Rules for Minnesota cannabis market officially published, state says
Minnesota's cannabis market can now begin issuing business licenses.
On April 14, draft rules created by state officials and approved by an administrative law judged were published in the State Register, according to the state's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM).
The judge approved the rules without changes earlier this month.
OCM officials say they can now start issuing business licenses to qualified applicants who registered in the following categories — delivery service, medical combination, microbusiness, testing facility, transporter and wholesaler.
The state says it will begin issuing licenses after business owners complete the final requirements of their applications.
Qualified applicants for cultivator, manufacturer, mezzobusiness or retailer licenses will be entered into a series of lottery drawings. Lotteries for each license type will be conducted in two parts. The first part will be limited to only verified social equity applicants. If not selected, qualified social equity verified applicants will be entered into the second part — open to all applicants — for the remaining licenses available.
Officials with the OCM have said the lotteries may take place in May or June.
There are more than 1,000 qualified applicants for licenses, the state says, and more than 600 of those applicants will be first in line to receive business licenses after completing background checks, submitting signed labor peace agreements with labor organizations and securing local government approvals.
More than 2,000 applications were filed for cannabis licenses between Feb. 18 and March 14, and over 1,800 applications were filed in 2024.
The 300-page bill allowing adults 21 and older to use recreational marijuana was signed by Gov. Tim Walz in May 2023.
Note: The above video first aired on March 25, 2025.