Conplete the Online Application form HERE

OR

Obtain the Application for Licence Forms. The forms can be downloaded from the website of the Cannabis Licensing Authority at www.cla.org.jm can be collected from the offices of the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) located at: 

4th Floor PanJam Building
60 Knutsford Boulevard 
Kingston 5, Jamaica 

Complete the Application for Licence Forms and gather all supporting documents in accordance with the Application Checklist. 

The Application for Licence Forms consists of the following forms:

Note:

• A separate set of application forms is required for each licence being applied for.
• All copied documents being submitted must be certified by a Justice of the Peace.

If the Applicant is not applying as an individual, an application for any or all of the five (5) licence categories can be submitted.

Contact the Cannabis Licensing Authority at 876-654-7582 or 876-562-0591 to schedule an appointment to meet with an Officer.

The Officer meets with the potential Applicant and conducts a preliminary review of the Application for Licence Forms and supporting documents. If the application is deemed satisfactory, the Officer accepts the application for further review and processing. 

A comprehensive review of the application and supporting documents is conducted by the Officer at the Desk Review Stage, the first stage of the application process. If the Officer is not satisfied that all requirements are met in accordance with the Interim Regulations, an email is sent to the Applicant accordingly, advising of additional documents to be submitted within two weeks. 

Note: The application is returned to the Applicant if the requested documents are not submitted within the timeline stated above.

Once all documents are in place and the application for licence forms are completed in full, a request for the application processing fee is made. 

The Applicant is required to make payment as follows and submit proof to [email protected] with the Licensing and Applications Section copied at [email protected]:

• A non-refundable fee of Three Hundred United States Dollars (US$300.00) for each application (or the equivalent in Jamaican currency at the prevailing rate of exchange based on the Bank of Jamaica’s weighted average) in the case of an individual or;
• A non-refundable fee of Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$500.00) for each application (or the equivalent in Jamaican currency at the prevailing rate of exchange based on the Bank of Jamaica’s weighted average) in the case of a companies, business or Co-operatives.  

The CLA’s Finance and Accounts Department confirms the payment of the application processing fee and issues a receipt. 

The application is then progressed to the Desk Verification and Due Diligence Stage, the second stage of the application process. 

At the Desk Verification and Due Diligence Stage the officer conducts the desk verification by validating the information submitted by the Applicant. Documents are also verified for consistency using different Stakeholders’ online platforms as well as various sources.

The Applicant is updated of any discrepancies found during this process.

The Applicant is then issued a letter by the CLA to make an application to the National Environment and Planning Agency. This is to determine if the proposed property to be licensed is fit for the purpose of the licence applied for. 

Simultaneously, due diligence/background checks are conducted on the individual, proprietor of a business, directors and shareholders of a company or members of a co-operative/friendly society to determine fit and proper.

Note: The factors which the Authority may consider in deciding whether a person is fit and proper for the purposes of the regulations are:

• whether the person is of good repute, having regard to matters concerning the person's character, honesty, and personal and professional integrity.
• whether the person has the necessary skills and experience to fulfil the person's obligations as a licensee.
• whether the person has sound and stable sources of financing or is in financial circumstances which may limit the person's capacity to fulfill the person's obligations as a licensee.
• the person's history of compliance with the Act.  

Decision in respect of conditional approval is made by the CLA’s Board of Directors. Once the application is approved for conditional approval, the Applicant is given one year to build out the facility to satisfy the pre-licensing site inspection criteria, this stage is known as Conditional Approval Stage, the third stage in the application process. 

Note: 

• The Applicant has the option of applying for two, six months extensions.
• The conditional approval is granted with conditions such as satisfying the CLA pre-licensing site inspection criteria that must be met within the period of the conditional approval or any extension granted by the CLA. 

The Applicant is required to submit the no-objection (fit for purpose) letter received from NEPA before requesting the pre-licensing site inspection. 

After the Applicant has satisfied the CLA’s pre-licensing site inspection criteria as well as all the requirements outlined in the Conditional Approval letter (and there are no changes to the original application), the application is resubmitted to the CLA’s Board for decision for the granting of a licence. 

At this stage, the Notification of Approval of Licence Stage, the fourth stage in the application process; the Applicant is required to pay the applicable licence fee and security bond (if applicable) as per the fee schedule HERE.