If you plan to participate in the City of Los Angeles’ next phase of licensing for commercial cannabis retail or delivery (Phase III), you/your business must participate in the City’s Social Equity Program. This means that either you or another Owner of the applicant entity needs to qualify and be verified as either a Tier I or Tier II social equity applicant. In order to be verified as a Tier I or Tier II Social Equity Applicant, an individual must register for Social Equity Program Eligibility Verification with the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR).
Social Equity Program Registration Deadline
The deadline to register for Social Equity Program Eligibility Verification is July 29, 2019. The registration process can be completed online using links available on the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation’s website. When filling out the Social Equity Program Eligibility Verification questionnaire, applicants will be required to upload documents proving they qualify as a Social Equity Applicant, as defined by the City’s cannabis regulations. If an applicant fails to upload necessary documentation, they will be given one chance to correct deficiencies or upload additional documents by a specified deadline. If an applicant fails to submit requested documentation by the specified deadline, DCR will not verify the applicant as a Tier I or Tier II Social Equity Applicant and the applicant will not be eligible to obtain a Phase III retail or delivery license.
There is no fee to register for social equity verification. Additionally, DCR staff is available to assist potential Social Equity Applicants with completing their Social Equity Program Eligibility Verification Registration. If you have questions about the verification process or how to set up a meeting to get assistance with the verification registration process, you can contact DCR staff using the information below:
- Email: dcrlicensing@lacity.org,
- Phone: (213) 978-0738
- Office Visit: 221 N. Figueroa St, Suite 1245, Los Angeles, CA, 90012
- Office Hours: Mondays through Fridays (excluding City holidays) from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
If you need help determining if you qualify as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 SEP Applicant, compiling proof of your qualifications, or completing the SEP Verification Process, please contact the cannabis permitting and licensing attorneys at Rogoway Law Group today.
