Bulletin 2018-01: Duty to maintain a current and complete Cannabis Business Permit Application

December 19, 2023

Sharing your comments with the Office of Cannabis
Any person may submit written comments or arguments relevant to the proposed rules during the comment period. If you have questions or want to submit written comments or arguments, email officeofcannabis@sfgov.org.

In addition to submitting by email, written comments may be submitted by U.S. mail or in person to:

Office of Cannabis
49 South Van Ness
Suite 660
San Francisco
CA 94103

Pursuant to Section 1615 of the San Francisco Police Code, Cannabis Business Permit Applicants must submit a complete Cannabis Business Permit application to the Office of Cannabis (OOC) to receive a Cannabis Business Permit. 

The OOC understands that the Cannabis Business Permit Application process may take time. During this time, applicants may experience changes that are relevant to their applications: for example, applicants may seek additional funding that could impact ownership disclosures, may file additional formation documents with the Secretary of State, and may refine agreements associated with business-entity structure, among other things.  

With that in mind, the OOC issues this bulletin to inform applications that applicants are required to keep their Cannabis Business Permit Applications up-to-date throughout the permit application process in order for the application to be deemed complete. Further, the OOC would like to provide applicants with guidance on how to revise, supplement, or otherwise update permit applications to ensure complete permit application. Finally, the OOC would like to remind applicants that failure to provide all information required by Article 16 of the Police Code, or by the Director of the Office of Cannabis, is cause for mandatory denial of a permit.

How to Revise, Supplement, or Otherwise Update Your Cannabis Business Permit Application: 

Step 1:     Request a permit application modification no less than 14 days from the date of the material change by emailing cannabisbusinesspermits@sfgov.org and describing the modifications you intend to make. 

Step 2:     The OOC will notify you if your application has been released for modification.

Step 3:     Log-in to your Business Portal Account and access your permit via your “Submitted Permits” folder.

Step 4:     Make the necessary modifications and submit your application modifications. 

Step 5:     Email cannabisbusinesspermits@sfgov.org to notify the OOC that your modifications have been submitted and are ready to be reviewed. 

Examples of circumstances that will require permit applicants to seek to update their applications, include but are not limited to: 

Ownership Disclosures: 

  • If new individuals or entities as defined are brought into the applicant entity. Examples include new directors, investors, etc. 

Formation Documents:

  • If new or revised formation documents are submitted to the Secretary of State or County Clerk, you must also provide those to the OOC as part of the application process. 

Financial Interest and Entity Ownership Disclosures:

  • As you bring in investors and find sources of funding, these must be disclosed to the OOC via modifications to your permit application. 

Material Agreements Related to Entity: 

  • The OOC has requested all material agreements associated with the applicant entity. If owners enter into additional agreements beyond what has already been submitted as part of the application, these are required to be disclosed to the OOC up to the point of permit issuance. 

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