Industrial Hemp Program

• You need a license to grow hemp in North Carolina. For answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the industrial hemp program in North Carolina and for an application to apply for a Grower’s license, please visit http://www.ncagr.gov/hemp/Application-FAQs.htm .
• To watch an informative video about the N.C. Industrial Hemp Program, please visit https://youtu.be/2Xj_LaUa4Ac?t=360 .
• No license is required to be a processor in North Carolina. However, the state does maintain a registration list of first-stage processors. There is no charge to be added to the registration list. For instructions on registering as a hemp processor, and to view the registration requirements, please visit http://www.ncagr.gov/hemp/ProcessorsInfo.htm .
• For information on getting hemp seed/clones for planting, please visit https://industrialhemp.ces.ncsu.edu/seed-sources-for-planting/ .
• To view the Hemp Connections "Want-Ads" page, please visit https://industrialhemp.ces.ncsu.edu/hemp-connections/ .
• For application-related questions, including how to make changes to your license, pay fees, or notify that your plants are flowering, please email IndustrialHempRequests@NCagr.gov .
• For more information about the permitting process, contact the Industrial Hemp Commission at (919) 707-3236.

For application-related questions, including to make changes to your license, to pay fees, or to notify that your plants are flowering, please email IndustrialHempRequests@NCagr.gov

For more information about the permitting process, contact the Industrial Hemp Commission at (919) 707-3236.

The current rules for hemp production in North Carolina were developed based on the 2014 Farm Bill, and will be replaced by the final rules developed by USDA on January 1, 2022. 

For current N.C. Industrial Hemp Pilot Program license holders:

• Your license will expire on January 1, 2022.
  • If your current license expires before September, renew your license with the state program. State program will waive the renewal fees from September through December.
  • Continue to follow the state rules before January 1, 2022. After that, follow the USDA final rules.
• Apply for a USDA license as soon as possible, if continuing to grow hemp after December 31, 2021.

For growers who do not have a NC Industrial Hemp Pilot Program license, but are interested in growing hemp:

• Apply for a USDA license as soon as possible.
• You can still apply for a license with the state program by paying the full application fees; however, be aware that your approved license is only valid through the end of 2021.

Hemp, by the definition of 2018 Farm Bill, is Cannabis Sativa species that has no more than 0.3% psychoactive compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) on the dry-weight basis. It is illegal to grow hemp without a license and to produce plants with more than 0.3% THC content.

To apply for a USDA hemp license:

1. Acquire USDA Hemp Program information at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/hemp/. Questions may be submitted to hemp@usda.gov, or call (202) 720-2491.
2. Create an eAuthorization (eAuth) Account at https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/home.
3. Obtain a copy of your FBI criminal history report. (https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks).
   1. If you or your key participants had a felony conviction related to a controlled substance during the last 10 years, your license application will be denied.
4. Register to use the Hemp eManagement Platform (HeMP) at https://hemp.ams.usda.gov/s/. HeMP is where you will apply for a USDA hemp production license and manage hemp reporting for USDA.
5. Apply for a license by following the instructions on the HeMP online tool.
   1. Be sure to designate your hemp lots carefully and accurately, and be aware that each lot will be sampled and tested for THC separately.
   2. It may take several weeks for USDA to begin processing your application so apply early.