Yes, a new business can get a cannabis licence in Newfoundland and Labrador, and one window is open right now. Private licensed cannabis retailers run the province’s stores, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC) both licenses them and supplies every gram they sell. As of October 2026, the NLC is taking proposals for three standalone stores until November 30, 2026.
Retail is the only provincial licence. Growing, processing and medical sales are licensed federally by Health Canada, and a producer then sells to the NLC, which warehouses and distributes all legal cannabis in the province and runs the official online store.
This guide covers who licenses what, the four store tiers and their fees, what’s open, and the steps from proposal to opening day. We checked it against the province’s Cannabis Control Act and regulations, NLC notices and handbooks, Health Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency in October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Newfoundland and Labrador uses private stores, but the NLC decides where they go and opens locations through competitive calls.
- A licence comes in four tiers, from a standalone shop to a counter inside an existing store such as a convenience store.
- Every store buys its cannabis from the NLC and sells it at NLC-set prices, so retailers earn a commission rather than setting their own margin.
- Growers and processors need a Health Canada licence first, and the NLC pays extra support to local producers.
- Rules differ by province and change often. Confirm current requirements with the NLC and Health Canada before you invest.
Who regulates cannabis businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The NLC and its board
The provincial Cannabis Control Act (SNL 2018, c. C-4.1) puts cannabis under the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation. The NLC’s board issues retail licences, can limit how many exist and sets licence classes. The corporation imports cannabis, picks the products, warehouses them and ships to licensed retailers. The details for stores are in the Cannabis Licensing and Operations Regulations (NLR 94/18).
The minimum age is 19. Selling or supplying cannabis without a licence is an offence for anyone other than the NLC itself.
Health Canada: production and medical sales
The federal Cannabis Act covers cultivation, processing, testing, research and sale for medical purposes, all licensed by Health Canada through its Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS). Under the provincial Act, the NLC can only authorize a business to sell cannabis to retailers if it holds a federal licence. Medical sales go straight from federal licence holders to registered clients.
The CRA and your town
The Canada Revenue Agency issues the excise licence producers need. Your municipality must confirm in writing that it doesn’t object to a store and that the site meets its zoning bylaws.
Cannabis licence types in Newfoundland and Labrador
The NLC sorts stores into four tiers. Tiers 1 and 2 are “cannabis stores” that only adults can enter; tiers 3 and 4 are “cannabis retail locations” inside a larger shop. All licences are issued for one year and renewed online, and the NLC can cancel one after half a year with no cannabis purchases or sales. Health Canada’s screening fees are non-refundable, and its annual fee is the higher of a set minimum or a share of revenue.
| Licence or approval | What it lets you do | Application fee | Annual or renewal fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 cannabis store | Run a standalone store with its own outside entrance, selling mainly cannabis; can take online orders and deliver with NLC approval | No fee to bid through MERX; licence application fee not published, ask the NLC | $125 flat annual licence fee |
| Tier 2 cannabis store | Run a walled-off cannabis store inside another retail business | Not published; ask the NLC | $125 flat annual licence fee |
| Tier 3 cannabis retail location | Sell cannabis from a separate counter inside an existing store | Not published; ask the NLC | $125 flat annual licence fee |
| Tier 4 cannabis retail location | Sell cannabis from the main counter of an existing store, kept out of sight of minors | Not published; ask the NLC | $125 flat annual licence fee |
| NLC authorization to sell to retailers | Lets a federally licensed producer sell to retailers, including shipping its own products to its own stores with NLC approval | Not published; ask the NLC | Not published; ask the NLC |
| Farm-gate store | No separate licence class; a producer applies for a retail tier like anyone else | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Private wholesale or distribution | Not available; the NLC is the only distributor | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Consumption lounge | Not available; consuming cannabis in stores and retail locations is banned | 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 the NLC | $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 |
Retailers don’t set their own markup. The NLC sets shelf prices and pays stores a commission. When the province last announced Tier 1 rates, for sales from January 2020, they were 12% of the first $1 million of yearly sales, 10% of the next half million and 8% above that. Check the current rate in the call documents, since the NLC hasn’t republished it. Health Canada’s screening and clearance amounts took effect April 1, 2026. See our guide to dispensary licence costs to compare markets.
