California Cannabis Licensing
& DCC Defense
& DCC Defense
We get operators licensed — and defend those licenses when the DCC takes action.
California Cannabis Manufacturing License Attorney
California Cannabis Manufacturing License Attorney
Manufacturing cannabis products in California — extraction, infusion, and packaging — requires a manufacturing license from the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), and the license type depends on the processes and solvents you use. Baghoomian Law helps manufacturers choose the right license, meet facility and product-safety requirements, and defend against enforcement.
California Cannabis Manufacturing License Types
- Type 7 — manufacturing using volatile solvents (such as butane or hexane), which carries the most demanding facility and safety requirements
- Type 6 — manufacturing using non-volatile solvents (such as CO2 or ethanol) or mechanical and non-solvent methods
- Type N — infusions (making edibles, tinctures, topicals, and other products using pre-extracted cannabinoids)
- Type P — packaging and labeling only
- Shared-use facilities — a registered shared-use arrangement that lets multiple small manufacturers use the same facility
What Manufacturing Licensing Requires
- Local authorization from the city or county
- A premises that meets building, fire, and safety code — especially critical for volatile-solvent (Type 7) extraction
- Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
- Product-safety, quality-control, and standard operating procedures
- Disclosure of all owners and financial interest holders
- Enrollment in the state track-and-trace (Metrc) system
How Baghoomian Law Helps Manufacturers
We identify the correct manufacturing license type for your processes, coordinate local approval and facility compliance, prepare and file the DCC application, and manage renewals and modifications. If a manufacturing license faces a DCC action, we defend it — see our DCC enforcement defense and cannabis licensing pages.
What type of cannabis manufacturing license do I need in California?
It depends on your process. Type 7 covers volatile-solvent extraction, Type 6 covers non-volatile-solvent and mechanical methods, Type N covers infusions, and Type P covers packaging and labeling only.
What is the difference between a Type 6 and Type 7 manufacturing license?
A Type 7 license authorizes manufacturing with volatile solvents such as butane, which requires the most rigorous facility, engineering, and fire-safety controls. A Type 6 license covers non-volatile solvents (such as CO2 or ethanol) and mechanical or non-solvent methods, with less demanding facility requirements.
Do I need local approval to manufacture cannabis products?
Yes. A state DCC manufacturing license is required, but you must also have local authorization from the city or county where the facility is located.
Can I use a shared-use manufacturing facility?
Yes. California allows registered shared-use facilities where multiple small manufacturers operate in the same licensed space at different times, which can lower the cost of entry. Specific requirements apply.