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Do You Need A License To Sell CBD In California? – Let’s talk about it

CBD has been gaining more and more popularity over the last few years.

The reason is primarily due to claims of its many health and lifestyle benefits.

CBD does everything from aiding in relaxation to soothing sore muscles.

The online CBD community even shares that it can help calm inflammation, ease anxiety, and get a better night’s sleep.

(Sign us up for a whole night of restful sleep!)

After doing a quick Google search today, we learned that you would find a wide array of results when you type in words CBD and California into the search bar.

Everything from the most popular places to buy CBD products to questions like “how to get started selling CBD in California?” or “do you need a license to sell CBD in California?”

Knowing the legalities of buying and selling CBD in California before you begin is your best bet to running a successful business.

A brief introduction to CBD in the state of California

It’s no secret that California is always at the forefront of health and wellness trends.

With CBD it has been no different.

After all, this state was the first to legalize medical marijuana.

If you don’t have a medical card, CBD is a great alternative that’s much easier to find.

The state has gone through some significant legal shifts in the last few years.

Now it’s easier than ever to gain access to the hemp-derivative.

If you’re into health and wellness or holistic medicine, you likely use supplements or vitamins.

And if you’ve used CBD for any amount of time with good results, you’ve likely shared with others the benefits of daily use.

If people around you have been receptive, you may wonder how to capitalize on this as a business venture.

After all, it is one of the most talked-about topics on social media right now.

It’s easy to get confused about what is legal and what isn’t when you’re buying or selling CBD in California.

There is some grey area.

The laws are also rapidly changing as the industry (and demand for it) evolves and grows.

So, if you’re looking into the ability to sell any of these hemp-derived products, read on.

We will cover everything you need to know about selling CBD in the state of California.

The history of CBD in California

Since the 1970s cannabis plants have been controlled under the Controlled Substances Act.

The DEA did recently remove CBD from the controlled substances list.

As a result, the US Federal Government has made products with CBD extracted from hemp legal to sell in all fifty states.

The only stipulation is that it must contain less than 0.3% THC in its contents.

The only stipulation is that it must contain less than 0.3% THC in its contents if you’re wondering why anything over this amount of THC is likely to show up on a drug test.

So while you’re Googling and trying to figure out what you need to get a business up and running. Anything with more than 0.3% THC is a no-go.

At this percentage, you wouldn’t be complying with the current legalities.

This means you’d be setting yourself up for potential legal trouble.

Until 2018, the state of California considered CBD a marijuana product.

This meant it was only legal to purchase from reputable dispensaries.

Though the laws around CBD weren’t always being strictly enforced, there was still cause for concern when trying to buy or sell CBD products.

So, do you need a license to sell CBD in California today?

It’s both a yes and no answer whether or not you need a license to sell CBD in California.

Since purchasing CBD is quite easy these days, it’s a staple in all sorts of places.

These can range from health and wellness stores to your local coffee spot.

Even the gym or yoga studio you frequent might carry it.

You do need a business license to be buying and selling (any product) legally.

It’s smart to make sure your business is fully legal before you even begin looking into California CBD laws.

“California incorporates federal law regarding food additives, dietary use products, food labeling, and good manufacturing practices for food.”

This is the statement made by the California Department of Public Health.

This just means that certain substances are not permitted to be in any food or beverage.

These include:

CBD products derived from the cannabis plant
CBD products derived from industrial hemp
Other types of cannabinoids

Likely, you would also need additional licensing from the state of California if you were creating any consumable (food or beverage).

Just like any other store or cafe would.

This would be true of any food product, not just items with CBD.

So essentially the rule of thumb here is to avoid edibles unless you’re a licensed dispensary.

If you’re staying away from the edibles market, you should be in the clear when it comes to the possession and sale of CBD in the state of California.