Industrial Hemp Licence
Industrial hemp is a regulated crop in Tasmania. An industrial hemp licence granted under the Industrial Hemp Act 2015 helps to distinguish industrial hemp from illegal marijuana and medicinal cannabis. Under the Industrial Hemp Act 2015, “industrial hemp" must have no more than 1% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the leaves and flowering heads.
An industrial hemp licence may authorise a person to cultivate, supply or possess industrial hemp for one or more of the following purposes:
commercial production (e.g. cultivating seed and/or fibre for commercial sale);
use in any manufacturing process (e.g. processing fibre into building materials, or seeds into oil for cosmetic use);
food production (e.g. hulled hemp seed, hemp flour, hemp oil);
horticultural use (e.g. untreated hemp bales for horticultural mulch or bulk composting material)
- scientific research, instruction, analysis or study (e.g. research into new seed varieties or new fibre products for building and manufacturing);
any other purpose approved by the Secretary (e.g. untreated hemp bales for horticultural mulch or bulk composting material).
More information about the activities authorised under licence can be found on the FAQ page.
Industrial Hemp Licence Application Form
Read the Guidelines before completing the application form.
Guidelines Industrial Hemp Application Form (PDF 277Kb)
Licensees must complete an annual Intent to Grow Form within one month of cultivating, or intending to cultivate, industrial hemp.
Intent to Grow Form (PDF 153Kb)
Intent to Grow Form Fillable (PDF 155Kb)
Industrial Hemp Licence Factsheets
Changes to your Industrial Hemp Licence (PDF 189Kb)
Special Research Licence
Although industrial hemp must have no more than 1% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the leaves and flowering heads, the Act also provides for a special research licence that may authorise hemp to be grown with a concentration of more than 1% THC, strictly for industrial hemp research purposes.
A special research licence provides authorisation to possess, cultivate or supply hemp, that is not industrial hemp, for the purpose of scientific research, instruction, analysis or study.
For more information, please read the Special Research Licence Application Guidelines.
Special Research Licence Guidelines (PDF 169Kb)
To request an application form, please contact Regulated Crops.
Changes to Industrial Hemp Licences
Tasmania's industrial hemp licence has been updated following the review of the Industrial Hemp Act 2015.
What has changed?
The industrial hemp licence is now simpler and shorter.
The number of licence conditions has been reduced from 25 to 10 conditions.
The licence activities and purposes are consistent with the Industrial Hemp Act 2015.
'Horticultural use' has been added as an additional licence purpose to allow for the use of untreated bales for horticultural use, such as mulching or for green compost.
- The definition of “premises” has been updated.
If a licensee has a licence to cultivate, they now have one month before or after planting to complete an “Intent to Grow” form each season they grow industrial hemp. Regulated Crops will send licensees the form before the growing season. If a licensee is not growing industrial hemp for that season, they do not need to complete an Intent to Grow form.
The updated condition to supply (sell) industrial hemp now clarifies that a licensee can supply to a person who has a medicinal cannabis licence (a person authorised to possess industrial hemp).
The new Exclusions condition highlights the activities that are not authorised under an industrial hemp licence, such as extracts. If a licensee has both an industrial hemp licence and a medicinal cannabis licence and permit, their medicinal cannabis licence and permit may authorise extracts.
What hasn’t changed?
More information can be found on the FAQ page.