The Temporary Approval renewal process deadline was recently extended to 2^nd November 2021 by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR). If your application was not submitted – with renewal fees paid – before this date, your temporary approval(s) for 2021 will expire after 31^st December 2021.

Every license is required to be renewed annually under the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC), including Temporary Approvals, under section 104.12(a).

If your Temporary Approvals expire, you are required to cease your operations and cannot engage in commercial cannabis activity until such time as you submit a new application to DNR and have a new license or Temporary Approval issued.

We’re rounding up everything you need to know about the Temporary Approval renewal process and the recently extended renewal deadline brought in by LA DCR.

The renewal process for Temporary Approval

The renewal process for Temporary Approval(s) is a two-step process. You will need to submit a renewal application through the Licensing Portal offered by DCR. The second step is to pay the Office of Finance the required renewal fees.

The LA DCR extended the renewal process to 2^nd November 2021, giving applicants more time to submit their updated information for the 2022 Temporary Approval renewal process. There is an extensive list of required forms and documents that you must submit during the renewal process.

You can access all the relevant documents and forms on the ‘Application Forms and Documents’ section of the DCR Licensing website.

Documentation required to renew a Temporary Approval

All applications will be required to provide their ‘Landowner Attestation: Location Eligibility” documents, otherwise known as the LIC-4016-FORM. This is the only required pre-application review form.

There is a more extensive list of required Temporary Approval application forms and documents. These documents – and their form numbers – include:

• Business Formation and Organization Documents
• Business Premises Diagram (DCC Form)
• Equity Share Documents
• Financial Information Form (DCC Form)
• Indemnification Agreement: LIC-4005-FORM
• List of Primary Personnel and Owner(s): LIC-4003-FORM
• Labor Peace Agreement Attestation: LIC-4006-FORM
• Landowner Attestation: Acknowledgement of Commercial Cannabis Activity: LIC-4007-FORM
• Landowner Attestation for Location Eligibility (LAMC 104.03) – LIC-4016-FORM
• No Alcohol or Tobacco Application Attestation: LIC-4020-FORM
• Ownership and Financial Interest Holder Form: LIC-4008-FORM
• Property Deed or Executed Lease Agreement
• Social Equity Program – Owner Compliance Attestation: LIC-4011-FORM
• Temporary Approval Attestation: LIC-4010-FORM

It’s also worth noting that all applicants and licensees who are subject to LAMC Section 104.20 will be required to provide Equity Share Documents. These documents should include – but are not limited to – all the agreements, business records, and information necessary to show that the Social Equity Individual Applicant owns the minimum Equity Share that is required by Section 104.20(a)(2).

Renewal Fees Payment

Once all the requested documents and forms are associated with regards to the Pre-Application Review and Temporary Approval Application, a 2022 renewal invoice will be generated by the Department of Cannabis Regulation Licensing portal.

The renewal fee is set at $4,233 per Commercial Cannabis Activity. It’s worth flagging that a payment appointment must be made 10 days in advance at the Office of Finance. If you decide to make your payment after the November 2^nd deadline, you’ll be charged an expedited services fee.

You can make a payment appointment request via email by contacting finance.csd.appt@lacity.org. Alternatively, you can make your payment using a credit card, cheque, or money order at any Office of Finance location. If you mail in your payment, it will be considered as having been paid in time if it is postmarked on or before the November 2^nd deadline.

How to renew your Temporary Approval(s):

We’ve broken down a step-by-step of how to renew your temporary approval(s) using the DCR Licensing Portal online.

1. Log into your account on the DCR Licensing Portal
2. Access the ‘My Records’ section
3. You must submit all records with an ‘eligible for renewal’ status for your 2022 application.
4. You can click on ‘renew’ or ‘modify’ to begin your renewal application.
5. Fill out your 2022 renewal application.
6. You’ll receive a message that your application has been successfully submitted, along with your 2022 record number.
7. Select the record details for your 2022 renewal application, clicking on ‘record info’ and ‘attachments’ to access your invoice.
8. Select the document labeled ‘Fees and Payment Custom Invoice’. It is your 2022 Temporary Approval renewal application invoice and will need to be paid by the required date.
9. Your renewal application is not filed until the 2022 renewal application is submitted through the DCR Licensing Portal – along with all payments being made.

Once the renewal fee payment is made, DCR will review the application. The payment of your renewal fee does not guarantee that your application will be renewed. Your payment will not be denied if you have an outstanding tax payment. The renewal fees are non-refundable.

All 2021 Temporary Approval(s) are scheduled to expire at 11:59pm on 31^st December 2021. If you wish to renew it for 2022, the application must be submitted, and your renewal fees paid on or before 2^nd November 2021. Late payments will be subjected to an expedited services fee. If your Temporary Approval(s) expires and you continue to engage in a Commercial Cannabis Activity, you will be liable and subject to enforcement action and/or criminal penalties.

You can contact DCRLicensing@lacity.org if you have any questions.

Margolin & Lawrence