Pl. IHemp
Hemp retail
Stores selling hemp products. The 2 mg per package cap, labeling and the federal change in December.
Virginia cannabis & hemp licensing and compliance consultants
Get licensed.Stay licensed.Open day one.
Virginia's adult-use cannabis market opens July 1, 2027, and the federal definition of hemp changes December 11, 2026. From our Leesburg office we help hemp operators and new applicants file clean applications, build the compliance program regulators expect, and pass inspection.
272Days until the first legal adult-use retail sale in Virginia
Built for inspection day
Applications get you licensed. Inspections keep you open. We prepare you for both.
While the Cannabis Control Authority builds its own inspection staff, HB 30 lets it coordinate enforcement with Virginia ABC, so early inspections will follow a playbook Virginia licensees already know. Our team brings years of regulated-product licensing and compliance work in Virginia. We know how inspections run, what gets written up, and how to fix it before anyone arrives.
Road to market · Updated September 2026
Virginia's cannabis calendar
These are the dates that decide who is open on July 1, 2027. The marker moves as each one passes.
- Jun 29, 2026HB 30 enactedAdult-use framework passes inside the state budget after the May veto of HB 642 / SB 542.Done
- Aug 15, 2026Hemp to CCAThe CCA takes over hemp oversight from VDACS. The 25:1 exception ends: 2 mg total THC per package, no exceptions.Done
- Sep 2026Draft regs outCCA publishes draft rules for licensing, testing, packaging and operations. Public comment opens.Done
- Dec 11, 2026Federal hemp changeNew federal hemp definition takes effect: total THC and 0.4 mg per container. Cannabinoids the plant cannot produce were cut off November 12.Ahead
- Feb 1, 2027Final regsStatutory deadline for CCA's final regulations. Conversion applications open first; retail comes in a later phase.Ahead
- May 1, 2027First licensesTarget date for initial license issuance, ahead of the retail launch.Ahead
- Jul 1, 2027Retail salesLicensed adult-use stores open. 6% state excise plus 1 to 3.5% local tax.Ahead
- Jul 1, 2029Excise to 8%State cannabis excise tax steps up from 6% to 8%.Ahead
Who we serve · Eight kinds of operators
Every leaf on the plant
One regulator, two rulebooks. The Cannabis Control Authority took over hemp oversight from VDACS in August 2026 and is building the adult-use market now. We work across both.
Pl. IIHemp
Hemp growers
Registration, pre-harvest sampling, THC testing and remediation records.
Pl. IIIHemp
Processors & dealers
Processor and dealer registrations, batch records, COAs and reformulation planning.
Pl. IVAdult-use
Cultivation
Tier I through Tier V cultivation, including the hemp-operator conversion pathway.
Pl. VAdult-use
Processing
Manufacturing licenses, product limits, packaging and labeling rules.
Pl. VIAdult-use
Retail stores
One of 350 statewide retail licenses. Site, security, point of sale and age verification.
Pl. VIIAdult-use
Transport & delivery
Manifests, vehicle security, chain of custody and delivery ID checks.
Pl. VIIIAdult-use
Microbusiness & Impact
Microbusiness licenses and Impact Licensee eligibility, ownership and fee relief.
By the numbers · HB 30 and CCA draft regulations
What the statute says
Fees below are from the September 2026 draft regulations and may change before the rules are final.
350Retail store licenses allowed statewideStatutory cap
6%State excise tax at launch, rising to 8% on July 1, 2029Plus sales tax
1–3.5%Mandatory local cannabis tax set by each localityLocal levy
$20KInitial retail license fee, after a $4,000 application feeDraft regs; $15K annual
What we do
Four ways we work
Flat-fee projects for filings and audits. Monthly advisory once you are licensed. You always know what the work costs before it starts.
Licensing
New applications, renewals, amendments and ownership changes for hemp registrations and CCA adult-use licenses. We assemble the file, track it with the regulator and answer the follow-up questions.
- Application packets
- Ownership & disclosure schedules
- Regulator correspondence
Compliance programs
Written standard operating procedures and staff training built around the actual rules, so your team knows what to do at the register, in the grow room and on the loading dock.
- SOP manuals
- Age verification & ID training
- Inventory & recordkeeping
Audits & mock inspections
A gap analysis against Virginia and federal rules, then a walk-through run the way a regulator would run it. You get a written findings list ranked by risk.
- Gap analysis report
- On-site mock inspection
- Corrective action plan
Ongoing advisory
A standing line to us for rule changes, product questions and renewals. We watch the CCA, VDACS and federal calendars so you don't have to.
- Monthly regulatory briefing
- Renewal calendar
- Priority response
Applications start opening February 2027. Start the file now.
A 30-minute call covers where you stand, which license fits, and what to prepare first.