Alabama Marijuana License

Alabama legalized medical cannabis in 2021 (the Darren Wesley 'Ato' Hall Compassion Act). The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) licenses businesses, certifies physicians and runs the patient registry.

Licensing took years because of lawsuits over how licenses were awarded. Cultivator and processor licenses were issued first, and the commission approved dispensary licenses in December 2025. The first dispensary opened in Montgomery on June 3, 2026. Integrated facility licenses have been held up in litigation.

The number of licenses is capped by law, and the AMCC isn't running an open application round. Entering the market generally means partnering with an existing licensee.

• Cultivator (up to 12 licenses)
• Processor (up to 4)
• Dispensary (up to 4, each with up to 3 storefronts)
• Integrated facility: seed-to-sale (up to 5, each with up to 5 storefronts)
• Secure transporter and state testing laboratory

• Alabama ownership and residency requirements apply to license holders
• Background checks for owners and key staff
• Local government must allow cannabis businesses by ordinance
• Only non-smokable forms may be sold: tablets, capsules, tinctures, oils, patches, gel cubes and similar products

• Application fee: $2,500
• License fees (per AMCC rules): cultivator $30,000, processor $40,000, dispensary $40,000, integrated facility $50,000, transporter and testing lab $30,000
• Fees are separate from the costs of a compliant facility, security and testing

1. Watch the AMCC for any future application round. None is open now.
2. Form an Alabama entity that meets ownership requirements.
3. Confirm your city or county has opted in.
4. Submit an application with the $2,500 fee during an open window.
5. If you're selected, pay the license fee and pass inspection.

• Medical use only; no adult-use sales
• No smokable products, vapes or raw flower
• Patients must be in the state registry
• Physicians must complete AMCC certification to recommend cannabis

• Alabama resident with a qualifying condition, such as cancer, chronic pain, PTSD, epilepsy, Crohn's disease and others
• Recommendation from an AMCC-certified physician

1. See a certified physician who registers your recommendation.
2. Complete your patient registry application and pay the state fee.
3. Buy products at a licensed dispensary.