The Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) this week issued updated guidance clarifying the agent registration and criminal history check requirements that all cannabis licensees, registrants, and applicants must follow under state law, a move aimed at strengthening regulatory compliance and public confidence in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry.
Released January 21, 2026, the guidance provides detailed instructions on the process by which businesses must register cannabis agents — individuals who will work for or volunteer with licensed cannabis operators — as well as the procedures for conducting state and federal criminal history background checks as required under Maryland law.
Under Maryland’s regulatory framework, individuals cannot work for a cannabis licensee or registrant without being officially registered as a cannabis agent with the MCA. Registration must be initiated by the business that will employ or host the agent — not by the individual themselves — and is conducted through OneStop, Maryland’s centralized digital platform for licensing and registration.
The guidance lays out step-by-step instructions for businesses to register with OneStop, claim their entity profile, and submit new agent applications. It also explains the fingerprinting process, which requires submission of fingerprints to the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) so that state and national criminal history record information can be obtained and forwarded to the MCA. This background check process is a cornerstone of the state’s efforts to ensure that those working in the cannabis industry meet legal standards for employment.
For Maryland residents, fingerprints may be submitted at one of six state locations, while out-of-state applicants must request and submit fingerprint cards through CJIS directly. Once results are transmitted, MCA reviews the criminal history record information as part of the agent registration process.
In addition to explaining registration logistics, the guidance reinforces statutory requirements that agents must be registered before volunteering or working for licensees, and notes that Maryland law prohibits denying registration based solely on cannabis-related offenses occurring before July 1, 2023. State regulations also require agents to report convictions involving moral turpitude within 14 days and authorize the MCA to disqualify or revoke registrations on that basis.
The guidance also incorporates recent legislative changes enacted in 2025 — including exemptions for agents employed as licensed security guards, who may be exempt from the fingerprint-based criminal history check if they hold an active security guard license and provide proof to the MCA. These exemptions stem from actions taken under House Bill 1347 and Senate Bill 299, which amended state law to align cannabis agent background check requirements with broader security industry standards.
To help licensees manage staffing needs while background checks are pending, the MCA continues to allow temporary agent badges valid for 90 days once a provisional background screening and application have been submitted. The guidance also outlines employer responsibilities when agents leave or are terminated, including returning agent badges and notifying the MCA within one business day.
The updated guidance applies to all categories of cannabis licensees and registrants, including ownership interests of 5 percent or more, conditional licensees, and applicants seeking renewals, and is intended to help operators comply with both statutory and regulatory requirements as Maryland’s cannabis industry expands.
