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December 1, 2025
Lower-potency hemp edible licensing update
You are receiving this message if you have applied for one (or more) of the three lower-potency hemp edible license types (LPHE retailer, wholesaler or manufacturer). We want to give you an update on next steps in the licensing process and to address the situation with hemp at the federal level.
OCM is proceeding with implementing Minnesota Statutes, chapter 342 – including issuing licenses for the sale and manufacture of lower-potency hemp edibles.
LPHE retailers
Invoices: Starting this week, many businesses who have applied and been approved for an LPHE retailer license will receive an invoice for their licensing fee. Applicants may require either a virtual or onsite inspection. If an inspection is required for your application, you will receive specific communications before receiving an invoice; please carefully review the instructions you receive. If you are a prior registrant that wishes to continue ongoing operations, invoices must be paid within two weeks. The office will issue the license as the invoice is paid.
Requests for more information (RFMIs): If the office requires additional information from you to make a license determination, over the next few weeks you will receive a request for more information (RFMI). This is your opportunity to make corrections or provide any missing information that is required to be able to receive an invoice for your license. Please watch your email and check your spam folders for a message from NoReply@accela.com, as there is a 14-day deadline for responding to RFMIs. Once information is corrected and reviewed, applicants can expect to receive an invoice for their licensing fee or have an inspection scheduled, if necessary.
Local retail registration: If you have applied for a LPHE retailer license, you must obtain a local retail registration directly from your local government in addition to licensure. All LPHE retailer applicants should prepare for this by engaging with your local government while your application is pending. To learn more about this process, refer to Page 11 of the hemp business guide and Guidance for Lower Potency Hemp Edible Retailers: Local Retail Registration Requirement.
LPHE manufacturers and wholesalers
Invoices: As outlined in our product transition period guidance, businesses who have applied for an LPHE manufacturer or an LPHE wholesaler license will not be issued invoices before December 31, 2025. If an inspection is required for your application, you will receive specific communications before receiving an invoice; please carefully review the instructions you receive.
Requests for more information (RFMIs): For LPHE manufacturers and wholesalers, if the office requires additional information from you to make a license determination, over the next few weeks you will receive a request for more information (RFMI). This is your opportunity to make corrections or provide any missing information that is required to be able to receive an invoice for your license. Please watch your email and check your spam folders for a message from NoReply@accela.com, as there is a 14-day deadline for responding to RFMIs.
Other: LPHE manufacturer and wholesaler license holders are not required to obtain local retail registration from local governments.
Federal update
You are likely aware that last month the president signed a bill containing a provision that effectively bans hemp products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC – including lower-potency hemp edibles (LPHE) such as gummies and seltzers. The ban on hemp products won’t be implemented for a year (November 12, 2026), but the potential impacts on Minnesota’s hemp-derived THC industry are significant.
In the weeks since the bill’s passage, there has been a great deal of discussion about the ban, and how it will impact Minnesota businesses who are currently operating within the state’s regulatory framework. With approximately 11 months remaining before the ban takes effect, it is possible that the federal government will issue guidance for states who have implemented programs to safely regulate the sale and manufacture of hemp-derived products. However, while this possibility (and the federal landscape more broadly) remains uncertain for foreseeable future, OCM will continue to implement chapter 342 as charged and will issue licenses for the sale and manufacture of lower-potency hemp edibles as planned in order to provide clarity in regulation and prioritize safety of the products in Minnesota.
We continue to have discussions with the Minnesota Legislature and members of the hemp industry to assess the path forward for the thousands of hemp businesses in Minnesota and those who rely on them to purchase the products that they enjoy while maintaining the commitment to public health and safety. As new information is available on the impacts of the new federal legislation on Minnesota, we will make it available to impacted businesses.
Resources
Visit mn.gov/ocm for more information and resources:
Please contact OCM customer service via our Contact Us webpage if you have general questions about the application process.
Thank you,
Office of Cannabis Management
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