Article 6. Track and Trace Requirements

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Table of Contents

§15047.1. Definitions.

(a) “Plant tag” means the tag that is labeled with a UID number and provided by the Department or the Department’s designee for attaching to a cannabis plant.

(b) “Package tag” means the RFID-enabled tag that is labeled with a UID number and provided by the Department or the Department’s designee for attaching to batches of cannabis or cannabis products.

    Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
    Reference: Sections 26067, 26070, 26160 and 26161, Business and Professions Code.

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    §15047.2. General Requirements.

    (a) A licensee shall create and maintain an account within the track and trace system prior to engaging in any commercial cannabis activity.

    (b)All commercial cannabis activity shall be accurately recorded in the track and trace system.

    (c) A licensee is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all data and information entered into the track and trace system. The licensee is responsible for all actions taken by the designated account manager or other account users while performing track and trace activities.

    (d) A person shall not intentionally misrepresent or falsify information entered into the track and trace system.

      Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
      Reference: Sections 26067, 26070, 26160 and 26161, Business and Professions Code.

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      §15048. Training and Credentialing.

      (a) Each applicant or licensee shall identify an owner of the commercial cannabis business as the track and trace system account manager. A licensee may change the account manager by submitting a written request to the Department.

      (b) No later than 10 calendar days after license issuance, the designated account manager shall:

      1. Complete new user system training provided by the Department.
      2. Email support@metrc.com from the designated account manager’s email address to request access to the track and trace system.
      3. Complete the credentialing process to establish a login.

      (c) The account manager and each user shall utilize a unique login, consisting of a username and password. The account manager and each user shall only access the track and trace system under their assigned login. No account manager or user shall share their login, username, or password, with any other individual for any reason.

        Authority cited: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
        Reference: Sections 26067, 26070, 26160 and 26161, Business and Professions Code.

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        §15048.1. Responsibilities of the Designated Account Manager.

        (a) A licensee and their designated account manager(s) shall:

          1. Designate track and trace system users, as needed, and require the system users to be trained in the proper and lawful use of the track and trace system before the users are permitted to access the track and trace system;
          2. Maintain an accurate and complete list of all of the licensee’s track and trace system users, including full names and usernames, and update the list immediately when changes occur;
          3. Remove a user from the licensee’s track and trace system account when that individual is no longer authorized to represent the licensee;
          4. Correct any data entry errors within three (3) calendar days of discovery of the error;
          5. Tag and enter all inventory in the track and trace system as required by section 15049;
          6. Monitor all system notifications and resolve all issues identified. The notification shall not be dismissed by an account manager before resolution of the issue(s) identified in the notification;
          7. Notify the Department of any loss of access to the track and trace system that exceeds 72 hours; and
          8. Reconcile the inventory of cannabis and cannabis products on the licensed premises with the track and trace system database at least once every thirty (30) calendar days.

          Authority cited: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
          Reference: Sections 26067, 26070 and 26160, Business and Professions Code.

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          §15048.2. General Tag Requirements.

          (a) A licensee shall only use plant and package tags provided and distributed by the Department or the Department’s designee.

          (b) A licensee shall only use plant and package tags assigned in the track and trace system to that licensee and shall not transfer unused tags to any other licensee.

          (c) A licensee shall maintain a sufficient supply of tags to support tagging in accordance with this chapter.

          (d) Plant and package tags shall be discarded after they are no longer required for use.

            Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
            Reference: Sections 26050.1, 26067, 26070, 26160 and 26161, Business and Professions Code.

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            §15048.3. Ordering Tags.

            (a) For licensees conducting cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, or testing:

            1. A licensee’s account manager shall place the initial order of plant or package tags within ten (10) calendar days of initial credentialing into the track and trace system and shall reorder plant or package tags as needed.
            2. The receipt of plant or package tags shall be recorded in the track and trace system within three (3) calendar days of receipt. If ordered plant or package tags are not received by the licensee, the licensee shall notify the Department.
            3. For cultivation licensees, if the Department approves a request for a license designation change pursuant to section 15023(f), the licensee is required to order, apply, and report applicable plant and package tags in accordance with this article.

              Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
              Reference: Sections 26013, 26067, 26069 and 26160, Business and Professions Code.

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              § 15048.4. Tagging of Cannabis Plants.

