Yes, you can get a cannabis licence in Alberta right now. As of October 2026, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) accepts retail cannabis store licence applications on a rolling basis, with no lottery and no provincial cap on how many stores one owner can hold. Growing or processing cannabis is a separate federal licence from Health Canada.
That split matters. AGLC decides who can sell non-medical cannabis to the public, and it is also the only legal wholesaler, so every store buys its stock from AGLC. Health Canada decides who can grow, process, test or sell cannabis for medical purposes. Your city or county adds a third layer through zoning, development permits and business licences.
This guide covers every licence type, the fees, what’s open, the steps from planning to opening day and the rules you’ll need to meet. Everything was checked against AGLC, Health Canada and municipal sources in October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Alberta’s retail licences are open year-round and are reviewed in the order AGLC receives them.
- You need municipal approval before AGLC will issue a store licence, so start with your city or county.
- Stores can only buy cannabis from AGLC; growers and processors need a federal licence from Health Canada first.
- An Alberta store licence can’t be sold or transferred, so buying an existing store means applying for a new licence.
- Rules differ by province and change often. Confirm the current requirements with AGLC before you sign a lease.
Who regulates cannabis businesses in Alberta?
Two governments share the job, plus your municipality.
AGLC: retail and wholesale
AGLC licenses and inspects private retail cannabis stores under the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act and the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation. It sets store rules through its Retail Cannabis Store Handbook, last updated June 10, 2026. AGLC also runs the province’s wholesale warehouse and its own online store, so private retailers buy every product through AGLC rather than directly from producers.
Health Canada: production and medical sales
Under the federal Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations, Health Canada licenses cultivation, processing, analytical testing, research and sale for medical purposes. If you want to grow or make cannabis products in Alberta, you apply to Health Canada through its Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS), not to AGLC. Medical cannabis is sold by federally licensed sellers, not by provincial retail stores.
Municipalities: where stores can go
Alberta’s municipalities control land use. They decide which zones allow cannabis stores, can change the provincial buffer distances by bylaw and issue the development permits and business licences you’ll need.
Cannabis licence types in Alberta
The table lists every provincial and federal licence an Alberta cannabis business might need, with fees as published in October 2026. AGLC’s store fees are due when you apply. Health Canada’s screening fees are per application and non-refundable, and its annual fee is the higher of a minimum or a share of the previous year’s cannabis revenue.
| Licence type | What it lets you do | Application fee | Annual or renewal fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail cannabis store (AGLC) | Sell non-medical cannabis and approved accessories to adults at one store, buying only from AGLC | $400 non-refundable, per store, plus a $3,000 background check deposit (unused money refunded; extra costs may apply) | $700 annual licence fee |
| Online sales endorsement (AGLC) | Add sales through your own website to customers in Alberta | Not published; ask AGLC | Not published; ask AGLC |
| Delivery endorsement (AGLC) | Deliver orders using your employees or a common carrier | Not published; ask AGLC | Not published; ask AGLC |
| Cannabis supplier retail store, or farm-gate (AGLC) | Let a licensed producer sell its own products at a store next to its production site | Not published; ask AGLC | Not published; ask AGLC |
| Cannabis representative registration (AGLC) | Market and promote a supplier’s products to Alberta licensees | $200 registration fee, plus the actual cost of background checks | $200 at each two-year renewal |
| Micro-cultivation, micro-processing or nursery (Health Canada) | Grow, process or propagate on a small scale | $2,058 screening fee | Higher of $2,500 or 1% of revenue up to $1 million, plus 2.3% above that |
| Standard cultivation or standard processing (Health Canada) | Grow or process at commercial scale and sell to provincial wholesalers such as AGLC | $4,109 screening fee | Higher of $23,000 or 2.3% of revenue |
| Sale for medical purposes (Health Canada) | Sell cannabis to registered medical clients | $4,109 screening fee (lower micro rate if combined with a micro or nursery licence) | Same as standard, with a possible exemption for medical sales |
| Federal security clearance (Health Canada) | Required for each key person on a federal licence | $2,076 per person | Not applicable |
| Analytical testing or research (Health Canada) | Test cannabis for licensed producers, or study cannabis | Not published on Health Canada’s fee pages; ask Health Canada | Not published; ask Health Canada |
| Private wholesale or distribution | Not available; AGLC is the only wholesaler | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Consumption lounge | No AGLC licence class exists | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Municipal development permit and business licence | Local land-use and business approval for your site | Varies; ask your municipality | Varies; ask your municipality |
Health Canada’s screening and clearance amounts above took effect April 1, 2026, and are updated from time to time. For a wider comparison, see our guide to dispensary licence costs.
