The Testing Laboratory Permit is the City of Sacramento's NEW Application Step-by-Step Checklist for a cannabis testing laboratory Business Operating Permit (BOP). The City of Sacramento Finance Department publishes it, and the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) handles the BOP application. If you searched for a Sacramento business license for a cannabis testing laboratory, the checklist lays out the City's steps: zoning, building permits, the BOP application and fee, the walk-through, the business operating tax and the State license. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the checklist and the BOP process are published by the City of Sacramento.
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What is Testing Laboratory Permit – Sacramento, CA?
The Testing Laboratory Cannabis Business Operating Permit NEW Application Step-by-Step Checklist is a City of Sacramento guide for applicants who want a new business operating permit (BOP) for a cannabis testing laboratory, listing each step in order with a blank to mark as you complete it.
The City currently allows cannabis testing laboratories in specific zones, subject to the Sacramento City Code (SCC) under Title 5 and Title 17. The checklist walks through seven steps: find a zoned location, apply for building permits, apply for the BOP with the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), pay the BOP application fee, complete the OCM walk-through, apply for the Business Operating Tax with the Revenue Division, and obtain a State license from the Department of Cannabis Control. It also lists the documentation the BOP application needs and two non-City requirements: CEQA compliance filings and Sacramento County Environmental Department registration.
The checklist is specific to testing laboratories. The City's forms page offers separate new-application checklists for cultivation, delivery, distribution, manufacturing, microbusiness, storefront dispensary and consumption lounge, plus a separate Business Operating Permit Renewal Application Checklist. Testing laboratories are exempt from obtaining a Conditional Use Permit. The checklist states that it is not an exhaustive list and does not replace checking compliance with all applicable requirements.
Who needs to file Testing Laboratory Permit – Sacramento, CA?
Anyone planning to open a cannabis testing laboratory in the City of Sacramento and applying for a new BOP uses this checklist. It applies to the business applicant, its owners and its interested parties, and to the site where the laboratory will operate.
Conditions the checklist attaches to the application:
- Live Scan (background check) is required for individuals with aggregate ownership interest of 20% or more, and for officers, members of the board of directors, limited liability company managers and other persons with similar responsibilities.
- The application fee is waived for CORE businesses (Classifications 1, 2, 3 and 5) and Veterans.
- Testing laboratories do not need a Conditional Use Permit.
- A business that holds a testing license cannot hold any other cannabis licenses, according to the City's FAQ.
Do not use this checklist for other cannabis business types, which have their own new-application checklists, or to renew an existing permit, which has a separate renewal checklist. Cannabis business permits are not transferable; the City's FAQ says owners must submit a Business Information Change Form to OCM no later than 30 days before an ownership change.
When to file Testing Laboratory Permit – Sacramento, CA
Start the checklist when you are ready to apply for a new testing laboratory BOP; the steps run in the order printed, beginning with finding a zoned location. A BOP application is valid for only 180 days. It is deemed "Abandoned" if it has not been approved and the extension fee and extension form have not been submitted before the 180 days end.
Other timing rules on the checklist:
- OCM begins review only after the application is both submitted and paid for; if no application fee is received within 30 days of submittal, the application becomes void.
- OCM schedules the walk-through only after the location has a Certificate of Occupancy (COO), and only on Thursdays.
- The Business Operating Tax application follows the completed walk-through.
- The Statement of Information must be the most current and less than two years old.
Once issued, a BOP is valid for one year and must be renewed annually, according to the City's FAQ.
Documents you need
- Cannabis Business Owner & Interested Parties List: the breakdown of 100% ownership, with name, title, address, phone, email and ownership interest of all owners.
- Live Scan (background check) for each individual with aggregate ownership interest of 20% or more and for officers, board members, LLC managers and similar persons.
- Business structure documents: formation and organizing documents for your LP, LLC or corporation, such as articles, bylaws, partnership or operating agreement and a DBA filing if applicable.
- Statement of Information (SOI) for LPs, LLCs and corporations; it must be the most current SOI and less than two years old.
- Business Plan with standard operating procedures, cash handling, transportation, inventory controls, financial management and California Cannabis Track and Trace procedures specific to the business.
- Budget: the most recent annual budget for operations, with business name, itemized expenses and projected income for the current year; projected years may be included.
- Owner's Statement of Consent: written consent of the owner or landlord stating the street address and parcel number, completed, signed and notarized.
- Security and Lighting Plan prepared by a valid qualified professional (PPO #, ACO#), with existing and proposed exterior and interior 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 describing the air treatment system or other methods that keep cannabis odors from being detected outside the buildings.
- Certificate of Liability Insurance listing the business name and premises address; the minimum coverage for testing laboratories is $1,000,000.
- Certificate of Occupancy (COO) specific to the business type applied for.
How to fill out Testing Laboratory Permit – Sacramento, CA
Confirm a zoned location
Item 1: mark it once your site is in a listed zone: C2, C4, M-1 and M-1S, M-2 and M-2S, MIP, M-T or MRD. Use the zoning link on the checklist to check the property address.
Check the 600-foot buffers
Confirm the site is 600 feet from schools under State law and from neighborhood and community parks under SCC section 17.228.900. A site within 600 feet of a park is reviewed by the Planning and Design Commission.
Apply for building permits
Item 2: submit the Building Department application online and obtain a Certificate of Occupancy specific to the cannabis activity. Mark the item when done.