              (a) Immature cannabis plants shall be tagged as follows:

              1. Each established lot of immature plants shall be assigned a plant tag. Each lot of immature plants under a single plant tag shall be uniform in strain or cultivar and contain no more than 100 individual immature plants at any one time. The lot plant tag shall be visible and within clear view of an individual standing next to the immature lot and kept free from dirt and debris. Each lot shall either:
                1. Have each immature plant in the lot labeled with the UID number and placed contiguous to one another to facilitate identification by the Department; or
                2. Be fully separated from other lots of immature or mature plants by a physical barrier. In such cases, each individual plant does not need to be labeled with the corresponding UID number.
              2. Immature plants transferred from a licensed nursery for retail sale shall be transferred in a package with a package tag. The receiving licensee shall remove the licensed nursery’s package tag and assign a plant or package tag, as applicable, belonging to the receiving licensee within three (3) calendar days of receiving the immature plants.
              3. A plant tag shall be applied to each individual plant in accordance with subsection (b) at the time the plant is moved to the designated canopy area or begins flowering.

              (b) Mature cannabis plants shall be tagged as follows:

              1. Each mature plant shall be tagged with a plant tag. A plant tag shall be attached to the main stem at the base of each plant, placed in a position so it is visible and within clear view of an individual standing next to the mature plant, and kept free from dirt and debris.
              2. Licensees are prohibited from removing the plant tag from the mature plant to which it was attached and assigned until the plant is harvested, destroyed, or disposed of.

                Authority cited: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
                Reference: Sections 26013, 26067 and 26069, Business and Professions Code.

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                §15048.5. Use of Harvest Batch Name and Package Tags.

                (a) Harvested plants that are hanging, drying, or curing shall be assigned a unique harvest batch name, which shall be recorded in the track and trace system and placed within clear view of an individual standing next to the batch. The assigned harvest batch name shall match what is in the track and trace system and the harvest batch name next to the batch shall be the same.

                (b) Each harvest batch and manufactured cannabis batch shall be assigned a package tag and recorded in the track and trace system. For each harvest batch, the package tag shall be assigned and recorded in the track and trace system no later than the time at which any part of that harvest batch has finished undergoing any applicable drying, curing, grading, and trimming.

                (c) For all cannabis and cannabis products held in a container, the package tag shall be affixed to the container holding the cannabis or cannabis products. If cannabis or cannabis products are held in multiple containers, the package tag shall be affixed to one of the containers and the other containers shall be labeled with the applicable UID number. Each unit within the container shall be labeled with the applicable UID number. All containers with the same UID number shall be placed contiguous to one another to facilitate identification by the Department.

                  Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
                  Reference: Sections 26067, 26070, 26160 and 26161, Business and Professions Code.

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                  §15049. Track and Trace Reporting.

                  (a) All cannabis and cannabis products on the licensed premises shall be assigned a plant or package tag, as applicable, except for harvested plants that are being dried, cured, graded, or trimmed, as specified in this division, and recorded in the track and trace system.

                  (b) Each of the following activities shall be recorded in the track and trace system within 24 hours of occurrence:

                  1. Receipt of cannabis or cannabis products.
                  2. Rejection of transferred cannabis or cannabis products.
                  3. Manufacturing of cannabis or cannabis products.
                  4. Use of cannabis or cannabis product for internal quality control testing or product research and development.
                  5. Destruction or disposal of cannabis or cannabis products.
                  6. Packaging or repackaging of cannabis or cannabis products, except that cultivation licensees shall comply with section 15049.1(b)(5).
                  7. Laboratory testing, including testing results.
                  8. Sale or donation of cannabis or cannabis products.

                  (c) The following information shall be recorded in the track and trace system for each activity entered pursuant to subsection (b):

                  1. The type of cannabis or cannabis products.
                  2. The weight, volume, or count of the cannabis or cannabis products.
                  3. The date of activity.
                  4. The UID assigned to the cannabis or cannabis products.
                  5. The brand name of the cannabis goods.
                  6. If cannabis or cannabis products are being destroyed or disposed of, the licensee shall record the following information in the notes section:
                    1. The name of the employee performing the destruction or disposal;
                    2. The reason for destruction or disposal; and
                    3. The method of disposal.

                  (d) If a package adjustment is used to adjust the quantity of cannabis or cannabis products in the track and trace system, the licensee shall include a description explaining the reason for adjustment.

                  (e) If a licensee rejects a partial shipment of cannabis goods pursuant to section 15052.1(b), the licensee shall record the partial rejection in the track and trace system.

