Governor Hochul: New York Cannabis Control Board announces licensing fees waivers for cannabis cultivators

ALBANY, NY- Governor Kathy Hochul announced recently that the New York State Cannabis Control Board voted to waive licensing fees for two years for Adult-Use Conditional Cultivators.

In addition, the Board approved 114 new licenses, including 45 retail dispensaries and 31 microbusiness licenses.

Approaching the three-year anniversary of legalization, New York now has 88 licensed dispensaries, with more stores to open statewide. To date, 223 licenses have been granted in 2024 alone.

“Farmers are the backbone of our State, and we’re making sure the family farms across New York that are building our cannabis industry have a real chance to succeed,” Governor Hochul said.

“I have made it clear that New York State needs to issue more dispensary licenses and kick-start cannabis sales in New York, and this two-year promise to Adult-Use Conditional Cultivators will make sure these farmers can reap the benefits of this growing industry.”

The fee waiver applies to dispensaries transitioning to non-conditional license types, including cultivation licenses and microbusiness licenses.

Fees for conditional cultivator licensees range from $4,500 to up to $40,000 depending on the licensee tier and canopy size.

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets image.