Are cannabis licences open in Newfoundland and Labrador right now?
Yes, for a few named locations. Here’s the status as of October 2026.
- Tier 1 stores: Open. The NLC’s request for proposals T26-1429 covers one licence each in Marystown, Paradise and Ropewalk Lane in St. John’s, and closes November 30, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Proposals are accepted only by e-bidding through MERX.
- Tier 4 locations: Closed. A call for up to 15 rural and underserved areas, from Fogo Island to White Bay, opened June 24, 2026, and closed July 4, 2026. In September the NLC said several of these stores should open in the third quarter of its fiscal year.
- Other areas: Not open. The NLC releases locations in rounds, area by area. Check the NLC’s Licensed Cannabis Retailer Opportunities page for the next one.
- Federal licences: Open at any time through Health Canada’s CTLS.
- Supplying the NLC: The NLC runs scheduled product calls. In its 2025-26 schedule, only the first call of the year was open to new suppliers.
Buying an existing store is possible. The board can approve a licence transfer after public notice, and a change of ownership at a Tier 4 location has to be re-advertised. Report any ownership change within 30 days.
How to apply for a cannabis retail licence in Newfoundland and Labrador, step by step
The graphic shows how a winning proposal becomes a working store. The order is the same for every tier, though Tier 1 bids go through MERX and Tier 4 starts with a pre-application.
The public notice must run for 3 consecutive weeks in a newspaper, in 3 public places in the electoral district, on a website and at the premises. Anyone can object in writing within 4 weeks of the first posting, and the board may hold a hearing within 60 days of that deadline.
Requirements you’ll need to meet
Ownership and residency
The Act and regulations set no provincial residency rule, but every applicant must be 19 or older. NLC employees, board members and their staff, police officers and anyone who owes money to the NLC or board can’t apply. The officer in charge and each beneficial owner file personal data forms and proof of identity.
Background checks and disqualifying offences
Under section 18, the board must refuse a licence if you aren’t a “fit and proper person” or if you or a corporate officer were convicted in the past five years of listed offences, including trafficking or a federal Cannabis Act offence. It can also refuse if a licence isn’t in the public interest.
Capital and financial security
No set capital amount applies. To buy stock on credit, you need a pre-authorized debit agreement with the NLC and an annual certificate of insurance; otherwise you pay cash before each order ships.
Real estate and site control
You need proof you own or lawfully hold the premises, a scaled floor plan and the municipality’s non-objection letter. The board can refuse a site that would bother a nearby place of worship, school or hospital, though the regulations set no fixed buffer distance.
Security plan
Expect hardened exterior windows and doors, commercial locks, good lighting, a locked storage area or safe big enough for all stock, intrusion detection and video covering sales areas, storage and entrances. Keep footage for 120 days. Our security requirements guide covers how stores plan this.
SOPs and insurance
The NLC recommends a written employee conduct policy and a training manual covering licence conditions, ID checks and product knowledge. You’ll need a point-of-sale system that can produce reports.
Staff rules
Only staff aged 19 or older can sell cannabis, and you must keep a current list of employees allowed to handle it. The NLC offers free online cannabis retail courses. See our budtender training guide for the basics.
Local approval and zoning
Municipalities don’t issue cannabis licences, but they hold real power. Without a letter saying the town doesn’t object and the site meets zoning, your application is incomplete. Neighbours can also object during the public notice period.
Ask the town about signage, parking and building permits before you sign a lease. In unincorporated areas, ask the NLC what confirmation it will accept.
Social equity and small-business programs
As of October 2026, the province has no cannabis social equity or priority licensing program. The 2026 Tier 4 call was aimed at rural and underserved communities, which suits an existing small-town shop that wants to add cannabis.
Local producers get direct support. The NLC pays premiums on locally produced cannabis, including $1 million in the first quarter of 2026-27, when it listed 20 local products. Federally, micro-class licences carry lower Health Canada fees.
Newfoundland and Labrador cannabis market at a glance
Sales are still growing, so new locations in areas without a store have room to find customers.
After you’re licensed: staying compliant
- Annual renewal: Renew online by the NLC’s deadline. Late renewal can mean a penalty fee, suspension or cancellation.