Are cannabis licences open in Alberta right now?
Yes. As of October 2026, AGLC accepts retail store applications at any time through its online licensing portal and generally processes them in the order received. There’s no application window, lottery or provincial limit on the total number of stores.
- No ownership cap: Alberta once limited any one owner to 15% of the province’s stores. AGLC told retailers in 2020 that the limit was no longer needed and removed it, according to CTV News reporting at the time.
- No resale of licences: AGLC’s handbook says a store licence can’t be sold, assigned or transferred, and a change of control cancels it automatically. If you buy an existing store, you’ll apply for your own licence. Selling part of a business needs AGLC approval before it takes effect.
- Federal licences: Health Canada accepts cultivation and processing applications on a rolling basis through CTLS.
Local status is a different question. Some municipalities limit cannabis stores to certain zones or set larger buffers, so a site that works in one town may not work in the next.
How to get a cannabis licence in Alberta, step by step
The graphic shows the usual order for a retail store. AGLC says it won’t issue a licence without municipal approval, so the local steps come early.
Federal producers follow a different path. Health Canada asks applicants to notify the local government, police and fire authority, have key people apply for security clearance, submit the application in CTLS and then upload a site evidence package with floor plans and a video tour. You can’t start any cannabis activity until the federal licence is issued.
Requirements you’ll need to meet
Ownership and residency
Your business must be incorporated in Alberta or registered in Alberta as an extra-provincial company. AGLC’s published requirements don’t include an Alberta residency rule for owners. The store must be a separate business that sells cannabis as its main purpose, with its own finances, staff and management.
Background checks and disqualifying offences
AGLC runs criminal and financial checks on the applicant, its associates and key employees, meaning anyone who controls day-to-day decisions or can hire and fire cannabis workers. You pay the actual cost. AGLC may refuse a licence for certain federal criminal or drug offences, or if someone served three or more years in prison within five years before applying.
Capital and bonds
AGLC doesn’t publish a minimum capital or bond requirement for stores. Its financial checks look at where your money comes from, so keep clear records of every investor and lender.
Real estate and buffer distances
You need a signed lease or a certificate of title. By default, a store can’t be within 100 metres of a provincial health care facility, a building containing a school or a school reserve parcel, and municipalities can change that distance by bylaw. The store needs its own entrance, no access to any other business and no drive-through window.
Security plan
The handbook calls for a professionally installed, monitored alarm with panic buttons at each point of sale, cameras covering entries, sales, receiving and storage, video kept on site for at least 60 days and weekly camera tests. Perimeter doors must be hollow metal with commercial locks, and product in customer areas must sit in locked cases. Our dispensary security guide covers how to plan a system.
SOPs and insurance
Write procedures for ID checks, receiving, inventory counts, returns and incident reports, since inspectors can ask for records at any time. AGLC doesn’t publish a set insurance amount for stores, but your landlord, lender and bank will likely ask for commercial liability coverage.
Staff permits
Every staff member must be a Qualified Cannabis Worker: over 18, SellSafe certified, approved by AGLC and cleared by a criminal record check dated within three months of applying. Qualification lasts up to five years. No minor may work in the store.
Local approval and zoning
Every Alberta municipality sets its own rules, so call the planning office before you look at sites. In Edmonton, for example, you need a development permit, plus a building permit for any construction, and a City business licence in the Cannabis Retail Sales category. Section 6.30 of Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw sets separation distances from other cannabis stores and certain land uses. Edmonton also says you must get your AGLC licence within two weeks of the City business licence, or the City licence is suspended.
Smaller towns may limit stores to a few commercial zones or require extra public notice. Ask about hours too: AGLC allows sales between 9 a.m. and 2 a.m., but a local bylaw can be stricter.
Social equity and small-business programs
As of October 2026, Alberta has no cannabis social equity or priority licensing program, and AGLC doesn’t reduce fees for small or first-time applicants. The closest federal help is Health Canada’s lower fees for micro-class licences, plus a two-stage review that lets Indigenous-affiliated applicants start the process before the site is fully built.
Alberta cannabis market at a glance
With hundreds of stores already open across the province, check how many sit near your site, and how close together they are, before you commit.
After you’re licensed: staying compliant
- Renewal: AGLC sends a reminder six to eight weeks before your licence expires. If it lapses, you must stop selling until a new licence is issued.