                    Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
                    Reference: Sections 26013, 26067 and 26169, Business and Professions Code.

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                    §15049.1. Additional Requirements for Recording Cultivation Activities.

                    (a) The licensee shall record the following cultivation activities in the track and trace system within three (3) calendar days of occurrence:

                    1. Planting of an immature lot;
                    2. Moving immature plants to a designated canopy area, flowering of an individual plant, or application of a plant tag to an immature plant, in accordance with section 15048.4;
                    3. Destruction or disposal of an immature or mature plant; and
                    4. Harvesting of a mature plant, or portion thereof.

                    (b) The following information shall be reported in the track and trace system for each harvest batch:

                    1. The wet weight of each harvest batch, which shall be obtained by the licensee immediately after harvest;
                    2. The weight of cannabis waste associated with each harvested plant;
                    3. The unique name of the harvest batch; and
                    4. The initiating date of the harvest. For purposes of this section, the “initiating date” of the harvest is the month, day, and year the first mature cannabis plants in the harvest batch were cut, picked, or removed from the soil or other growing media.

                    (c) After the entire harvest batch has been dried, trimmed, cured, and packaged, the licensee shall indicate in the track and trace system that the harvest is finished.

                      Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
                      Reference: Sections 26013, 26067 and 26069, Business and Professions Code.

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                      §15049.2. Recording Transfers of Cannabis and Cannabis Products.

                      (a) A licensee shall prepare a shipping manifest through the track and trace system prior to transferring cannabis and cannabis products off of a licensed premises. The following information shall be recorded on the shipping manifest by the licensee initiating the transfer:

                      1. The name, license number, and premises address of the originating licensee;
                      2. The name and license number of the distributor transporting the cannabis and cannabis products;
                      3. The name, license number, and premises address of the licensee receiving the cannabis or cannabis products into inventory or storage;
                      4. The UID numbers for all items being transferred;
                      5. The item name, item category and weight or count of cannabis or cannabis products associated with each package tag;
                      6. The estimated date and time of departure from the licensed premises;
                      7. The estimated date and time of arrival at each licensed premises; and
                      8. The driver’s license number of the personnel transporting the cannabis and cannabis products, and the make, model, and license plate number of the vehicle used for transport.

                      (b) The distributor who transports the cannabis or cannabis product shall record the following additional information on the shipping manifest:

                      1. The actual date and time of departure from the licensed premises; and
                      2. The actual date and time of arrival at each licensed premises.

                      (c) Upon pick-up or receipt of cannabis and cannabis products for transport, storage, or inventory, a licensee shall ensure that the cannabis or cannabis products received are as described in the shipping manifest. The licensee shall record acceptance or receipt, and acknowledgment of the cannabis or cannabis products in the track and trace system.

                      (d) If there are any discrepancies between type or quantity of cannabis or cannabis products specified in the shipping manifest and the type or quantity received by the licensee, the licensee shall reject the shipment.

                        Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
                        Reference: Sections 26067, 26070, 26160 and 26161, Business and Professions Code.

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                        §15049.3. Track and Trace Requirements for Delivery.

                        (a) A licensed retailer conducting delivery of cannabis goods shall create a delivery inventory ledger in the track and trace system and record the information required under subsections (b)(1) through (7) prior to the delivery employee leaving the licensed retail premises for each delivery trip. A delivery trip begins when the delivery employee leaves the licensed retail premises to conduct delivery of cannabis goods.

                        (b) The delivery inventory ledger shall include the following information:

                        1. The delivery inventory ledger number generated by the track and trace system and assigned to the specific delivery trip.
                        2. The name and license number of the licensed retailer.
                        3. The delivery employee’s name, employee ID, and driver’s license number.
                        4. The delivery vehicle’s make, model, and license plate number.
                        5. The item name and category of each cannabis good to be carried on the delivery trip, the UID(s) assigned to those cannabis goods, and the number of units associated with each UID on the delivery inventory ledger.
                        6. The UID(s) of any cannabis goods ordered by customers and processed by the licensed retailer prior to the delivery employee leaving the licensed retail premises.
                        7. The date and time the delivery employee begins the delivery trip.