- Monthly reports: Send the NLC your cannabis tracking report by the 10th of each month, count inventory at month-end and keep records for seven years. Our seed-to-sale tracking guide explains the idea.
- Ordering and pricing: Order through the NLC’s online portal by each scheduled ordering day and sell at NLC prices. No free or discounted cannabis, even for staff.
- Hours and sales: No cannabis sales between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m. No phone sales, and no consuming cannabis on the premises.
- Delivery: Tier 1 stores with NLC approval can deliver online orders, paid in advance, to an adult who shows ID in person. All stores can offer click and collect.
- Advertising: No contests, nothing that appeals to young people and no health claims.
- Inspections: The NLC inspects by appointment and unannounced, ranks each store by risk and can suspend a licence or refer it to its tribunal.
Our compliance checklist and packaging and labelling guide help you build routines.
Your Newfoundland and Labrador cannabis licence checklist
- Check the NLC’s Licensed Cannabis Retailer Opportunities page for open locations.
- For Tier 1, register for MERX and download the full RFP.
- Pick the tier that fits your space and business.
- Secure a site inside the call’s boundary and get the town’s non-objection letter.
- Collect personal data forms and ID for every officer and beneficial owner.
- Run the public notice and track any objections.
- Install locks, a secure storage area, alarms and cameras.
- Sign the NLC cannabis retail contract before any sale.
- Set up your NLC ordering profile, payment terms and point-of-sale reporting.
- For production, apply to Health Canada and the CRA, then ask the NLC about its next product call.
For new cannabis businesses: get found on WhereLeaf
Once your store is licensed, add it to WhereLeaf so adults nearby can find it on our dispensary finder, and consider our listing packages for a fuller profile. Local producers and service firms can join our supplier directory. WhereLeaf lists licensed businesses only.
Comparing markets? See all our cannabis license guides by state and province.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to open a cannabis store in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The NLC’s own licence fee is small; the table shows it. Your real costs are the lease, security, fixtures, staff and opening stock, and we found no official estimate of total start-up costs, so build your budget from quotes.
Can I add cannabis to my convenience store?
Possibly, through a Tier 3 or Tier 4 licence, but only when the NLC calls for one in your area. The 2026 call is closed, so watch for the next round.
Can I sell cannabis online in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Only a Tier 1 store with NLC approval can take online orders. Everyone else can offer click and collect, and the NLC also runs its own online store.
Do I need to live in Newfoundland and Labrador?
No residency rule appears in the Act or regulations, but the board judges whether you’re fit and proper and whether your store serves the community.
Can a cannabis producer open a farm-gate store?
There’s no separate farm-gate licence. A local producer can apply for a retail licence in an NLC call; news reports from 2018 say Canopy Growth got permission to run a Tweed store at its production site in the province. Producers can also ship their own products to their own stores with NLC approval.
How long does it take to get licensed?
The NLC doesn’t publish a timeline. The proposal, interview, public notice and objection period, plus build-out, usually add up to months, so plan your lease and cash flow for that.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so confirm everything with the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC) and Health Canada before you apply.
Sources
- NLC: Licensed Cannabis Retailer Opportunities (2026)
- NLC: NLC Issues Call for Tier 4 Licensed Cannabis Retailers (2026)
- NLC: Licensed Cannabis Retailer Handbook 2024/25 (2024)
- NLC: NLC Announces Fourth Quarter (Q4) Performance (2026)
- NLC: NLC Announces First Quarter (Q1) Performance (2026)
- NLC: Cannabis Review Call Schedule, Fiscal 2026 (2025)
- House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador: Cannabis Control Act, SNL 2018, c. C-4.1
- House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador: Cannabis Licensing and Operations Regulations, NLR 94/18
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: Provincial Government Announces Several Developments for the Cannabis Industry (2019)
- 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
- VOCM (news backup): NLC Opens Applications for New Licensed Cannabis Retailers (2026)
- MJBizDaily (news backup): Cultivator to Sell Cannabis at Production Facility, a First in Canada (2018)
Last updated: October 2026. Laws and prices change; always check your state or provincial regulator.
