The City of Vallejo is not accepting any applications for cannabis businesses at this time.
Updated September 18, 2019
Vallejo permitted cannabis business operators must comply with Vallejo Municipal Code (VMC) Chapter 7.100, Chapter 7.200 and Title 16 requirements as described therein. By January 1, 2022, all VMC Chapter 7.100 permits to operate will be void, and operation may only continue upon approval of a Minor Use Permit and VMC Chapter 7.200 Regulatory Permit. Do not delay application.
- Applications for the VMC Title 16 Minor Use Permit are available under the Central Permit Center here.
- VMC Chapter 7.200 regulatory permit application is available here and a checklist is available here.
- Request to transfer ownership application is available here.
- Only those applications in conjunction with an existing Vallejo permit to operate will be considered.
Until the Vallejo permitted cannabis business operator has complied with the above (but not later than January 2022) in order to stay current on the Chapter 7.100 Permit to Operate, operators may use the following form:
- Permit to Operate Chapter 7.100 checklist is available here.
Chapter 5.05 Marijuana Business License Tax Amendments
Marijuana Business License Tax Rate amendments went into effect July 1 per the City Council actions in April 2019.
The amendment is available here and specifies the rates by which gross receipts shall be taxed, by industry, as follows:
- The marijuana business tax rate for retail sales of adult use cannabis shall be set at a rate of seven percent of gross receipts.
- There shall be no marijuana business tax rate for retail sales of medicinal cannabis.
- The marijuana business tax rate for cannabis cultivation shall be set at a rate of five percent of gross receipts.
- The marijuana business tax rate for cannabis manufacturing shall be set at a rate of five percent of gross receipts.
- The marijuana business tax rate for cannabis distribution shall be set at a rate of two percent of gross receipts.
- There shall be no marijuana business tax rate for cannabis testing laboratory services.
Note, the definition for "Medicinal cannabis" means cannabis sold for use by a person who possesses a California Medical Marijuana Identification Card.
For monthly remittance, please use this form.
Current Regulatory Program Status
Following public outreach and Planning Commission review in October and November, the Vallejo City Council took the action to formally adopt three ordinances on December 18, 2018. The ordinance amends Vallejo Municipal Code Title 16, the City's Zoning Code, adding retail sales of cannabis and laboratory testing, and Title 7, which preserved the historic limited immunity structure and set amortization periods for operators to come into compliance with land-use regulations, and eliminated the prohibition of relocation and transfer/sale of businesses. The staff report is available here. Ultimately, the amendments allow operators to sell their businesses, move to appropriately zoned districts, support and maintain the character of identified districts through the implementation of design guidelines, and maintain a dual-permitting approach to regulate use types. The adopted ordinances are here:
Chapter 7.100
Chapter 7.200
Title 16
Vallejo's Cannabis History
On September 11, 2018, the City Council approved amendments to Chapter 7.100 to permit operators to infuse, package and relabel marijuana product at their dispensaries. On October 9, 2018, the City Council approved amendments to Chapter 7.100 to perform limited extraction activities at marijuana dispensaries.
The City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1785 N.C. (2d) on February 27, 2018 to allow the 11 Medical Marijuana dispensaries in possession of a permit to operate as of October 1, 2017 to dispense and distribute recreational purposes, and deliver. These amendments came following the February 6, 2018 City Council study session on adult-use or "recreational" marijuana business in Vallejo.
On May 22, 2018, the City Council adopted zoning code amendments to add "recreational" marijuana to the existing allowed uses of medical marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, and distribution in zoning districts IU, IU-L, and PDI. The existing allowed uses in the three zones were approved by Council in December 2017.
Additionally, on July 10, 2018, the White White Slough Specific Plan area was amended to allow future retail of cannabis, and to allow the manufacturing, cultivation, and distribution in the northern part of the area.
On December 12, 2017, the City Council took five actions:
Adopting three emergency ordinances amending the Vallejo Municipal Code (VMC) Chapter 7.100 on medical marijuana dispensing, Chapter 7.200 regulating medical marijuana cultivation, distribution and manufacturing, and Title 16 establishing medical marijuana cultivation, manufacturing and distribution uses within particular zones/general plan designations to become effective January 1, 2018.
Adopted a Resolution extending the Marijuana Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee through August 30, 2018.
Adopted a Resolution establishing marijuana business fees. A Medical Marijuana Stakeholder and Expert Group (MMSEG) meeting was held on November 28, 2017, where staff presented the proposed ordinances and received feedback from MMSEG and community members. Following the meeting, slight modifications were made to the ordinances based on comments during the meeting.
On November 6, 2017, the Planning Commission adopted a Resolution with finding the proposed Title 16 Ordinance Amendments to be consistent with the General Plan 2040.
On June 7, 2017, the City Council held a special meeting to provide policy direction to staff on marijuana business in Vallejo and formed an Ad-Hoc Committee of the City Council to develop draft policy documents.
After much discussion of the Ad-Hoc Committee, it was determined that addressing modifications to the Vallejo Municipal Code is best done in a phased approach. The first, ordinance 1770 N.C. (2d) Amending Chapter 7.1 of the Municipal Code Regarding Requirements for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries was adopted on September 12, 2017 for the purpose of providing regulatory permits to the eleven medical marijuana dispensaries in possession of limited immunity from civil prosecution of land-use violation.
An information update on phase two (Code Text Amendment to Title 16, the City's Zoning Code) was provided to the Planning Commission on October 16 in advance of a Public Hearing on November 6.
On November 6, 2017, the Planning Commission adopted a Resolution finding an ordinance amending the Vallejo Municipal Code (VMC) Title 16 Zoning for three medical marijuana use types, cultivation, manufacturing and distribution to be consistent with the General Plan. A link to the Planning Commission packet is available here.
In June 2017, the Governor signed SB 94, creating the Medical and Adult Use Cannabis Regulatory and Safety Act (MAUCRSA).
On May 9, 2017, the City of Vallejo has announced a Special Study Session, on the topic of Marijuana, has been scheduled for June 7, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. The special meeting will take place in Council Chambers located in City Hall, 555 Santa Clara Street.
On July 28, 2015, the City Council adopted an ordinance adding Chapter 7.100 to the Vallejo Municipal Code pertaining to requirements for limited immunity from civil prosecution for medical marijuana dispensaries.
In October 2015, the state legislature passed three bills to regulate medical marijuana. These bills affect state and local government licensing and permitting of medical marijuana businesses, attempt to protect local control of the medical marijuana industry and create a statewide framework for additional oversight of industry practices.