Yes, you can get a cannabis licence in New Brunswick, but only through narrow doors. As of October 2026, Cannabis NB, a Crown-owned subsidiary of the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation, runs most of the province’s cannabis stores and is the only wholesaler. Privately owned stores do exist, but only in communities Cannabis NB opens up through a request for quotations (RFQ), and each one needs a provincial licence plus a service agreement with Cannabis NB.
There’s a second provincial route for producers. A federally licensed grower or processor based in New Brunswick can apply for a farmgate store, a licensed shop at its own facility that sells only cannabis it grew or processed. Everything else, from cultivation to processing to medical sales, starts with a Health Canada licence.
This guide explains who licenses what, every licence type and fee, whether any window is open now, and the steps from an idea to opening day. We checked it against New Brunswick’s Acts and regulations, Cannabis NB’s latest annual report, Health Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency in October 2026.
Key takeaways
- A private cannabis store in New Brunswick is possible only in a community Cannabis NB has put out to tender, and only with a service agreement in place.
- Local licensed producers can run a farmgate store, but it may sell only their own products.
- Private stores buy all their stock from Cannabis NB, and no licence holder can deliver cannabis to customers.
- Growing, processing and medical sales need a Health Canada licence, which you can apply for at any time.
- Rules differ by province and change often. Confirm current requirements with Cannabis NB, the province and Health Canada before you invest.
Who regulates cannabis businesses in New Brunswick?
The province and Cannabis NB
Two provincial laws matter most. The Cannabis Control Act sets the minimum age (19) and the rules for possession and home growing. The Cannabis Retailers Licensing Act, in force since September 1, 2022, lets private businesses hold a retail licence, and its General Regulation (N.B. Reg. 2022-40) sets out the day-to-day rules.
Under that Act, licences are issued by “the Minister,” which means the Minister of Health unless another minister is assigned. A licence is only issued once the applicant has an approval and has signed a service agreement with Cannabis NB, and it stays valid only while that agreement is in force. A private Class 1 store must buy all its stock from Cannabis NB, which controls distribution in the province.
Health Canada: production and medical sales
The federal Cannabis Act covers cultivation, processing, analytical testing, research and sale for medical purposes. Health Canada issues these licences through its Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS). Medical cannabis is sold by federally licensed sellers to registered clients, outside the Cannabis NB system.
The CRA and your local government
The Canada Revenue Agency issues the excise licence that every cultivator, processor or packager needs. Your local government handles zoning and building permits, and a private store application must include a letter from it confirming the site meets zoning rules.
Cannabis licence types in New Brunswick
The table lists every licence, agreement or approval that applies here, including business types the province doesn’t allow. One fee rule to know: a first-time provincial retail application fee is reduced the later in the fiscal year your licence is issued, by a quarter, a half or three quarters. Health Canada’s screening fees are non-refundable, and its annual fee is the higher of a set minimum or a share of the previous year’s cannabis revenue.
| Licence or approval | What it lets you do | Application fee | Annual or renewal fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 licence (private cannabis retail outlet) | Run a store stocked by Cannabis NB, in a community Cannabis NB has tendered | $540 (reduced by 25%, 50% or 75% depending on when in the year it’s issued) | $540 annual fee due by March 31; $540 to renew or reinstate |
| Class 2 licence (farmgate store) | Sell only cannabis you grew or processed, at your own New Brunswick facility | $540, plus a Cannabis NB administrative fee that isn’t published | $540 annual fee; ask Cannabis NB about its own charges |
| Cannabis NB service agreement | Required before either provincial licence takes effect | Not published; ask Cannabis NB | Not published; ask Cannabis NB |
| Cannabis NB product listing | Have Cannabis NB buy your products for its stores and licensed retailers | Not published; ask Cannabis NB | Not published; ask Cannabis NB |
| Delivery, private wholesale or distribution | Not available; Cannabis NB distributes, and licence holders may not deliver remote orders | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Consumption lounge | Not available; the rules make no provision for lounges | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| 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 buyers such as Cannabis NB | $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 (lower micro rate if combined with a micro or nursery licence) | Same as standard, with a possible exemption if all sales are medical |
| Federal security clearance (Health Canada) | Required for each key person on a federal licence | $2,076 per person | Not applicable |
| Import or export permit (Health Canada) | Move cannabis across the border for permitted purposes | $767 per permit request | Not applicable |
| Analytical testing or research (Health Canada) | Test cannabis for licence holders, or study cannabis | Not published on Health Canada’s fee pages; ask Health Canada | Not published; ask Health Canada |
| CRA cannabis licence (excise) | Cultivate, produce or package cannabis products and buy excise stamps | No application fee; financial security from $5,000 up to $5 million, depending on expected duty | Valid up to five years; renew at least 30 days before expiry |
Health Canada’s screening and clearance amounts took effect April 1, 2026, and rise each year with inflation. The province can also charge you the reasonable cost of its background investigation. For other markets, see our guide to dispensary licence costs.
