The Distribution Permit checklist is the City of Sacramento's Cannabis Business Operating Permit NEW Application Step-by-Step Checklist for distribution. It walks an applicant through the city and state steps that lead to a distribution Business Operating Permit (BOP) from the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). If you searched for a Sacramento business license, note that this checklist covers the cannabis distribution permit only. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the city publishes the original at cityofsacramento.gov.
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What is Distribution Permit – Sacramento, CA?
The Distribution Cannabis Business Operating Permit NEW Application Step-by-Step Checklist is the City of Sacramento guide for submitting a new application for a cannabis distribution business operating permit (BOP). Each step has a blank line to mark as it is completed.
The checklist is guidance, not the application itself. The city says it is not an exhaustive list and does not replace compliance with every applicable requirement. It notes that Sacramento allows cannabis distribution in specific zones, subject to the Sacramento City Code (SCC) under Title 5 and Title 17.
It covers eight steps in order:
- find a zoned location;
- apply for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) with the Planning Division;
- apply for building permits and a Certificate of Occupancy;
- apply for the BOP with OCM, with the listed documentation;
- pay the BOP application fee;
- complete the OCM walk-through;
- apply for the Business Operating Tax with the Revenue Division;
- apply for a State license from the Department of Cannabis Control.
It also describes the five distribution permit types: Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 (by annual gross receipts), Type S (self-distribution, an add-on for small manufacturers only) and Type T (transport-only). The city publishes separate checklists for cultivation, delivery, manufacturing, microbusiness, storefront dispensary and testing laboratory, and a renewal checklist for existing permits.
Who needs to file Distribution Permit – Sacramento, CA?
Anyone planning to open a cannabis distribution business in the City of Sacramento and applying for a new distribution BOP uses this checklist. That includes applicants for a Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 permit and for a Type T (transport-only) permit.
Type S (self-distribution) is an add-on distribution permit for small manufacturers only. The city defines small manufacturers as those whose gross receipts are less than a threshold it sets per year; check the city's FAQ for the figure.
Conditions the checklist attaches to applicants:
- Live Scan background checks are required for individuals with aggregate ownership interest of 20% or more, and for officers, board members, LLC managers and others with similar responsibilities.
- If you are not the property owner, the BOP application needs the owner's or landlord's notarized Statement of Consent.
- The application fee is waived for CORE businesses (Classifications 1, 2, 3 and 5) and Veterans.
Do not use this checklist for other cannabis business types or for renewals. The city lists a separate checklist for each type and a Business Operating Permit Renewal Application Checklist for existing permit holders.
When to file Distribution Permit – Sacramento, CA
Start the checklist when you decide to apply for a new distribution BOP, and follow its order: location, Conditional Use Permit, building permits, then the BOP application. The BOP application requires a copy of the Planning Department's Record of Decision for the CUP and the site's Certificate of Occupancy (COO).
Several timing rules apply once you apply:
- The BOP application is valid for only 180 days. It is deemed "Abandoned" if it is not approved and the extension fee and form are not submitted before 180 days.
- OCM begins review only when the application is both submitted and paid for. If no application fee arrives within 30 days of submittal, the application becomes void.
- A walk-through is scheduled only after the location has a COO, and only on Thursdays.
- Apply for the Business Operating Tax online after the walk-through.
A BOP is valid for one year from issue and must be renewed annually, according to the city's FAQ.
Documents you need
- Conditional Use Permit: a copy of the Record of Decision from the Planning Department.
- Cannabis Business Owner & Interested Parties List: a breakdown of 100% of ownership with name, title, address, phone, email and ownership interest of all owners.
- Live Scan (background check) for individuals with aggregate ownership interest of 20% or more, and for officers, board members, LLC managers and others with similar responsibilities.
- Business structure documentation: a description of the legal entity and its formation and organizing documents; the checklist lists items for LPs, LLCs and corporations, including a DBA filing if applicable.
- Statement of Information: must be the most current one and less than two years old.
- Business Plan: standard operating procedures, cash handling, transportation, inventory controls, financial management and California Cannabis Track and Trace procedures specific to the business.
- Budget: the applicant's most recent annual budget, with business name, itemized expenses and projected income for the current year.
- Owner's Statement of Consent: the owner's or landlord's written consent with street address and parcel number, completed, signed and notarized.
- Security and Lighting Plan: prepared by a valid qualified professional (PPO #, ACO#), showing security measures and existing and proposed lights.
- Floor Plan: scaled, for each level of each building, showing entrances, exits, walls and operating areas, prepared by a licensed civil engineer or architect.
- Odor Control Plan: describes the air treatment system or other methods that keep cannabis odors from being detected outside the buildings.
- Certificate of Liability Insurance: lists the business name and premises address and meets the checklist's minimum coverage for distribution.
- Certificate of Occupancy (COO): a copy of the site's COO specific to the business type applied for.
- Driver and Vehicle Information Verification Form: completed and signed, certifying valid licenses and insurance for drivers and proper registration and insurance for vehicles.
- Vehicle registration and vehicle insurance: current copies for distribution vehicles; insurance is required for vehicles not covered by the business's general commercial liability insurance.
How to fill out Distribution Permit – Sacramento, CA
Confirm a zoned location
Step 1: mark the line once you have a site in an allowed zone: C2 (under 6,400 sq.ft., and distribution cannot be the only cannabis production use on the site), M-1 and M-1S, M-2 and M-2S, MIP, M-T, MRD or C4. Check the 600-foot buffer from schools and from neighborhood and community parks.
