Minnesota Hemp License Deadline: October 31, 2025

Required Licensure For Low-Potency Hemp Businesses

Minnesota’s hemp industry has reached a critical turning point. With the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) officially closing its hemp registration on August 31, 2025, businesses selling hemp-derived cannabinoid products (HDCPs) must now prepare for full licensure under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 342, before October 31, 2025. 

With the October license application period approaching, understanding your next steps is essential to maintain compliance and avoid operational disruptions in Minnesota’s regulated hemp market.  

 

 

Temporary Registration Period Had Ended – Licensing Period Is Here

From June 2 to August 31, 2025, Minnesota hemp businesses were required to register with OCM under Minnesota Statutes, Section 151.72 to continue selling low-potency hemp edibles (LPHEs), hemp-derived THC beverages, and other hemp-derived cannabinoid products. 

This temporary registration allowed hemp businesses to operate legally during the busy summer season and created a pathway for conversion to full business licensure under Minnesota’s emerging cannabis regulatory framework. 

Now that the registration period has closed, the Minnesota OCM is moving to the next phase: full licensing under Chapter 342. 

 

Connecting Overlapping Markets

Minnesota’s dual hemp and cannabis markets have historically had their own distinctions and separations in legality, but the rise of adult-use cannabis in Minnesota has created a shared structure that has even pushed some hemp businesses to transition to cannabis. One thing is for certain: new regulations are here and licensing is the future.

 

 

Upcoming Hemp Business Licensing Timeline 

The OCM hemp license application period will run from October 1 through October 31, 2025 with two major options for applying and operating:

1. Continued Operations – Registered hemp businesses must apply for a license to continue selling LPHEs. 
2. Future Operations – Businesses not registered during the summer registration window may also apply starting October 1 but cannot legally operate until their license is approved. 

Registered businesses qualify for conversion to licensure if they were registered prior to the adoption of final rules. 

 

 

Endorsement and Certification Requirements

As Minnesota shifts from hemp registration to full licensure, businesses need to be aware of endorsement and certification requirements. Endorsements are issued with no additional license fee and define the specific operations a license holder can legally perform. Certificates are also required in specific circumstances.

Overall, these endorsements and certifications ensure hemp businesses operate safely, transparently, and in compliance with the relevant cannabis and hemp regulations, protecting both operators and consumers in Minnesota’s regulated market. 

 

Example Endorsements

While a hemp business license establishes the right to operate, additional low-potency hemp (LPH) endorsements are required for operational activities such as: 

• LPH Retail Operations
• LPH Extraction and Concentration
• Edible Cannabinoid Product Handler
• On-site Consumption
• Delivery
• LPH Edible Importer 
• Transporter

 

Potential Third-Party Certification Requirements

Some endorsements—especially those involving extraction or concentration—require third-party certifications, including safety inspections by an industrial hygienist or professional engineer to verify proper facility systems and safe handling of volatile chemicals. 

 

 

Why Hemp Businesses Need to Apply Now Now

For registered Minnesota hemp businesses, applying for a full license during the October window is critical to: 

1. Maintain operational continuity
2. Transition smoothly into the Minnesota cannabis licensing 2025 framework
3. Ensure compliance with OCM rules for low-potency hemp edibles (LPHEs)

Missed The Deadline? You Still Have Options

Businesses that missed the registration deadline will face a temporary pause in operations until their license is issued—but there remains an opportunity to enter Minnesota’s expanding hemp market. 

 

 

How Canna Advisors Can Help You Apply

Navigating Minnesota hemp licensing and OCM regulations can be complex, but our consultants at Canna Advisors leverage decades of both cannabis and hemp industry experience to help businesses apply for and win licenses.

Our full-service team supports hemp-derived product businesses: 

• Prepare and submit hemp license applications accurately and on time. 
• Identify which endorsements and certifications are necessary for their operations. 
• Develop compliant facility, extraction, and safety plans. 
• Build operational systems aligned with relevant regulations. 

 

The License Application Timeline Is Short – Let’s Move Now

The next few months are a pivotal period for Minnesota’s hemp industry. Proper preparation ensures your business stays compliant, operational, and positioned for long-term success in the regulated market.  

Don’t wait—your Minnesota hemp license application must be submitted by October 31. Reach out now or book an hourly consultation spot to ensure your hemp business stays compliant and operational.