Hemp Laws & Licensing · VA

Virginia hemp laws & licensing

Verified September 29, 2026High confidenceClosed on GHD

At a glance

Retail license / registration required?
Yes — CCA Regulated Hemp Product Retail Facility Registration (application form)
Minimum age
21+
State THC caps (hemp products)
2 mg per package
Hemp-derived THC products · online sales
Cannabis system only / banned · online: Prohibited
Key law
Va. Code § 3.2-5145.4 as amended by HB 30 (2026 budget, signed 2026-06-29) and SB 543 (2026); SB 903 (2023) — effective August 15, 2026

The law today

Virginia requires every retail location selling regulated hemp products (smokable or ingestible hemp/CBD, including hemp-derived THC products) to register with the Cannabis Control Authority for $1,000 per location per year; hemp enforcement moved from VDACS to the CCA in August 2026 and existing VDACS registrations stay valid until they expire. Since 2026-08-15 a hemp product sold in Virginia may contain no more than 2 mg total THC per package (the former 25:1 CBD:THC exception is gone), sales to under-21s are prohibited, and SB 543 (Chapter 1016, 2026) adds CCA civil penalties and makes selling consumables over 0.3% total THC or 2 mg THC per package a Consumer Protection Act violation effective 2026-11-01.

Edible hemp manufacturers still need a VDACS food safety permit, and growers, processors and handlers of raw hemp register annually with VDACS ($150/$200/$250). Licensed adult-use retail marijuana sales are scheduled to begin 2027-07-01 under the CCA.

Who regulates it

Cannabis regulator

Hemp-derived THC products here run through the cannabis system: Virginia Cannabis Control Authoritycca.virginia.gov (opens in a new tab)

Licenses & registrations

The law

Testing & COAs

CCA Hemp Information – packaging, labeling and testing requirements for regulated hemp productscca.virginia.gov (opens in a new tab)

Need a lab? COA analysis partners

Steps to a compliant hemp business in Virginia

  1. 1

    Register the business with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and obtain a Virginia sales tax certificate

  2. 2

    Apply to the CCA for a Regulated Hemp Product Retail Facility Registration ($1,000 per location per year) and display it; allow 7–8 weeks for a decision

  3. 3

    Sell only hemp products with ≤0.3% total THC and ≤2 mg total THC per package, labeled per CCA/Va. Code requirements with COAs from an accredited lab; no sales to anyone under 21

  4. 4

    Edible/ingestible hemp manufacturers: obtain a VDACS food safety permit (foodsafety@vdacs.virginia.gov) in addition to CCA product compliance

  5. 5

    Growers/processors/handlers of raw hemp: register annually with VDACS (grower $150 with FBI Identity History Summary and USDA FSA farm number; processor $200; handler $250)

  6. 6

    Track SB 543 civil-penalty rules effective 2026-11-01 and the CCA's adult-use retail licensing (sales start 2027-07-01)

On Good Hemp Distro

Recreational (21+) market in Virginia

Closed on GHD

The Recreational (21+) market isn't available in Virginia: state law only allows these hemp products through its licensed cannabis system, if at all.

State law: cannabis system only.

Browse Everyday Hemp, Industrial & Services →

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
lis.virginia.gov bill pages are a JavaScript app (content not visible to command-line fetchers) but are the official links; SB 543 status confirmed via LegiScan. Va. Code § 3.2-4122 is captioned 'Repeal effective July 1, 2027' — the retail registration is expected to migrate into the CCA's cannabis framework then. The CCA hemp registration form is hosted on JotForm but linked from cca.virginia.gov/hempregistration.
Good Hemp Distro market notes
A hemp product carrying more than 2 mg total THC per package cannot be produced or sold in Virginia (the 25:1 ratio alternative was repealed); Class 1 misdemeanor plus civil penalties up to $10,000 per day. Federal TRO denied Aug 2026. (Recreational (21+) state dataset, version 2026-09-28)

Cited sources

Virginia hemp law FAQ

Short answers drawn from the official Virginia sources above (verified September 29, 2026). Not legal advice.

Do I need a license to sell hemp products in Virginia?
Yes. Official link: CCA Regulated Hemp Product Retail Facility Registration (application form) (cca.virginia.gov) — fee: $1,000 per location per year (non-refundable). Growers license separately through the state hemp program or USDA.
Who regulates hemp in Virginia?
Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) – Hemp — Since August 2026: regulated hemp product retail facility registration, hemp product labeling/testing/enforcement (transferred from VDACS). Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Industrial Hemp — Industrial hemp grower, processor and handler registration under the USDA-approved state plan; food safety permits for edible hemp manufacturers. VDACS – Hemp Product Enforcement (legacy) — Ran the Office of Hemp Enforcement 2023–August 2026; page now points to the CCA. Hemp-derived THC products run through the cannabis regulator: Virginia Cannabis Control Authority.
What are Virginia's hemp laws in 2026?
Virginia requires every retail location selling regulated hemp products (smokable or ingestible hemp/CBD, including hemp-derived THC products) to register with the Cannabis Control Authority for $1,000 per location per year; hemp enforcement moved from VDACS to the CCA in August 2026 and existing VDACS registrations stay valid until they expire. Since 2026-08-15 a hemp product sold in Virginia may contain no more than 2 mg total THC per package (the former 25:1 CBD:THC exception is gone), sales to under-21s are prohibited, and SB 543 (Chapter 1016, 2026) adds CCA civil penalties and makes selling consumables over 0.3% total THC or 2 mg THC per package a Consumer Protection Act violation effective 2026-11-01. Key law: Va. Code § 3.2-5145.4 as amended by HB 30 (2026 budget, signed 2026-06-29) and SB 543 (2026); SB 903 (2023) (effective August 15, 2026).
What is the minimum age to buy hemp products in Virginia?
21+ under Virginia law (Va. Code § 3.2-5145.4 as amended by HB 30 (2026 budget, signed 2026-06-29) and SB 543 (2026); SB 903 (2023)). Good Hemp Distro is 21+ everywhere regardless.
Does Virginia cap THC in hemp products?
Yes — 2 mg per package under Va. Code § 3.2-5145.4 as amended by HB 30 (2026 budget, signed 2026-06-29) and SB 543 (2026); SB 903 (2023). Federally, hemp must test at or below 0.3% total THC.
Does Virginia require lab testing (a COA) for hemp products?
CCA Hemp Information – packaging, labeling and testing requirements for regulated hemp products. Official page: cca.virginia.gov
How do I start a compliant hemp business in Virginia?
1. Register the business with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and obtain a Virginia sales tax certificate. 2. Apply to the CCA for a Regulated Hemp Product Retail Facility Registration ($1,000 per location per year) and display it; allow 7–8 weeks for a decision. 3. Sell only hemp products with ≤0.3% total THC and ≤2 mg total THC per package, labeled per CCA/Va. Code requirements with COAs from an accredited lab; no sales to anyone under 21. 4. Edible/ingestible hemp manufacturers: obtain a VDACS food safety permit (foodsafety@vdacs.virginia.gov) in addition to CCA product compliance. 5. Growers/processors/handlers of raw hemp: register annually with VDACS (grower $150 with FBI Identity History Summary and USDA FSA farm number; processor $200; handler $250). 6. Track SB 543 civil-penalty rules effective 2026-11-01 and the CCA's adult-use retail licensing (sales start 2027-07-01).

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.