The New York Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) will open applications for adult-use nursery licenses on November 5, 2026, the first nursery license application window since the regulated adult-use market launched. OCM will accept only the first 50 applications for review.
The Cannabis Control Board approved the application window on October 1, 2026, and set the cap to manage the rollout, not to limit the number of nursery licenses the market can support.
What Is a New York Cannabis Nursery License?
A New York adult-use nursery license permits the license holder to produce, package, label and distribute cannabis seeds, clones, immature plants and other agricultural products used for cannabis cultivation.
A nursery licensee may not sell directly to retailers or consumers. Instead, nursery licensees may sell their products to cultivators, microbusinesses, cooperatives, Registered Organizations, Registered Organization Non-Dispensing (RONDs), Registered Organization Dispensing (RODs) and other nursery license holders.
How to Apply for a New York Nursery License
The application window opens on November 5, 2026, and closes once OCM receives 50 applications, which it will review on a first-come, first-served basis. Review begins once all 50 applications are in. OCM expects to begin issuing licenses within “several months of applying.”
OCM will not consider applications received after the first 50 and will return those applicants’ fees. This will not be the only round of nursery license applications. OCM intends to open “multiple rounds of application windows.”
Nursery License Fees and Canopy Limits
The application fee for a nursery license is $1,000. License fees vary based on the intended method of cultivation:
As with other adult-use licenses, social and economic equity applicants are eligible for a 50% reduction in application and license fees. OCM will host an information session on nursery licenses on October 28, 2026, at 4:20 p.m. ET, covering eligibility, application requirements and licensee responsibilities.
Nursery License Application Requirements
The application will be processed using the New York Business Express Portal. We recommend creating an account before the application window opens.
Gather all required information and documents in advance so you can submit as soon as the window opens on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Applicants for a nursery license must:
Upload an organizational chart for the applicant entity
Hold and upload a Nursery Grower Certificate of Registration from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
Have and upload proof of control over the proposed location where the nursery activities will take place
Have and upload a Labor Peace Agreement with a bona fide labor organization.
Cross-Ownership Rules for Nursery Licensees
New York has established strict cross-ownership restrictions across its adult-use cannabis market. Before applying, review the following cross-ownership restrictions to ensure that your business is eligible to apply for and hold a nursery license.
Neither a nursery licensee nor its True Parties of Interest (TPIs) may hold an interest in a retail dispensary, delivery or on-site consumption license.
A nursery licensee may hold a cultivator, cooperative or collective, microbusiness, ROND or ROD license.
A nursery licensee or its TPIs may be a TPI in a cultivator, processor, distributor, cooperative or collective, microbusiness, ROND or ROD license.