Are cannabis licences open in New Brunswick right now?
It depends on the route. Here’s the status as of October 2026.
- Private retail (Class 1): No open call that we could find. Cannabis NB picks the communities and runs an RFQ for each one. Its first round, closing in October 2022, covered ten towns. The latest round we found closed in early 2025 and covered Cap-Pelé, east Saint John, Rogersville, St. George and Belle-Baie. Watch Cannabis NB’s announcements for the next one.
- Farmgate (Class 2): Available to producers operating in the province. Cannabis NB launched the program in 2021, and producers apply to it directly. Contact Cannabis NB about current intake.
- Federal production licences: Open. Health Canada accepts applications at any time through CTLS.
- Supplying Cannabis NB: Cannabis NB buys from federally licensed producers. We couldn’t find a public product-call schedule, so ask its purchasing team directly.
You can’t buy your way into retail. Section 10 of the Act says a licence holder can’t transfer or assign any rights under it, so a change of operator means a new approval. Federal licences belong to a company, so buying an existing producer is possible, but new key people will need Health Canada security clearance.
How to apply for a private cannabis store licence in New Brunswick, step by step
The graphic shows the usual order for a private retail outlet. A farmgate store follows a similar path, but you apply to Cannabis NB as an existing local producer instead of answering an RFQ.
Once the Minister approves your application, that approval lasts only three months, so have your build-out and agreement ready to go before you file.
Requirements you’ll need to meet
Ownership and residency
Any person may apply for a Class 1 licence, and the Act sets no residency rule. A Class 2 licence is only open to a cannabis producer that operates in New Brunswick. An individual applicant must be at least 19.
Background checks and disqualifying offences
You, and anyone associated with your business, can be refused for a conviction under designated laws in the past five years or for any link to a criminal organization. The Minister may look into criminal records, financial history, sources of financing and the background of the property owner. Federal licences add Health Canada security clearances for key people.
Capital and financial security
The province sets no minimum capital, but its investigation covers where your money comes from. Producers post financial security with the CRA once Health Canada issues their licence.
Real estate and site control
Your application needs the property identification number, a floor plan drawn to scale showing sales and storage areas, an operational plan, a disposal plan and the local government’s zoning letter. The regulation sets no store size or distance limits. An inspector’s report dated within three weeks of issue must reach the Minister before a new licence is granted.
Security plan
The outlet must be built to stop unauthorized entry, with a physical barrier around sales and storage areas. You need an intrusion detection system running at all times, cameras covering entrances, exits, storage and every cash register, and footage kept for at least 30 days. Our security requirements guide explains how stores usually plan this.
SOPs and insurance
Write procedures for receiving, storage-room logs, theft reporting and destruction, which must be witnessed, filmed and logged. The province doesn’t set an insurance amount, but your landlord, lender and Cannabis NB agreement may.
Staff rules
Only employees can sell cannabis, and nobody under 19 can handle it. Each employee file needs a criminal record check dated within three months of hiring, plus training records, kept for two years after the person leaves. Our budtender training guide covers what good training includes.
Local approval and zoning
New Brunswick leaves location decisions to local governments and Cannabis NB. Before you apply, get a letter from your municipality or rural community confirming the site conforms with its zoning. Production sites also need local building and occupancy permits.
Because Cannabis NB defines each RFQ around a specific community or area, your site has to sit inside that area. Talk to the local planner early about signage, parking and hours, and get answers in writing.
Social equity and small-business programs
As of October 2026, New Brunswick has no cannabis social equity or priority licensing program. The private store channel is aimed at underserved areas, which in practice means small towns where Cannabis NB doesn’t have its own store.
Local producers get the most help. The farmgate program gives them a retail outlet of their own, and Cannabis NB carried 321 New Brunswick products out of 1,432 in fiscal 2024-25. Its 2026 summer campaign also promoted locally grown cannabis. Federally, micro-class licences carry lower Health Canada fees.
New Brunswick cannabis market at a glance
Cannabis NB’s 2025 report says New Brunswick has more farmgate stores than any other province, which makes the producer route unusually practical here.
After you’re licensed: staying compliant
- Monthly reporting: Licensed stores send electronic inventory and sales reports to the Minister every month and keep records for at least seven years. Federal producers report to Health Canada’s tracking system. Our seed-to-sale tracking guide explains how this works.
