New York's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has created a Cannabis Showcase Event (CSE) permit that allows licensed adult-use Retailers to sell cannabis products outside of their brick-and-mortar storefront. For retailers looking to expand their reach, build brand visibility, and meet customers where they are, the CSE permit is a meaningful opportunity... provided you follow the rules.
Who Can Apply
CSE permits are available to licensed Retailers. Multiple permitted Retailers may participate in the same event, making collaborative events a viable option for the industry.
Retailers must partner with at least one licensed cultivator and one licensed processor to participate. A Retailer may partner with multiple processors at the same event, but must have a corresponding cultivator partnership for each named processor. Microbusinesses may participate as either a cultivator or a processor (or as a processor if they hold processing authority), but may not serve in both roles at the same event.
Cultivators, processors, microbusinesses, Retail Delivery Operators (RODs), and Retail Delivery Operators Non-storefront (RONDs) may participate in more than one Cannabis Showcase Event simultaneously, provided they meet all eligibility criteria, including maintaining a valid partnership with a Retailer for each event and holding a license in good standing.
Permittees, however, may not engage in more than two showcase events at the same time.
How to Obtain a CSE Permit
The process involves multiple layers of approval before OCM will issue a permit:
- Obtain municipal pre-approval (application available on OCM's website).
- If the event will be held at a farmers' market or public market, obtain separate approval from that organization.
- Submit your completed application to OCM, which will review and, if approved, issue the CSE permit.
Applications must be submitted at least 45 days before the event start date, absent a showing of good cause. Plan accordingly. The application submission must include, among other things, copies of the permittee's marketing and advertising materials. After submission, applicants have 15 days to cure any identified deficiencies.
Permit Fees: Fees range from $300 to $800 depending on the duration of the event. Social Equity Enterprises (SEEs) receive a 50% discount on applicable fees.
Allowable Locations
CSE permits cover a range of venue types, including:
- Pop-up locations: open-air spaces such as parks, beaches, squares, parking lots, farms, or fields
- Brick-and-mortar locations
- The outside of or immediately adjacent to a licensed adult-use retail dispensary, where the licensee is the permittee
- The cultivation or processing premises of a licensed cultivator, processor, or microbusiness, where that licensee is participating in the event
- Farmers' markets and public markets
Permit Duration and Frequency
Permits are temporary, with a maximum duration of 14 consecutive days per event. Retailers may return to the same location more than once per year, but may not exceed 45 days at any single location per calendar year.
Operational Requirements
CSE permit holders must comply with the following requirements, among others:
- Sales are limited to persons 21 and older.
- On-site consumption of cannabis is strictly prohibited. Permit holders must post conspicuous signage announcing this prohibition.
- No cannabis products may be given away for free. Free samples are not permitted.
- Sales may only be conducted by authorized employees of the permit holder, within the designated cannabis sales area.
- Products sold must be from the Retailer's own inventory.
- Safety and storage plans must be submitted, addressing staffing, age verification, security, and cash handling, among other items.
- Incident reporting is required.
- Permittees must maintain records of all vendor contracts and permits.
- Non-cannabis items, such as merchandise and paraphernalia, may also be sold.
- Instructional presentations on cannabis cultivation and processing are permitted at these events.
Prohibited Locations
CSE permits may not be used at locations:
- Within 200 feet of a licensed Retailer, unless the event permit is held by that Retailer
- Within 500 feet of a school or 200 feet of a house of worship
- Within 500 feet of any structure occupied by a public youth facility
Key Takeaways
- Apply at least 45 days before your event and secure all required approvals, including municipal pre-approval and, where applicable, farmers' market approval — before submitting to OCM.
- Include copies of your marketing and advertising materials with your application. You'll have 15 days to cure any deficiencies after submission.
- Permit fees range from $300 to $800; SEEs receive a 50% discount.
- Retailers must partner with at least one cultivator and one processor; a cultivator partnership is required for each named processor.
- Microbusinesses may act as either a cultivator or a processor at an event, but not both.
- Non-Retailer participants (cultivators, processors, microbusinesses, RODs, RONDs) may participate in multiple simultaneous events; permittees are capped at two simultaneous showcases.
- Permits are capped at 14 consecutive days; no more than 45 days at the same location per calendar year.
- Sales must come from your own inventory, conducted by authorized employees, within the designated sales area only.
- On-site consumption is prohibited — post the required signage.
- Keep records of all vendor contracts and permits.
- Confirm distance requirements before committing to a location.
Please contact us if you need legal support navigating the CSE permit process or other cannabis licensing matters.
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