Medical marijuana dispensaries legally purchase marijuana from vendors and sell it to physician-approved patients. Dispensaries have a physician on the board of directors to ensure that patient treatment adheres to standard accepted practices. They also have highly trained staff who are continually educated about the many different strains and forms of cannabis and their medicinal purposes. Those forms include vapor, tinctures, balms, oils, juices, and edibles. A medical marijuana dispensary provides patients with an alternative to pain-killers and other drugs that can have harmful side effects when used long-term.
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Start a medical marijuana dispensary by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Medical Marijuana Dispensary
- Form your Medical Marijuana Dispensary into a Legal Entity
- Register your Medical Marijuana Dispensary for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Medical Marijuana Dispensary
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Medical Marijuana Dispensary
- Get Medical Marijuana Dispensary Insurance
- Define your Medical Marijuana Dispensary Brand
- Create your Medical Marijuana Dispensary Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your medical marijuana dispensary. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Medical Marijuana Dispensary Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening a medical marijuana dispensary?
Obtaining a business license is one of the most substantial startup costs of opening a medical marijuana dispensary. In most states where medical cannabis businesses are legal, the cost for an application for a license is $5,000. However, the cost varies from state to state, as does the minimum requirement for startup capital, which can be as high as $250,000. If you plan to grow your own product, additional grower’s license fees are required. Other common startup costs include:
- Monthly rent, including a security deposit (for those who don’t own commercially zoned property)
- Initial inventory (some growers are willing to accept a percentage of sales in lieu of a complete initial payment)
- Display cases, bottles and jars
- Office supplies
- Security system
- Signs that display your company name and logo to create brand recognition
What are the ongoing expenses for a medical marijuana dispensary?
Ongoing expenses to maintain a medical marijuana dispensary may include:
- The cost of purchasing the product from growers
- Rent and utilities
- Staff salaries
- Advertising and sales promotions
Who is the target market?
Clients and customers are all patients who have been referred by a physician who has prescribed cannabis as a medical treatment for an existing condition.
How does a medical marijuana dispensary make money?
A medical marijuana dispensary makes money by selling cannabis products for medicinal purposes. Some dispensaries grow their own product to increase profits while others purchase the product from professional licensed growers and resell it at a higher price. Many also make money through the retail sale of pipes and vaporizers purchased in bulk at wholesale prices.
How much can you charge customers?
Customers are charged according to the quality and quantity of the product. The average cost of an ounce of medical marijuana is $200. However, high-grade organic medical marijuana can cost as much as $60 per gram. That does not include any state tax. Edibles such as cookies or brownies can sell from between $2 and $5 per single dose. Tinctures are priced from $15 to $50, depending on the strength.
How much profit can a medical marijuana dispensary make?
According to Forbes, established businesses can earn up to 50% profits, while new ones commonly earn about 20%. Annual sales figures are not yet available since the medical marijuana dispensary industry is new and still illegal in some states. It is still considered high-risk due to the discrepancies between state and federal laws.
How can you make your business more profitable?
Many medical marijuana dispensaries offer a variety of foods containing medicinal marijuana. Brownies, cookies, and other edibles have become extremely popular, and customers are willing to pay more for the extra time, effort and ingredients needed to make them. Some dispensary owners also grow their own product, which results in fewer expenditures and higher profits. Many dispensaries also sell accessory products, such as pipes and vaporizers, which sell for prices ranging from $20 to $700.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your medical marijuana dispensary is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your medical marijuana dispensary were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Each state has different licensing procedures for growing and selling medical marijuana. This site has a list of state-by-state regulations , and also offers legal consultation for persons interested in starting their own medical marijuana dispensary.
Most states also require businesses to obtain a generic seller’s permit or resale certificate. Additionally, some states require both. A seller’s permit allows states to record and collect taxes from goods (and sometimes service) sales.
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.
Release of Liability
To avoid liability and potential lawsuits, medical marijuana businesses should have their clients sign a release of liability. Here is an example of one such form.
Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional release of liability form for your dispensary when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.
Certificate of Occupancy
A medical marijuana dispensary is generally run out of a storefront. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease a location:
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a medical marijuana dispensary.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build a location:
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your medical marijuana business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Medical Marijuana Dispensary needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Medical Marijuana Dispensary.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market a medical marijuana dispensary
There are more restrictions on advertising within the cannabis industry than other types of businesses. Creating a blog on your business website is a great way to educate existing and potential customers about your products, their uses and their effectiveness. Social media can also be very helpful in building a regular clientele as well as offering sales promotions. Experts suggest featuring your best products and offering deals, loyalty rewards, and referral incentives.
How to keep customers coming back
It’s important to introduce yourself and your highly trained staff members to the community. Your customers will be referred by prescribing physicians. Planning or attending community education events and giving presentations to patient support groups and at medical facilities are also good strategies.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
This business is ideal for people who are passionate about alternative medicine and have a strong desire to help others. Those who have worked in the medical field are often drawn to this business, since the goal is to alleviate the severity of symptoms associated with many medical conditions that adversely affect quality of life. People interested in learning more about the practical application of the latest scientific discoveries in the fields of medical science, biology, and horticulture are ideal candidates for this business.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at a medical marijuana dispensary?
- Keeping abreast of federal and state laws and new legislation affecting the industry
- Learning about the medicinal properties of existing strains of cannabis as well as those of new strains currently under development
- Negotiating prices with growers and ordering products
- Educating and training staff members
- Communicating with patients about their needs and the effectiveness of your products in meeting them
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful medical marijuana dispensary?
- Knowledge of the medicinal properties of cannabis
- Negotiation skills for contracting the best prices from growers
- Interpersonal skills for communicating with patients about their needs and experiences with your products
- Managerial skills for training and supervising staff
- Accounting skills
- Advertising and promotional skills for competing successfully within the industry
What is the growth potential for a medical marijuana dispensary?
A new report by a research firm revealed that legal cannabis sales rose 17% in 2015 to $5.4 billion and predicted that it would grow another 25% in 2016. Profits for individual dispensaries vary greatly. According to a recent industry survey, almost 60% of owners earn less than $500,000 annually. 27% of respondents reported sales between $100,000 and $250,000, and 15% reported earning less than $100,000. A little over 25% reported revenues of over $1 million, and 15% reported between $500,000 and $1 million.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
How and when to build a team
It’s important to have a team in place before opening your business. At a minimum, the team should include a physician, growers, a knowledgeable and well-trained sales staff, and adequate security personnel. Other team members may include investors, accountants, and additional personnel for tracking inventory, website maintenance and secretarial duties.
Useful Links
Industry Opportunities
- Discover franchise opportunities
- Medicinal Marijuana Association
- American Medical Marijuana Association
Real World Examples
Further Reading
- Blog: all about opening a medical marijuana dispensary
- Book: Marijuana Business: How to Open and Successfully Run a Marijuana Dispensary and Grow Facility by Jeff Grissler
- State-by-state guides to opening a medical marijuana dispensary
- Article: things to consider before starting a medical marijuana dispensary
- Instruction for developing a medical marijuana dispensary business plan