMass.com. Each request must be made by or include a Person Having Direct Control and identify: (1) their License number; (2) License expiration date; (3) contact information; (4) reason(s) for the extension request; and (5) the number of days they are requesting an extension, which cannot exceed 120 calendar days per request. Commission staff will review the request to ensure that all necessary information is included and may ask for additional information, as deemed necessary by the CIE or their delegee. Once approved, Commission staff will confirm the extension of the License expiration date with the Licensee and notify them of the prorated License fee. An administrative extension will not be granted until the prorated License fee is received.

After an initial request, Licensees may submit additional requests to administratively extend their License expiration date in accordance with the criteria above, so long as the extension(s) do not exceed 360 calendar days in total. All extension requests will be subject to a prorated License fee.

The Commission is working to provide an application in MassCIP for these requests and will provide additional information once it is available. Licensees should utilize the process outlined in this bulletin until the application becomes available.

As a reminder, the Commission has published updated guidance documents relative to Licensure and Host Community Agreements, as well as a new Model Host Community Agreement and Host Community Agreement Waiver Form to assist Licensees and Host Communities. Updated license and renewal applications are also available through MassCIP.

Questions?

If you have additional questions, please contact the Commission at (774) 415-0200 or Licensing@CCCMass.com.