N.J. Admin. Code § 17:30-7.14

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 17:30-7.14 - Annual cannabis business license acceptance; inspection; issuance; commencement of operations

(a) After the Commission approves a license applicant applying for an annual license pursuant to N.J.A.C. 17:30-7.9, the Commission shall give written notice of approval to the applicant.

(b) Within five business days after receiving notice of approval, a license applicant shall notify the Commission as to whether it will:

1. Accept the license; or

2. Abandon the license, including if accepting the license would violate N.J.A.C. 17:30-6.8 or make the license applicant otherwise ineligible or if the circumstances of the license applicant have changed.

(c) Failure of the applicant to notify the Commission of its decision pursuant to (b) above, to accept or abandon the license, shall result in the license being deemed abandoned.

(d) If a license applicant from a lottery abandons a license, the license shall be offered to the next license applicant on the waitlist, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 17:30-6.2.

(e) If the license applicant accepts the annual license, it shall submit the annual license application approval fee, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 17:30-7.17.

(f) A license applicant shall have 365 days from the date of the notice of approval to request a final onsite assessment pursuant to (h) below.

(g) The license applicant has a continuing duty to seek approval for or report changes in the information submitted as part of the annual license application, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 17:30-9.2.

1. If a material change occurs to an application that is otherwise complete, the Commission may deem the application incomplete pending further review.

(h) After the license applicant has completed construction and preparation of its cannabis business premises or administrative office, the license applicant shall request, in writing, that the Commission conduct a final onsite assessment.

(i) The Commission shall conduct a final onsite assessment of the cannabis business and shall determine whether the cannabis business premises or administrative office, operations, plans, procedures, protocols, and actions are consistent with the annual license application and compliant with the Act, this chapter, and any additional requirements provided by the Commission.

(j) No later than 30 days after a cannabis business successfully passes such onsite assessment, unless the Commission finds the applicant is not in compliance with this subchapter or the Commission is notified by the relevant municipality that the applicant is not in compliance with its ordinances or regulations in effect at the time of the application, the Commission shall issue the annual license and provide the annual license to the license applicant.

1. An annual license shall be valid for one year from its date of issuance and may be renewed annually.

(k) If the Commission determines that the annual license applicant is not compliant with this chapter, or the license applicant does not undergo a successful final onsite assessment yielding a determination of compliance pursuant to (i) above within 365 days of the notice of approval, the Commission shall decline to issue the annual license approval and the license shall be returned to the Commission.

(l) Within 14 days of the issuance of an annual license, the license holder shall notify the Commission, in writing, of a proposed opening date for the cannabis business.

N.J. Admin. Code § 17:30-7.14

Adopted by 53 N.J.R. 1583(a), effective 8/19/2021

Amended by 55 N.J.R. 402(a), effective 3/6/2023