- Changes: Tell the Minister about any change to your application details at least five business days before it happens.
- Sales rules: Every sale must be recorded and in original packaging, with a limit of 30 grams of dried cannabis or the equivalent per visit. No free samples or dispensing devices.
- Online orders: Remote orders can only go through Cannabis NB’s website. You can offer in-store pickup, but you can’t deliver.
- Advertising and display: Keep products out of sight of anyone under 19 and post an ID-check notice at each till. Ads can’t encourage risky use or mention medical use.
- Inspections and penalties: Inspectors can enter at reasonable times, and first-offence administrative penalties run from $500 to $5,000. You’re responsible for what your staff do.
Build daily routines with our compliance checklist and packaging and labelling guide.
Your New Brunswick cannabis licence checklist
- Decide on your route: private store, farmgate store, federal production or medical sales.
- For retail, watch Cannabis NB for an RFQ in your target community.
- Line up a site inside the RFQ area and get the zoning letter from your local government.
- Gather criminal record and financing details for every associated person.
- Prepare the floor plan, operational plan, disposal plan and training records.
- Install barriers, alarms and cameras before the inspection.
- Negotiate and sign the Cannabis NB service agreement.
- Pay the provincial fee and diarize the March 31 annual fee.
- For production, apply to Health Canada and the CRA, then contact Cannabis NB about listing.
- Set up monthly reporting and seven-year record keeping from day one.
For new cannabis businesses: get found on WhereLeaf
Once you’re licensed, add your store or farmgate shop to WhereLeaf so adults nearby can find you on our dispensary finder. Producers and service firms can join our supplier directory, and our listing packages add a fuller profile. WhereLeaf lists licensed businesses only, so an unlicensed shop doesn’t belong on it.
Comparing markets? See all our cannabis license guides by state and province.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open a dispensary in New Brunswick?
Only if Cannabis NB opens a community through an RFQ and you win it, or if you’re a local producer opening a farmgate store. Any other cannabis shop is illegal; our guide on how to tell if a dispensary is licensed shows shoppers what to look for.
How much does it cost to open a cannabis store in New Brunswick?
The provincial fees in the table are modest. The real costs are the lease, security systems, fixtures, staff and opening stock bought from Cannabis NB, and we found no official estimate of total start-up costs.
Can I sell cannabis online or deliver it in New Brunswick?
Not on your own. Cannabis NB runs the only legal online store, and a licensed retailer can let customers pick up those orders at its counter but can’t drive them to people’s homes.
Do I need to live in New Brunswick?
No residency rule applies to a private store, but your financing and associates will be checked. A farmgate store is different: it’s only for producers operating in the province.
Can a farmgate store sell other brands?
No. It can sell only what that producer grew or processed, and products still go through Health Canada’s packaging rules and Cannabis NB’s normal product process. The producer sets its own prices.
Can I grow cannabis at home in New Brunswick?
Adults can grow up to four plants at their main home, in a locked space indoors or behind a locked fence outdoors. Plants and seedlings must come from Cannabis NB or an approved retailer, and homegrown cannabis can never be sold.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm everything with Cannabis NB, the New Brunswick government and Health Canada before you apply.
Sources
- Government of New Brunswick: Cannabis Retailers Licensing Act (consolidated 2024)
- Government of New Brunswick: General Regulation, Cannabis Retailers Licensing Act, N.B. Reg. 2022-40 (2022)
- Government of New Brunswick: Cannabis in New Brunswick, Rules and Laws
- Cannabis NB: Annual Report 2024-2025, tabled in the Legislative Assembly (2025)
- Health Canada: Cannabis Transactional Fees for Licence Holders (2026)
- Health Canada: Cannabis Annual Regulatory Fee and Exemption (2026)
- Health Canada: Licence Application Summary for Cultivation, Processing and Sale for Medical Purposes (2026)
- Canada Revenue Agency: EDM6-2 Obtaining and Renewing a Cannabis Licence
- StratCann (news backup): Cannabis NB’s $2 Pre-Rolls Seek to Compete with Black Market as Sales Cool (2026)
- StratCann (news backup): New Brunswick Issues RFQ for Several New Private Cannabis Stores (2025)
- StratCann (news backup): Cannabis NB Begins Process for Ten New Private Cannabis Stores (2022)
- Grow Opportunity (news backup): FarmGate Program Launches for New Brunswick Producers (2021)
- Torkin Manes LLP (law firm backup): What You Need to Know About New Brunswick’s New Retail Regulations (2021)
Last updated: October 2026. Laws and prices change; always check your state or provincial regulator.
