The online application portal is open for anyone wanting to grow or process hemp in Minnesota in 2027. A license from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is required for individuals and businesses.
Applications must be submitted by April 30, 2027, and a license is valid for the 2027 calendar year.
The application can be found on the hemp program page of the MDA website. Along with the form, first-time applicants and authorized representatives need to submit fingerprints and pass a criminal background check. A hemp license is for growing and processing hemp only. The hemp license is not for the growth or sale of adult-use or medical cannabis. The application is also not intended for the manufacturing, marketing, or sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products. Adult-use cannabis and hemp-derived cannabinoid product information can be found on the Office of Cannabis Management website.
Growers and processors need to be aware of the following for 2027:
- The minimum cost of a hemp license is $400. Each location added to a license for growing or processing is an additional $250. There is no longer a $250 license fee for processors. A 5% license surcharge is added to support the modernization of the MDA’s technology systems which will provide better online services and more efficient processing of applications.
- All authorized representatives designated by the applicant must pass a criminal history background check prior to the issuance of a license.
- Every lot of hemp grown requires pre-harvest THC regulatory testing. Each official regulatory sample collected by the MDA will cost $100.
While the deadline to apply or renew is April 30, 2027, those actively growing hemp plants indoors past December 31, 2026, must renew their license before it expires at the end of the year.
Questions about the MDA’s Industrial Hemp Program should be sent to hemp.mda@state.mn.us or 651-201-6600.
Background
Hemp and adult-use cannabis are both types of the same plant, Cannabis sativa. They differ by the concentration level of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) within the plant. Hemp has less than 0.3% Total THC by dry-weight, and levels above that are considered marijuana.
Minnesota operated under a hemp pilot program from 2016-2020. In 2021, the program began operating under a new, federally approved state plan that governs production and regulation.
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Media Contact
Brittany Raveill, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
Brittany.Raveill@state.mn.us