Mark the Conditional Use Permit
Step 2: mark the line after you apply for a CUP through the Planning Division's online portal. You will need the Record of Decision later for the BOP application.
Mark building permits and COO
Step 3: mark the line when you have applied online through the Building Department's portal and obtained a Certificate of Occupancy specific to the cannabis activity.
Select your distribution permit type
Step 4: decide among Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Type S (self-distribution, small manufacturers only) or Type T (transport-only), then submit the BOP application through OCM's online portal.
Check off the BOP documentation
Mark the blank beside each document as you collect it: CUP Record of Decision, Owners & Interested Parties List, Live Scan, business structure documents, business plan, budget, Statement of Consent, security and lighting plan, floor plan, odor control plan, insurance, COO and vehicle documents.
Mark your business structure items
Under the heading for your entity type (Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation), mark the Statement of Information, formation document, bylaws or agreement (signed) and DBA filing if applicable.
Mark payment of the application fee
Step 5: mark the line when the application is submitted and the fee is paid. Check the city's fee page for the amount and for fee waivers (CORE businesses and Veterans).
Mark the OCM walk-through
Step 6: mark the line once OCM has completed the walk-through. Review the BOP walk-through checklist beforehand.
Mark the Business Operating Tax
Step 7: after the walk-through, mark the line when you have submitted the Business Operations Tax Online Application to the Revenue Division.
Mark the State license
Step 8: mark the line when you have applied to the Department of Cannabis Control. If a CEQA exemption applies, also track the Notice of Exemption filing noted at the end of the checklist.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that every step you have completed is marked and that you know which items remain. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and use it to track the channels described under How to submit.
How to submit Distribution Permit – Sacramento, CA
The checklist itself is not mailed or filed; each step it lists is completed through the city or state channel named in that step.
- BOP application: submit it with the required documentation through OCM's online permitting portal.
- Conditional Use Permit: apply through the Planning Division's online portal.
- Building permits: all Building Department applications are submitted online through its portal; the public counters are open by appointment only.
- Application fee: the application must be submitted and paid for before OCM begins review. Fees are non-refundable, and the city's fee page lists them by business type; the amounts are not repeated here.
- Business Operating Tax: after the walk-through, submit the Business Operations Tax Online Application to the Revenue Division.
- State license: apply to the Department of Cannabis Control.
The checklists, guidance documents and forms are listed on the City of Sacramento cannabis forms page. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the checklist PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying for the BOP before the Conditional Use Permit is approved; the application needs a copy of the Planning Department's Record of Decision.
- Submitting the BOP application without paying the application fee; if none is received within 30 days of submittal, the application becomes void.
- Letting 180 days pass without submitting the extension fee and form; an application not approved by then is deemed "Abandoned."
- Providing a Statement of Information that is not the most current or is two years old or more.
- Submitting the Owner's Statement of Consent without a notarization; it must be completed, signed and notarized.
- Having the floor plan drawn by someone other than a licensed civil engineer or architect.
- Preparing the Security and Lighting Plan without a qualified professional (PPO #, ACO#).
- Expecting a walk-through before the location has a COO; OCM schedules walk-throughs only after the COO and only on Thursdays.
- Choosing a C2 site of 6,400 sq.ft. or more, or one where distribution would be the only cannabis production use.
- Skipping the State license or choosing a type that does not match the BOP type; the checklist says it is a requirement of renewal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sacramento cannabis distribution permit checklist?
It is the City of Sacramento's step-by-step checklist for a new cannabis distribution Business Operating Permit. It covers location, the Conditional Use Permit, building permits, the BOP application, fee, walk-through, Business Operating Tax and State license. It is guidance, not the application.
Can I fill out the distribution permit checklist online?
Yes. You can fill out the checklist PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service, not the City of Sacramento; it does not submit anything. The BOP application goes through OCM's online permitting portal.
Where is cannabis distribution allowed in Sacramento?
In specific zones: C2 (under 6,400 sq.ft.), M-1 and M-1S, M-2 and M-2S, MIP, M-T, MRD and C4. State law requires a 600-foot buffer from schools, and SCC section 17.228.900 requires one from neighborhood and community parks.
Do I need a Conditional Use Permit before the BOP?
Yes. The BOP application requires a copy of the Planning Department's Record of Decision for your CUP. The city's FAQ says a CUP must be obtained for the property before any cannabis permits can be issued.
How long is a distribution BOP application valid?
180 days. If it is not approved and the extension fee and form are not submitted before 180 days, it is deemed "Abandoned." Separately, the application becomes void if no application fee is received within 30 days of submittal.
Is the BOP application fee ever waived?
Yes. The checklist says the fee is waived for CORE businesses (Classifications 1, 2, 3 and 5) and Veterans. Otherwise fees are non-refundable and listed by business type on the city's fee page.
What distribution permit types does Sacramento offer?
Five: Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3, based on annual gross receipts; Type S, an add-on self-distribution permit for small manufacturers only; and Type T, transport-only, which moves cannabis goods without storing, collecting taxes or arranging testing.
When is the OCM walk-through scheduled?
After the location has been issued a Certificate of Occupancy. OCM contacts you to schedule it as part of the secondary review, and walk-throughs are held only on Thursdays. Business Operating Tax is applied for after the walk-through.
How long is a cannabis Business Operating Permit valid?
One year from issue, and it must be renewed annually, according to the city's FAQ. A State license from the Department of Cannabis Control is a requirement of renewal and must match the BOP type with OCM.
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