Cannabis Appellations Program (CAP)
Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability
Cannabis Appellations Program History
Appellations for cannabis was first introduced in proposition 64, also known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA), in 2016 which provided for the recreational legalization of cannabis through a licensing structure. Voters approved the proposition in November 2016 which led to recreational sales of cannabis beginning in January 2018. Included in this Act was the requirement for the Bureau of Cannabis Control to establish a process for licensed cultivators to establish cannabis appellations. This authority was later transferred to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. CDFA conducted initial workshops and stakeholder engagement meetings to develop the initial program regulations. CDFA has completed two rounds of regulation development through public rulemakings. The currently applicable regulations are available below.
Current Regulation Text
Stakeholder Resources
Regulatory Archives
On February 20, 2020, CDFA released proposed regulations for the establishment of the program and commenced the rulemaking process. This initial set of regulations serves as the main structure of the program. Below are the regulatory documents related to this first rulemaking.
2020-2021 Rulemaking
Initial Notice Documents & 45-Day Comment Period (2/20/2020)
First 15-Day Comment Period Documents Submitted (10/2/2020)
Second 15-Day Comment Period Documents Submitted (3/5/2021)
Third 15-Day Comment Period Documents Submitted (6/3/2021)
Fourth 15-Day Comment Period Documents Submitted (9/27/2021)
Approved Regulatory Documents (11/23/2021)
2024-2025 Rulemaking
On February 2, 2024, CDFA released a second round of regulations. The new regulations require all cultivation activities (planting, growing, harvesting, drying, curing, grading, and trimming) to occur within the appellation of origin boundary. The new regulations also clarify recordkeeping requirements associated with the appellation of origin and require licensed cultivators to notify CDFA of their use of an appellation of origin.
Initial Notice Documents & 45-Day Comment Period (2/2/2024)
First 15-Day Comment Period Documents Submitted (6/28/2024)
Second 15-Day Comment Period Documents Submitted (10/4/2024)
Third 15-Day Comment Period Documents Submitted (4/23/2025)
Approved Regulatory Documents (7/14/2025)
Statues Guiding the Development of Cannabis Appellations
Medicinal and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA, Senate Bill 94 and Assembly Bill 133, 2017) set up a basic framework for regulating cannabis businesses in California. It requires CDFA to establish a process by which licensed cultivators may establish appellations of standards, practices, and varietals applicable to cannabis grown in a certain geographical area in California.
Senate Bill 185 (Chapter 841, Statutes of 2019) expanded MAUCRSA’s labelling of origin protections by prohibiting labeling or marketing of cannabis with an appellation of origin, or any similar name likely to mislead about its origin, unless the 100% of cannabis in the product meets the appellation of origin requirements.
Senate Bill 67 (2019-2020 Regular Session) limits participation in the appellations program to outdoor licensees cultivating in the ground under full sun without use of structures.
AB141 (Budget Act of 2021) transferred the authority to create and implement cannabis cultivation regulations from CDFA to the Department of Cannabis Control.
Program Status
Closed
Program is not accepting applications at this time.