Hemp Laws & Licensing · AR
Arkansas hemp laws & licensing
At a glance
- Retail license / registration required?
- Yes — Consumable Hemp Products Retail Permit Application (ATC-CH1)
- Minimum age
- 21+ for some products
- State THC caps (hemp products)
- No state cap stated
- Hemp-derived THC products · online sales
- Cannabis system only / banned · online: Prohibited
- Key law
- AR Act 629 (2023) and Act 934 (2025) — effective April 22, 2026
The law today
Arkansas bans intoxicating hemp products: Act 629 of 2023 scheduled delta-8, delta-9 and delta-10 THC derived from hemp as controlled substances, the 8th Circuit lifted the injunction on June 24, 2025, and Act 934 of 2025 (certified by the Attorney General April 22, 2026) redefines any hemp product with total THC above 0% as an illegal 'intoxicating hemp product'. Only non-intoxicating 'consumable hemp products' (e.g., CBD/CBG products with no more than 1 mg total THC per container and a CBD:THC ratio above 15:1, cosmetics, GRAS hemp foods) may be sold, and only by Arkansas Tobacco Control permit holders: manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers each need a $5,000 annual permit, products need a full-panel COA and must be certified into the state Consumable Hemp Product Directory (manufacturer certification due Dec 1, 2025 and annually), sales are 21+ with signage, and self-service, vending-machine and internet-only orders are prohibited.
DFA/Tobacco Control has seized thousands of products since July 2025. Raw hemp growing and processing is licensed separately by the Department of Agriculture.
Who regulates it
Arkansas Tobacco Control (Dept. of Finance & Administration)dfa.arkansas.gov (opens in a new tab)
Permits for consumable hemp product manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers; consumable hemp product directory; enforcement of the intoxicating-hemp ban (A.C.A. § 20-56-501 et seq.)
Arkansas Department of Agriculture – Hemp Programagriculture.arkansas.gov (opens in a new tab)
Grower and processor/handler licensing under the Arkansas Hemp Production Act of 2021 (does not license sellers of finished products)
Cannabis regulator
Hemp-derived THC products here run through the cannabis system: Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission (DFA / ABC Division) – medical marijuana onlydfa.arkansas.gov (opens in a new tab)
Licenses & registrations
Consumable Hemp Products Retail Permit Application (ATC-CH1)dfa.arkansas.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Who needs it
- Any retailer selling consumable hemp products in Arkansas (annual permit, expires June 30)
- Fee
- $5,000/yr
Consumable Hemp Products Wholesale Permit Application (ATC-CH2)dfa.arkansas.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Who needs it
- Wholesalers/distributors of consumable hemp products
- Fee
- $5,000/yr
- Who needs it
- Manufacturers; must also certify products annually for the Consumable Hemp Product Directory (first deadline Dec 1, 2025)
- Fee
- $5,000/yr
- Who needs it
- All consumable hemp permit applicants
- Fee
- Not stated on the official page
- Who needs it
- Hemp growers and processors/handlers
- Fee
- $50 application fee; annual license fee varies by type; $100 per harvest lot
The law
- Act 934 of 2025 (SB 533) – regulation of consumable hemp products by Arkansas Tobacco Control; intoxicating hemp products prohibitedarkleg.state.ar.us (opens in a new tab)
- Act 629 of 2023 (SB 358) – delta-8/delta-10 and hemp-derived THC ban (upheld by 8th Cir., Bio Gen v. Sanders, June 24, 2025)arkleg.state.ar.us (opens in a new tab)
- Relevant hemp statutes compiled by Arkansas Tobacco Control (A.C.A. § 20-56-501 et seq.)dfa.arkansas.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Attorney General news release – certification of Act 934 of 2025 (Apr 22, 2026)arkansasag.gov (opens in a new tab)
Testing & COAs
Need a lab? COA analysis partners
Steps to a compliant hemp business in Arkansas
- 1
Register the business with the Arkansas Secretary of State and DFA for sales tax
- 2
Apply to Arkansas Tobacco Control for the Consumable Hemp Products Retail (and/or Wholesale, Manufacturer) Permit – $5,000 per permit per year, background check required, mail the form and payment
- 3
Manufacturers: file the annual Consumable Hemp Product Directory certification listing every brand/product/flavor and keep COAs from an approved lab
- 4
Stock only directory-listed, non-intoxicating products (total THC not above 0% / ≤1 mg per container with >15:1 CBD:THC) – no delta-8, delta-10, HHC, THCA or hemp-derived delta-9 products
- 5
Verify 21+ at sale, post the required minor-sales signage, and do not use self-service displays, vending machines or internet-only fulfillment
- 6
Growers/processors: apply for the Department of Agriculture hemp license (grower renewals due Apr 1; new field growers by May 1)
On Good Hemp Distro
Recreational (21+) market in Arkansas
Closed on GHDThe Recreational (21+) market isn't available in Arkansas: state law only allows these hemp products through its licensed cannabis system, if at all.
State law: cannabis system only.
