There are six separate licenses for industrial hemp: grower, seed producer, handler, processor of non-consumable hemp products, processor of consumable hemp products, and retailer. The licenses for grower, seed producer, handler as well as processor of non-consumable hemp products are issued by LDAF. The processor of consumable hemp products and retailer licenses are issued by LDH and ATC respectively. Depending on the plans of the applicant, each license has a separate fee and must be applied for separately. Please find the relevant information for each type of license below.
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License
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Agency
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Cost
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Use
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Effective Date
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Growers License
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LDAF
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$500
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Cultivate, harvest, possess, handle, transport, and sell industrial hemp.
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January 1st to December 31st
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Seed Producer License
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LDAF
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$500
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Produce, transport, and sell industrial hemp seed.
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January 1st to December 31st
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Non-Consumable Hemp Processor License
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LDAF
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$500
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Process, handle, and store industrial hemp for uses other than human consumption or cosmetics.
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January 1st to December 31st
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Handler License
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LDAF
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$500
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Transport, harvest, clean, test, and deliver industrial hemp.
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January 1st to December 31st
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Consumable Hemp Processor License
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LDH
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Sliding Scale
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Process, handle, and store industrial hemp for human consumption or topical use.
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July 1st to June 30th
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Consumable Hemp Dealer Storefront Permit
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ATC
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$175
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Buy and sell hemp products intended for human consumption or cosmetics out of a physical storefront.
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April 1st to March 31st
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Consumable Hemp Dealer Online Permit
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ATC
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$175
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Buy and sell hemp products intended for human consumption or cosmetics online.
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April 1st to March 31st
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Consumable Hemp Wholesaler Permit
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ATC
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$500
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Package, buy, and sell hemp products intended for human consumption or cosmetics to other CBD dealers.
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April 1st to March 31st
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Label Registration
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LDH
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$50 per product
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Required for the product to be sold by licensees that have a dealer license.
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July 1st to June 30th
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For all licensees:
- Must be 18 years or older.
- Must submit to a criminal background check from Louisiana State Police and a federal background check from the FBI. This includes filling out the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information Form and the Background Check Authorization Form.
- Must not have been convicted of any felony within 10 years of application.
- Must not have been convicted of a drug-related misdemeanor within 2 years of application.
- Must provide all application requirements and documentation.
- Must not falsify the information on the license application.
Seed Producer License
LDAF License Application Portal
LDAF Application PDF
Regulatory Agency: LDAF
- Allows for the production of industrial hemp seed for planting purposes.
- Allows for the licensee to produce, transport, and sell industrial hemp seed and transplants to other license holders.
- Must provide physical address and GPS coordinates for each place where industrial hemp will be grown or stored. Maps of each of the aforementioned areas must also be provided with proposed acreage or square footage. Information regarding the name, origin, and seed certifying agency of planned varieties to be grown must also be provided.
- The cost of the license is $500.00 due upon application approval.
Grower License
LDAF License Application Portal
LDAF Application PDF
Regulatory Agency: LDAF
- Authorizes the licensee to obtain and possess hemp seed for cultivation of industrial hemp and allows the licensee to cultivate, harvest, possess, transport, and sell industrial hemp.
- Must provide physical address and GPS coordinates for each place where industrial hemp will be grown, handled, or stored. Maps of each of the aforementioned areas must also be provided with proposed acreage or square footage. Information regarding the name and origin of planned varieties to be grown must also be provided.
- The cost of the license is $500.00 due upon application approval.
Handler License
LDAF License Application Portal
LDAF Application PDF
Regulatory Agency: LDAF
Allows the licensee to:
- transport or deliver industrial hemp in intrastate commerce for compensation;
- commercially harvest, store, or grind industrial hemp material received from a grower;
- clean or package industrial hemp seed received from a seed producer:
- broker industrial hemp material; and
- receive industrial hemp for testing.
- The cost of the license is $500.00.
