Industrial Hemp Licensing Information
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A licence is required to cultivate low THC Cannabis (Industrial Hemp) and each grower must be individually licensed.
Licence holders are required to complete an Annual Licence Review - Grower Statement at the start of the growing season which must then be returned to the Medicines Regulatory Group.
2023 growing season - important dates for prospective applicants
Tuesday 3 January 2023
Applications for licences to cultivate in the 2023 season can be made from this date. Applications received before this date will be rejected as premature.
Monday 3 April 2023
Last date for first-time or repeat growers of ‘industrial hemp’ for seed and/or fibre only to submit licence applications. This is so that we can try to reach an initial decision on applications by Friday 28 April 2023.
If you apply after the cut-off dates
If you apply to register or apply for a licence after these cut-off dates, we cannot guarantee processing times and we may have to reject your application or registration request. This is because it would not be practical to consider an application and issue a licence for outdoor cultivation before you need to start sowing, and cultivation cannot take place without a licence.