Live status — it changes as state rules are verified and as the federal cutoff approaches. Everyday Hemp, Industrial and Services products are available everywhere.
Sources & verification
- Verified
- September 29, 2026 — every official link above was fetched and checked on that date.
- Confidence
- High confidence — Official pages verified; law summarised from primary sources.
- Research notes
- Fee amounts and definitions come from the Act 934 text and the DFA statute compilation; the Tobacco Control web pages themselves do not list fees. Rules implementing Act 934 (directory, permit procedures) may still be evolving – confirm current forms with Arkansas Tobacco Control before filing.
- Good Hemp Distro market notes
- Eighth Circuit reversed the injunction (Bio Gen v. Sanders, 2025-06-24); Act 934 broadens the ban to a total-THC basis and was certified effective 2026-04-22. Only medical dispensaries and non-intoxicating CBD/CBG remain. (Recreational (21+) state dataset, version 2026-09-28)
Cited sources
- Arkansas attorney general certifies hemp regulating law (Arkansas Advocate)arkansasadvocate.com (opens in a new tab) · 2026-04-22
“Act 934 of 2025 updated a 2023 law prohibiting the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products like Delta-8 and THC-O; AG Tim Griffin certified the Act on April 22, 2026, making it effective.”
Arkansas hemp law FAQ
Short answers drawn from the official Arkansas sources above (verified September 29, 2026). Not legal advice.
- Do I need a license to sell hemp products in Arkansas?
- Yes. Official link: Consumable Hemp Products Retail Permit Application (ATC-CH1) (dfa.arkansas.gov) — fee: $5,000/yr. Growers license separately through the state hemp program or USDA.
- Who regulates hemp in Arkansas?
- Arkansas Tobacco Control (Dept. of Finance & Administration) — Permits for consumable hemp product manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers; consumable hemp product directory; enforcement of the intoxicating-hemp ban (A.C.A. § 20-56-501 et seq.). Arkansas Department of Agriculture – Hemp Program — Grower and processor/handler licensing under the Arkansas Hemp Production Act of 2021 (does not license sellers of finished products). Hemp-derived THC products run through the cannabis regulator: Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission (DFA / ABC Division) – medical marijuana only.
- What are Arkansas's hemp laws in 2026?
- Arkansas bans intoxicating hemp products: Act 629 of 2023 scheduled delta-8, delta-9 and delta-10 THC derived from hemp as controlled substances, the 8th Circuit lifted the injunction on June 24, 2025, and Act 934 of 2025 (certified by the Attorney General April 22, 2026) redefines any hemp product with total THC above 0% as an illegal 'intoxicating hemp product'. Only non-intoxicating 'consumable hemp products' (e.g., CBD/CBG products with no more than 1 mg total THC per container and a CBD:THC ratio above 15:1, cosmetics, GRAS hemp foods) may be sold, and only by Arkansas Tobacco Control permit holders: manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers each need a $5,000 annual permit, products need a full-panel COA and must be certified into the state Consumable Hemp Product Directory (manufacturer certification due Dec 1, 2025 and annually), sales are 21+ with signage, and self-service, vending-machine and internet-only orders are prohibited. Key law: AR Act 629 (2023) and Act 934 (2025) (effective April 22, 2026).
- What is the minimum age to buy hemp products in Arkansas?
- 21+ for some products under Arkansas law (AR Act 629 (2023) and Act 934 (2025)). Good Hemp Distro is 21+ everywhere regardless.
- Does Arkansas cap THC in hemp products?
- Arkansas sets no state-level milligram cap in the verified dataset; the federal definition (total THC including THCA at or below 0.3% dry weight) applies, and the state law summary above lists any product rules.
- Does Arkansas require lab testing (a COA) for hemp products?
- Consumable Hemp Product Directory – products must have an approved-lab COA (cannabinoids, solvents, pesticides, microbials, heavy metals) and be certified into the directory. Official page: dfa.arkansas.gov
- How do I start a compliant hemp business in Arkansas?
- 1. Register the business with the Arkansas Secretary of State and DFA for sales tax. 2. Apply to Arkansas Tobacco Control for the Consumable Hemp Products Retail (and/or Wholesale, Manufacturer) Permit – $5,000 per permit per year, background check required, mail the form and payment. 3. Manufacturers: file the annual Consumable Hemp Product Directory certification listing every brand/product/flavor and keep COAs from an approved lab. 4. Stock only directory-listed, non-intoxicating products (total THC not above 0% / ≤1 mg per container with >15:1 CBD:THC) – no delta-8, delta-10, HHC, THCA or hemp-derived delta-9 products. 5. Verify 21+ at sale, post the required minor-sales signage, and do not use self-service displays, vending machines or internet-only fulfillment. 6. Growers/processors: apply for the Department of Agriculture hemp license (grower renewals due Apr 1; new field growers by May 1).
Related
Not legal advice. Links and summaries verified September 29, 2026; laws change — always confirm with the official links and a licensed attorney before you sell.