Non-Consumable Processor License
LDAF Application PDF
Regulatory Agency: LDAF
- The Non-Consumable Hemp Processor License allows the licensee to process and store industrial hemp. Must provide physical address and GPS coordinates for each place where industrial hemp will be processed or stored.
- The cost of the license is $500.00 due upon application approval.
Consumable Hemp Processor Permit
Consumable Processor Permit application
Regulatory Agency: LDH
- The Consumable Hemp Processor License allows for the licensee to process, handle, and store industrial hemp for human consumption or cosmetics.
- The licensee must adhere to the Basic Requirements for a Food Manufacturer for processing facilities and the Basic Requirements for a Food Storage Warehouse for storage of consumable hemp products.
- Multiple documents must be submitted that include:
- Plans review questionnaire
- Floor plan of the building
- Utility No Objection Notice
- Processing Plan
- Recall Plan
- Distribution Plan
- Upon submission and review of the documents, deficiencies must be addressed to the approval of LDH.
- A pre-operational inspection is the final task to complete, and upon passing the inspection, permitting can occur.
- The fee for each hemp processor facility is on a sliding scale based on the annual sales of the facility. The fee is $175.00 for sales under $500,000 dollars. The fee increases to $475.00 for facilities that sell $500,001 - $1,000,000. The fee is $775.00 for facilities that sell between $1,000,001 - $2,500,000. The fee is $1,075.00 for facilities that sell between $2,500,001 - $5,000,000. For facilities that sell over $5,000,000, the fee is $1,375.00.
Consumable Hemp Product Label Registration
Consumable Hemp Label Acceptance Request Portal
Regulatory Agency: LDH
All consumable hemp products must have their label approved by LDH through their Consumable Hemp Label Acceptance Request Portal. The requirements for a label include the following:
- Must be tested by an approved lab for safety, quality, and CBD and THC content.
- Must have a scannable bar code, QR code, or web address that links to the Certificate of Analysis that verifies it does not contain more than 0.3% delta-9-THC and 1% total THC on a dry weight basis (including THC delta variants like delta-8-tetrahydocannabinol and delta-10-tetrahydrocannibinol).
- The label cannot make medical claims like cure, treat, heal, relieve, pain, ache, or cancer or be marketed as a dietary supplement.
- The label must also include the full name and address of the business selling it.
- The label must clearly state the identity of the product and the net quantity of contents.
- The product must not be intended for inhalation.
Consumable Hemp Dealer Permit
Consumable Hemp Dealer Permit application
Regulatory Agency: ATC
- Every location is required to have its own Consumable Hemp permit.
- There are four separate types of Consumable Hemp Dealer permits
- A Consumable Hemp Retail Dealer permit allows for sale at a physical storefront.
- A Consumable Hemp Remote Seller permit allows for the sale and shipping of CBD via the internet.
- A Consumable Hemp Wholesaler permit allows for the packaging, buying, and selling of CBD products.
- A Consumable Hemp Special Event Dealer permit that allows the licensee to sell at special events.
- The annual cost of the consumable hemp or special event dealer permit is $175.00 per a permit.
Research Plan
Regulatory Agency: LDAF
Individual licensees interested in conducting research on industrial hemp must submit a written Research Plan for approval by LDAF. The research plan must include the following minimum information:
- a detailed research summary outlining the purpose and objectives that demonstrates to LDAF’s satisfaction that research of hemp is being performed;
- all locations where industrial hemp research will be conducted;
- strain(s) and/or variety(ies) of industrial hemp used in the research;
- a timeline of all research activities;
- a destruction plan for all cannabis plants involved in the research;
- results of hemp-related research information and findings conducted by the licensee during the previous twelve (12) month period. Trade secret or patent information developed from hemp research may be omitted from the annual research plan so long as it is necessary for the research institution to protect such information; and
- any other information as may be requested by LDAF.
All varieties/strains used for research must be pre-approved by LDAF, and no industrial hemp plants or plant material grown for research purposes can be entered into the stream of commerce without first being tested for THC concentration levels and only then with written approval from LDAF.