                        (c) For each delivery of cannabis goods, the following information shall be recorded within the track and trace system by the end of the calendar day on which the delivery was completed:

                        1. The date and time the delivery was completed. A delivery is completed at the time the cannabis goods are physically provided to the customer.
                        2. Whether the customer is an adult-use customer, medicinal cannabis patient, or patient’s primary caregiver.
                        3. The UID and quantity of each cannabis good delivered.
                        4. The purchase price of each cannabis good delivered.
                        5. The city, county, and zip code in which the delivery was completed.

                        (d) If a delivery employee returns to the licensed retail premises to obtain additional inventory of cannabis goods for delivery to be conducted on the same day and by the same delivery employee, the licensed retailer may continue the existing delivery trip in the track and trace system. If the licensed retailer chooses to continue the existing delivery trip, the additional inventory is considered part of the existing delivery trip and a new delivery inventory ledger is not required. The licensed retailer shall record the following information within the track and trace system under the existing delivery inventory ledger number for any additional cannabis goods to be carried on the same delivery trip:

                        1. The item name and category of each additional cannabis good to be carried on the delivery trip, the UID(s) assigned to those cannabis goods, and the number of units associated with each UID on the delivery inventory ledger.
                        2. The date and time the delivery employee leaves the licensed retail premises to continue the delivery trip.

                          (e)

                          1. The end date and time of the delivery trip shall be:
                            1. Except as provided in subsection (e)(1)(B), the date and time the delivery employee returned to the licensed retail premises after conducting all deliveries that are part of the same delivery trip.
                            2. If the delivery employee does not carry any unsold cannabis goods and does not return to the licensed retail premises on the same day after delivering all cannabis goods carried in the vehicle on the delivery trip, the date and time at which the delivery employee completed the last delivery of cannabis goods on the delivery trip.
                          2. No later than the end of the calendar day on which the delivery trip occurred:
                            1. If a delivery employee still carries unsold cannabis goods at the end of a delivery trip, the delivery employee must return to the licensed premises, remove the unsold cannabis goods from the delivery inventory ledger, and return the unsold cannabis goods to the licensed retailer’s inventory within the track and trace system.
                            2. The licensed retailer shall record the end date and time of the delivery trip in the track and trace system.

                          (f) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (e), prior to April 1, 2023, licensed retailers may comply with this section by maintaining delivery inventory ledgers in accordance with this subsection.

                          1. Delivery inventory ledgers may be maintained by licensed retailers in hard copy or electronically and shall include the item name, category, UID, and unit quantity of each cannabis good carried on a delivery trip.
                          2. All cannabis goods prepared for an order that was received and processed by the licensed retailer prior to the delivery employee’s departure from the licensed retail premises must be clearly identified on the delivery inventory ledger.
                          3. During a delivery trip, the delivery inventory ledger must be updated after each completed delivery to reflect the remaining inventory carried by the delivery employee.
                          4. All sales of cannabis goods conducted by delivery must be entered into the track and trace system within 24 hours of the date and time the delivery trip was completed, as defined in subsection (e)(1).

                            Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
                            Reference: Sections 26067, 26068 and 26090, Business and Professions Code.

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                            §15050. Loss of Access.

                            (a) If at any point a licensee loses access to the track and trace system for any reason, the licensee shall prepare and maintain comprehensive records detailing all commercial cannabis activities that were conducted during the loss of access.

                            (b) The licensee shall not initiate transport for, receive, or deliver any cannabis or cannabis products until such time as access is restored.

                            (c) Once access has been restored, the licensee shall:

                            1. Within three calendar days, enter all commercial cannabis activity that occurred during the loss of access into the track and trace system.
                            2. Document the cause for loss of access, and the dates and times for when access to the track and trace system was lost and when it was restored.

                              Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
                              Reference: Sections 26067, 26070 and 26160, Business and Professions Code.

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                              §15051. Track and Trace System Reconciliation.

                              (a) The license shall review the information recorded in the track and trace system at least once every 30 calendar days to ensure its accuracy, including, at a minimum:

                              1. Reconciling on-hand inventory of cannabis and cannabis product with the records in the track and trace system; and
                              2. Reviewing the licensee’s authorized users and removing any users who are no longer authorized to enter information into the track and trace system.

                              (b) If a licensee finds a discrepancy between the on-hand inventory and the track and trace system, the licensee shall conduct an audit and notify the Department in writing if the discrepancy is significant as defined in section 15034.

                                Authority: Section 26013, Business and Professions Code.
                                Reference: Sections 26067, 26070 and 26160, Business and Professions Code.

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