CANNABIS AND HEMP BUSINESS LAW FIRM SERVING SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Cannabis and Hemp Business Attorney Serving Throughout California
The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore has helped dozens of businesses procure or maintain state and local commercial cannabis licenses and permits, successfully closed millions of dollars in mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions for cannabis and hemp operator and investor clients, and devoted hundreds of hours of pro-bono legal services to the cannabis social equity movement.
Recognized as a leader in California cannabis and hemp law, Shay Aaron Gilmore provides proven legal solutions for investors and operators to launch, fund and grow ventures in compliance with the cannabis and hemp industries’ ever-changing laws, regulations and policies, with a focus on San Diego County.
In addition to San Diego County, the Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore also serves clients in:
Practice Areas in San Diego County, California
We provide every one of our clients customized knowledge that translates into cost-effective legal counsel designed to reach their unique goals. The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore supports the ongoing success of our San Diego cannabis and hemp industry clients in the following practice areas:
Recognized by The Los Angeles/San Francisco Daily Journal as one of the Top 20 Cannabis Lawyers in California, Shay Aaron Gilmore maintains active roles in top trade and professional organizations like the American Bar Association Cannabis Law & Policy Committee, the California Cannabis Industry Association, and the International Cannabis Bar Association. Shay founded the Cannabis Practitioners Group of the California Lawyers Association, which he chairs. Shay has been recognized by Super Lawyers® Magazine as a Super Lawyer in Cannabis Law and in Business & Corporate Law. Shay currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of California NORML.
San Diego County Cannabis and Hemp Business Resources
Whether you are an established California operator or investor expanding your business or investment into San Diego County, or you are just starting up in the California cannabis or hemp industries, understanding the legal requirements and regulations impacting the local cannabis and hemp industries is vital to your success. Here are just a few local resources for cannabis and hemp businesses to use in answering questions regarding cannabis and hemp legislation, regulation, and enforcement in a number of cities within San Diego County, and in the County of San Diego’s unincorporated area.
- City of San Diego Cannabis Information
- San Diego County Cannabis Program
- San Diego County Code, Tit. 2, Div. 1, Ch. 25
- City of San Diego Cannabis Business Tax
- City of Encinitas Cannabis Ordinance
- City of La Mesa Cannabis Businesses
- City of Imperial Beach Code Tit. 19, Ch. 19.61
- City of Chula Vista Commercial Cannabis
- National City Commercial Cannabis Information
- City of Vista Cannabis Businesses
- City of Lemon Grove Cannabis Regulations
- City of Oceanside Cannabis Ordinance
- City of Santee Cannabis Businesses
- San Diego County Industrial Hemp
If you have specific questions or concerns in San Diego, then The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore can provide specialized legal solutions for your cannabis and hemp business or investment needs.
Contact The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore today!
Contact our San Diego County cannabis and hemp law specialists today by phone at (415) 846-6397 or online so you can fully and compliantly align your business and/or investment interests in the California cannabis and hemp industries.
Frequently Asked Questions
To get a cannabis license in San Diego County, a business must first obtain local cannabis approval in the jurisdiction where it will operate — such as the City of San Diego, Chula Vista, La Mesa, Vista, Encinitas, National City, Imperial Beach, or unincorporated San Diego County — and then secure a matching state license from DCC. Each city’s cannabis ordinance under San Diego County cannabis law sets its own rules for location, caps, and operating standards, and DCC will only issue a state license to an applicant who has obtained all required local approvals.
San Diego County cannabis regulations and cannabis regulation San Diego County requirements vary significantly by jurisdiction. Those looking for cannabis dispensaries in San Diego County or to open new San Diego County cannabis dispensaries should review the San Diego County cannabis zoning map and the local ordinance for the target city. The San Diego County cannabis business tax and cannabis tax San Diego County obligations also vary by city, and operators must factor in both the San Diego County cannabis tax and state excise taxes. Cannabis consulting San Diego County CA professionals and a lawyer San Diego County cannabis businesses trust can guide applicants through the local permitting and state licensing process.
San Diego County cannabis cultivation begins with local cultivation approval in the specific city or unincorporated county area where the grow site will operate, followed by a state cultivation license from DCC. San Diego County cannabis cultivation laws vary by jurisdiction — growing cannabis in San Diego County is permitted in some cities and in unincorporated San Diego County commercial cannabis zones, while other jurisdictions restrict or prohibit cannabis cultivation in San Diego County.
A cultivator must verify that commercial cannabis cultivation is allowed on the specific parcel under San Diego County cannabis laws, obtain local land-use and cultivation authorization, and then submit a DCC cultivation application with site plans, water and environmental information, CEQA documentation, and proof of local authorization. Understanding the nuances of marijuana laws in San Diego County and marijuana laws San Diego County regulations is critical for site selection. A business lawyer San Diego County cultivators rely on — or an attorney at law San Diego County practitioners recommend — can navigate these San Diego County cannabis regulations and advise on optimal grow locations.
Before growing hemp on land within San Diego County, a grower must register with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) through the San Diego County agricultural commissioner’s office. Under CDFA rules, when a county is accepting registrations, the agricultural commissioner must issue the state registration within 30 calendar days if all state and local requirements are met.
The San Diego County agricultural commissioner may impose additional local requirements or restrictions on industrial hemp cultivation, including zoning limits, setbacks, and site-specific documentation. Prospective hemp growers in San Diego County should contact the county agricultural commissioner’s office to confirm whether industrial hemp registrations are currently being accepted and what local conditions apply beyond the standard CDFA Industrial Hemp Registration Application. A San Diego County lawyer or attorney experienced in San Diego County law and agricultural regulations can assist with navigating local hemp requirements.
Before cultivation, a fee of $900 per applicant must be submitted with the Industrial Hemp Registration Application to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The $900 CDFA fee is annual and must be paid again each year to renew the registration. San Diego County may also impose local fees on top of the $900 CDFA registration to cover administration and enforcement costs.
Prospective hemp cultivators should contact the San Diego County agricultural commissioner’s office to confirm the most current local fee amounts. A lawyer San Diego County hemp growers consult — or a business lawyer San Diego County operators trust — can advise on total anticipated costs, including any applicable cannabis tax San Diego County implications and local business tax requirements.