Commencement Inspections

Licensees must request and pass a commencement inspection before they may do any of the following:

• Begin operations under a new license/certification or new location.
• Occupy or utilize new space for which the licensee has not previously received approval to operate, including vehicles.
• Share space with another licensee located at the same facility.
• Change the use of spaces within their facility.
• Begin cultivating or manufacturing where that activity was not already approved after inspection (microbusiness wholesale facilities only). ¹

Licensees should also be aware of the following requirements related to commencement inspections.

• For new license/certification and new locations, the licensee must be within 30 days of being ready to begin operations before they request their commencement inspection. ²
• Licensees may not commence any operations that are subject to a commencement inspection without written approval from the Department. ³

Instructions

To request a commencement inspection, a licensee must submit an online "Commencement inspection request".

The online request and all required documentation, including self-inspection checklists and blueprints (as applicable to the request), must be completed in its entirety to be accepted by the Division of Cannabis Regulation (DCR). For commencement inspection requests to share space with another licensee, each licensee must submit a separate online request.

Self-inspection checklists:

• New License/New Location Dispensary [10-28-25]
• New License/New Location Cultivation [10-28-25]
• New License/New Location Manufacturing [10-28-25]
• New License/New Location Transportation [10-28-25]
• Change Use/New Space/Shared Space [10-28-25]
• Microbusiness Wholesaler New Process [10-28-25]

Process

The general licensee process for a commencement inspection includes the following:

1. The licensee gathers all necessary documentation, including blueprints of the facility. The blueprints must be labeled with the room names, intended use of all spaces, and how those spaces comply with the physical security requirements applicable to them.
2. The licensee requests a commencement inspection request online, including the blueprint of the facility/vehicle and applicable checklist in the request.
3. Licensee begins work on the change. New license/certification or new location are not required to submit request prior to beginning work.
4. After the licensee has completed the change, the licensee notifies their Facility Specialist that the change requested is ready for inspection.
5. A virtual or physical inspection is completed. If a physical inspection is required, the licensee's Compliance Officer contacts the licensee to schedule and complete an inspection.
6. After the inspection is completed and compliance with the rule is confirmed, an Approval to Operate letter is sent via email to the designated contact for the license.

For questions regarding commencement inspections, email CannabisCompliance@health.mo.gov.

¹ 19 CSR 100-1.030(3)(A)

² 19 CSR 100-1.030(3)(A)1

³ 19 CSR 100-1.030(3)(D)