Gather ownership and Live Scan items
Under item 3, mark the Cannabis Business Owner & Interested Parties List covering 100% of ownership, and the Live Scan for owners with 20% or more and for officers, board members and managers.
Mark your business structure documents
Under the heading for your entity type (LP, LLC or corporation), mark each document you have: Statement of Information, articles, partnership or operating agreement or bylaws, and DBA filing if applicable. The SOI must be less than two years old.
Prepare the plans and budget
Mark the Business Plan, Budget, Security and Lighting Plan, Floor Plan and Odor Control Plan as each is completed. Note who must prepare the security plan and the floor plan.
Complete consent, insurance and COO
Mark the notarized Owner's Statement of Consent, the Certificate of Liability Insurance listing the business name and premises address, and the Certificate of Occupancy.
Pay the fee and schedule the walk-through
Item 4: mark when the BOP application fee is paid. Item 5: mark when OCM completes the walk-through, which is scheduled only on Thursdays and only after a COO.
Record tax and State license steps
Item 6: mark the Business Operations Tax Online Application with the Revenue Division. Item 7: mark your Department of Cannabis Control State license application, which must match the BOP type.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check that each step you have finished is marked and that nothing is left from the non-City requirements, CEQA and the Environmental Department. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF.
How to submit Testing Laboratory Permit – Sacramento, CA
The checklist is a planning guide and is not mailed in; each step has its own channel with the City or the State.
- BOP application: submit it with the required documentation through OCM's online permitting portal. OCM starts review only when the application is submitted and the application fee is paid. Fees are non-refundable; the checklist links to the City's fee page for amounts.
- Building permits: submit all Building Department applications online through the Building Department's online portal. Its public counters are open by appointment only.
- Business Operating Tax: after the walk-through, complete the Business Operations Tax Online Application for the Revenue Division.
- State license: apply to the Department of Cannabis Control (cannabis.ca.gov).
- CEQA Notice of Exemption: if the City finds the project exempt, file the Notice of Exemption with the Sacramento County Clerk and the State Office of Planning and Research (OPR). The date-stamped copy is required for the State license application.
- Sacramento County Environmental Department: a business that handles or generates certain quantities of hazardous waste must register with it and obtain a permit.
Forms, fees and guidance are listed at the City's cannabis forms page. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a site outside the zones the checklist lists (C2, C4, M-1 and M-1S, M-2 and M-2S, MIP, M-T, MRD).
- Overlooking the 600-foot buffer: State law requires it from schools, and SCC section 17.228.900 requires it from neighborhood and community parks, which sends the application to the Planning and Design Commission.
- Letting the application pass 180 days without submitting the extension fee and form, which makes it "Abandoned."
- Submitting the BOP application without paying the fee; with no fee received within 30 days of submittal the application becomes void.
- Attaching a Statement of Information that is not the most current one or is two years old or more.
- Submitting the Owner's Statement of Consent without notarization, or without the street address and parcel number.
- Using a security plan not prepared by a qualified professional, or a floor plan not prepared by a licensed civil engineer or architect.
- Expecting a walk-through before the location has a Certificate of Occupancy; OCM does not schedule one until the COO is issued, and only on Thursdays.
- Treating the checklist as the full set of requirements; it states it is not exhaustive.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sacramento testing laboratory permit checklist?
It is the City of Sacramento's New Application Step-by-Step Checklist for a cannabis testing laboratory Business Operating Permit (BOP). It lists the steps from finding a zoned location to the State license, plus the documents the BOP application needs.
Do I need a Conditional Use Permit for a testing laboratory in Sacramento?
No. The checklist says testing laboratories are exempt from obtaining a Conditional Use Permit. When the BOP application is submitted, it is routed to the Planning Division for a zoning review instead.
Which zones allow a cannabis testing laboratory in Sacramento?
General Commercial (C2), Heavy Commercial (C4), Light Industrial (M-1 and M-1S), Heavy Industrial (M-2 and M-2S), Manufacturing Industrial Park (MIP), Industrial and Transit Area (M-T) and Manufacturing Research and Development (MRD).
How long is a testing laboratory BOP application valid?
180 days. If the application is not approved and the extension fee and extension form are not submitted before 180 days, it is deemed "Abandoned." The City's forms page offers a form to extend an application that has been open over 180 days.
Who needs a Live Scan for the BOP application?
Individuals with aggregate ownership interest of 20% or more, and officers, members of the board of directors, limited liability company managers and other persons with similar responsibilities. Ownership below 20% is not covered unless the person holds one of those roles.
Is there a fee for the testing laboratory BOP application?
Yes. OCM begins review only when the application is submitted and paid for, and fees are non-refundable. They are waived for CORE businesses (Classifications 1, 2, 3 and 5) and Veterans. Check the City's fee page for the amount.
Where do I submit the testing laboratory BOP application?
Through OCM's online permitting portal, with the required documentation. Building Department applications go through that department's own online portal, and the Business Operating Tax application is a separate online application with the Revenue Division.
Can I fill out the Sacramento testing laboratory checklist online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit anything to the City; the BOP application goes through OCM's portal.
How long does a cannabis Business Operating Permit last?
One year from the time it is issued, and it must be renewed annually, according to the City's cannabis FAQ. A State license is a requirement of renewal and must match the BOP type with OCM.
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