Become a Responsible Vendor Training Provider
Eligibility to provide Responsible Vendor Training
Business entities, cannabis education professionals, and other qualified professionals who meet minimum qualifications may apply (see Responsible Vendor Training (RVT) Application Guidance, Owners and Key Personnel).
An owner or employee of an entity providing a RVT is not permitted to have employment by or interest in a Maryland cannabis licensee or registrant.
Please note, approved Responsible Vendor Training providers may elect to add additional, value-added, material outside of the scope of what MCA requires in COMAR 14.17.15.05(E)(2).
How to apply to become a Responsible Vendor Training provider
Please be advised that MCA is currently updating RVT application processes and requirements pursuant to Maryland House Bill 622. As part of these updates, submission requirements may change during this transition period. To help avoid delays or incomplete submissions, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact [email protected] before submitting an application to confirm the most current requirements. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we update our application processes.
Business entities and cannabis education professionals who wish to be considered as an MCA-approved RVT provider may apply through the online application here: RVT Application form. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Please ensure all training materials (including audio, graphic and design features) are final before submitting an RVT application. After submission, no further changes to the materials are permitted during the review process unless they are specifically requested by the MCA.
What to expect after you apply
MCA will notify applicants via email when:
- All submission requirements are received and
- When the RVT application review status is updated. Please see the Application Review Timeline below.
Application review timeline
| status | Description | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
Intake | MCA verifies submission is complete and susceptible for review; If all submission requirements have been received, the application goes in the queue for review | 10 business days |
Queue | Applications in the queue are processed in the order they are received. MCA will notify applicants of their queue position. Applicants will be notified when they move to Active Review. | Ongoing |
Active Review | MCA Review for training materials regulatory accuracy, Applicant Corrections period (Corrections must be made within ten (10) business days), MCA Corrections Review (Note: Up to two rounds of MCA-requested Applicant Corrections are permitted), and Determination. Please refer to the Responsible Vendor Training (RVT) Application Guidance for more information. | Approximately 60 to 90 business days (begins once the application is in active review) |
Approved RVT applications
If approved, trainings will be posted as an MCA-designated RVT on the Administration’s website. Approved RVT providers are required to stay up-to-date on developments in federal and state laws and regulations to ensure its training and testing materials are current.
Administrative denials
Applications may be administratively denied if:
- The RVT application and/or training materials submitted contain more than 20 substantive errors (e.g. incorrect statutory or regulatory content, irrelevant or inaccurate information, etc.);
- The course is missing a core component (e.g. final test, required module, etc.); or
- If there are Learning Management System (LMS) issues (e.g. LMS is not in final format and/or applicant makes changes mid-review without MCA request, the LMS is unavailable to MCA staff).
An administrative denial does not preclude an applicant from submitting a new RVT application later; however, applicants may not resubmit prior to 12 months from the date of the administrative denial. Application fees are required with each new application