Launching Your Cannabis Business in Kansas City, Missouri – Your Guide to Licensing in 2025

Kansas City, a major metropolitan hub in Missouri’s 4th Congressional District, is at the heart of the state’s booming cannabis industry, which surpassed $1.4 billion in sales in 2024. Since legalizing recreational cannabis in 2022 via Amendment 3, Missouri has seen robust demand, with Kansas City hosting numerous dispensaries and attracting entrepreneurs due to its professional sports scene and proximity to neighboring states. The city’s microbusiness program, designed to empower small and underrepresented businesses, makes Kansas City an ideal location for new entrants aiming to capitalize on a market projected to approach $2 billion in 2025.

• Eligibility:

  • Applicants must be Missouri residents for at least one year or majority-owned by Missouri residents for at least one year, not claiming residency elsewhere.

  • No disqualifying felony convictions for owners, employees, or key personnel (fingerprint-based background checks required, resuming February 2025).

  • Microbusiness applicants must meet at least one social equity criterion, such as:
    • Net worth under $250,000 and income below 250% of the federal poverty level ($34,000 for one person in 2022) for three of the past ten years.
    • Residence in a high-incarceration ZIP code for marijuana offenses (50% above state average).

    • Disabled veteran status or family history of nonviolent marijuana convictions before December 2021 (excluding offenses involving minors or DUI).

  • Only one microbusiness license per individual or entity, ensuring equal opportunity.

• Documentation:
  • Business name, FEIN, and applicant contact details.
  • Ownership details and facility structure diagram.
  • Proposed facility location with attestations of compliance with local zoning and government requirements.
  • Facility blueprints detailing room functions and sizes.
  • Cultivation methods and space allocation (for wholesale facilities).
  • Attestation of unique ownership, separate from other marijuana licenses.
  • Valid photo ID and proof of eligibility (e.g., financial documents, residency proof).

  • Business plan outlining operations, compliance, and community impact.

• Facility Requirements:

  • Compliance with Kansas City’s zoning ordinance, requiring facilities to be 1,000 feet from schools, daycares, or churches, measured by the shortest lawful walking path.

  • Security measures, including cameras, access controls, and theft prevention.

  • ADA-compliant access for disabled patients (especially for dispensaries).

• Local Compliance:

  • Submit a Marijuana Zoning Clearance for Business License Affidavit and a map showing compliance with distance requirements via the CompassKC system.

  • Obtain a Certificate of Occupancy; a Commercial Plan Review may be required for changes in use (e.g., from retail to dispensary).

  • Allow at least five business days for application processing through CompassKC.

• Microbusiness Dispensary License: Permits acquiring, processing, packaging, storing, transporting, delivering, and selling cannabis products to consumers, patients, caregivers, or other microbusinesses, including pre-roll production.

• Microbusiness Wholesale License: Allows acquiring, cultivating (up to 250 flowering plants), processing, manufacturing, packaging, storing, transporting, and delivering cannabis products to microbusiness dispensaries or testing facilities.