Olmsted County is Now Accepting Applications for First Wave of Cannabis Business Licenses

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- Olmsted County is now accepting the first wave of applications from those wishing to operate an adult cannabis business within the county. 

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A news release issued by the county Monday calls opening the application window a “significant step in the county's implementation of Minnesota's adult-use cannabis legislation.” 

The county will close the application window later this month. 

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State law allows for one cannabis business registration per 12,500 residents, which means Olmsted County would be allowed to have up to 14 businesses. 

Microbusiness Cannabis License Applications Now Open in Olmsted County, MN

The first wave of licenses are available to microbusinesses, which are allowed to grow, make and sell consumer products to customers and business out of a single retail location. 

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management says the businesses can also have on-site lounges where customers can use cannabis. A maximum of eight businesses would receive the license. 

In the event of more than eight eligible applicants, the county would select the license holders through a public lottery conducted by the Olmsted County Elections Office. 

The lottery would choose the eight license owners at random and would be held at a later time. Officials would issue a two-week notice ahead of the random drawing. 

Applicants will be charged a non-refundable $100 lottery fee, the news release says. Prospective businesses have until 5 p.m. on June 20 to submit their applications. 

The application window for four cannabis retailer licenses, which allow a business to supply cannabis products to other retailers and two mezzobusiness licenses, which allows business to sell to other cannabis retailers and customers out of a maximum of three retail locations, will open at a later, unnamed date.