- Reporting and tracking: Monthly federal compliance reports are due by midnight on the 10th of each month. Keep sales records for six years, with the latest two on site, and inventory records for two years. Our seed-to-sale tracking guide explains how this data feeds the federal system.
- Inspections: AGLC inspectors and police can inspect your store and ask for records at any time. Separately, AGLC’s Cannabis Enforcement Unit, active since December 2024, goes after illegal sellers that undercut licensed stores.
- Online sales and delivery: Each needs an AGLC endorsement. Orders are capped at 30 grams of dried cannabis or the equivalent, must stay in Alberta, and delivery drivers must be 18 or older with SellSafe.
- Advertising: Ads are limited to brand elements, can’t show prices or appeal to minors, and store names can’t include “Alberta” or “AGLC.”
- Changes: Relocating or making major structural changes needs AGLC’s written approval first.
Use our dispensary compliance checklist for daily routines and our budtender training requirements guide when you hire.
Your Alberta licence checklist
- Pick your licence path: AGLC retail store, Health Canada production, or both.
- Incorporate in Alberta or register your company extra-provincially.
- Call your municipality about zoning, buffers, permits and hours.
- Measure the distance from your site to schools and health care facilities.
- Get a lease or title for the site, ideally with an exit clause if approvals fail.
- Email AGLC Due Diligence to start background checks.
- Apply for your development permit and business licence.
- Submit your AGLC application and fees on the online licensing portal.
- Hire staff, get SellSafe certificates and apply for Qualified Cannabis Worker status.
- Install alarms, cameras, locked cases and secure storage.
- Set up AGLC ordering, inventory records and monthly reporting.
- Apply for online sales or delivery endorsements if you plan to offer them.
For new cannabis businesses: get found on WhereLeaf
Once your licence is issued and your doors are open, add your store to WhereLeaf so adults searching our dispensary finder can see your hours, location and menu. You can compare our listing packages if you want more visibility, and find fixture, security and POS vendors in our supplier directory. A listing helps shoppers find you; it isn’t a substitute for following AGLC’s advertising rules.
Comparing markets? See all our cannabis licence guides by state and province.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to open a cannabis store in Alberta?
AGLC’s fees are listed in the table above and are small next to your other costs. Lease, build-out, security, opening inventory bought from AGLC, staff wages during setup and professional fees make up most of the budget, and they vary widely by city and store size.
How long does it take to get an Alberta cannabis store licence?
AGLC says processing takes about two to four months once it has your application. Municipal permits, rezoning or delays in background checks can add time, so start the local process and the due diligence contact early.
Can I deliver cannabis in Alberta?
Yes, if your licensed store gets a delivery endorsement from AGLC. Orders must leave during business hours, though delivery may continue for a short time after closing, and drivers can’t hand cannabis to minors or intoxicated people. Our guide to starting a cannabis delivery business covers the business side.
Do I need to live in Alberta to get a cannabis licence?
AGLC’s published requirements don’t mention owner residency. What it does require is an Alberta incorporation or extra-provincial registration, plus background checks on everyone with control of the business.
Can I buy an existing cannabis store in Alberta?
You can buy the business and its assets, but not its licence. Because a change of control cancels the licence, the buyer has to apply and be approved before taking over, so plan the closing date around AGLC’s review.
Can a licensed producer sell directly to customers in Alberta?
Only through a cannabis supplier retail store at or next to its production site, and only its own products. These farm-gate stores can’t sell online, deliver or sell to other retailers.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm everything with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) before you apply.
Sources
- AGLC: Apply for a Retail Cannabis Store Licence (2026)
- AGLC: Retail Cannabis Store Handbook (updated 2026)
- AGLC: Retail Cannabis Store Handbook, PDF edition (2025)
- AGLC: Cannabis Representative Handbook (2025)
- AGLC: 2024-25 Annual Report (2025)
- Health Canada: Cannabis Transactional Fees for Licence Holders (2026)
- Health Canada: Cannabis Annual Regulatory Fee and Exemption (2025)
- Health Canada: Overview of the Licence Application Process (2026)
- Health Canada: Summary of Changes Following the Streamlining of Regulations (2025)
- City of Edmonton: Opening a Cannabis Retail Store
- CTV News Edmonton (news backup): AGLC Removes Limit on How Many Cannabis Stores a Company Can Own (2020)
- StratCann (news backup): Alberta Announces Cannabis Farmgate Licensing (2025)
- StratCann (news backup): Alberta Wholesaled Nearly $700 Million Worth of Cannabis in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year (2025)
Last updated: October 2026. Laws and prices change; always check your state or provincial regulator.
