Last verified: March 2026
Fee Schedule
| Cost Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee (non-refundable) | $146,000 |
| Initial licensure fee | $1,223,124 |
| Performance bond (within 10 days) | $5,000,000 ($2M after 1,000 patients) |
| Biennial renewal | >$1,300,000 |
| Total estimated startup (industry est.) | >$30,000,000 |
Application Fee: $146,000
The MMTC application fee is $146,000 and non-refundable. This fee is paid regardless of whether the application is approved. In the most recent application window (April 2023), 74 applicants paid this fee — meaning the state collected over $10.8 million in application fees alone, from which only 22 licenses were awarded.
Licensure Fee: $1,223,124
Upon approval, the licensee must pay an additional $1,223,124 in licensing fees. This is separate from the application fee and must be paid before operations can begin.
Performance Bond: $5,000,000
Within 10 days of licensure, the new MMTC must post a $5 million performance bond. This bond ensures the operator can fulfill its obligations under the license. The bond is reduced to $2 million once the MMTC has served 1,000 or more patients.
Biennial Renewal: $1,300,000+
MMTC licenses must be renewed every two years at a cost exceeding $1.3 million. This renewal fee was upheld by the 1st District Court of Appeal in March 2025 against a challenge by Sanctuary Cannabis. The high renewal cost adds significant ongoing overhead that smaller operators must absorb.
Total Startup Costs
Beyond regulatory fees, launching a vertically integrated MMTC requires massive capital investment:
- Cultivation facility — Land, construction, climate control, security systems
- Processing facility — Extraction equipment, commercial kitchen, quality control
- Dispensary buildout — Multiple retail locations (each requiring $500K+ in buildout)
- Compliance infrastructure — Seed-to-sale tracking, security monitoring, regulatory staff
- Working capital — Payroll, inventory, utilities, and operations before revenue flow
Industry estimates place total startup costs at $30 million or more.
License Acquisition Market
Given the complexity and cost of applying, most new market entrants choose to acquire an existing license. Notable transactions include:
- Planet 13: Paid $55 million for a Florida MMTC license in 2021
- Current market range: $8–$50 million depending on operational status, dispensary count, and market conditions
The state-approved change of ownership process typically takes 90–180 days and involves background checks, financial review, and compliance verification.
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