The METRC track-and-trace enrollment is the registration process every newly licensed cannabis business completes to gain login credentials for Metrc, the state-mandated seed-to-sale tracking system. It is not a single paper form. It is a sequence: complete the New Business Training in Metrc Learn, submit the on-screen credential request that captures your facility license number, and wait for Metrc Support to verify and send your “Welcome to Metrc” login link.
Getting this wrong stalls your whole operation. You cannot legally move, sell, or even hold plants and products until your facility is credentialed and your inventory is logged. Metrc Support verifies credential requests within 72 hours, and the first-time login link expires fast, so a small slip on a license number or the wrong admin name can cost you days you do not have. One detail sets the tone for the urgency here: the New Business Training that gates the entire process takes about 1.5 hours, yet a single wrong digit in your license number can push your go-live back by a week.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 🧭 How the full enrollment flow works, from training to your first login
- 📝 How to fill out every field in the credential request, line by line
- 👥 Three real walkthroughs: a retailer, a cultivator, and a software vendor
- ⚠️ The field-level mistakes that trigger 72-hour delays and rejections
- ❓ Clear answers to the questions new licensees ask most
What METRC Enrollment Is and Who Must File It
METRC stands for Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance, and it is the seed-to-sale tracking platform that most legal cannabis states use to monitor every plant and product. Enrollment is the step that connects your government-issued license to a working Metrc account. The system tags each plant and package with a unique RFID code, so the state can trace any item from a seed in the ground to a sale at the register.
Two groups must complete an enrollment path. The first is the licensed cannabis business: cultivators, manufacturers, processors, testing labs, distributors, transporters, and retail dispensaries. If your state requires Metrc and your license type is covered, you must enroll before you touch regulated product. The second group is the third-party software vendor that builds tools connecting to Metrc through its API. These companies do not file the licensee credential request. They run a separate vendor onboarding through Metrc’s integration and API process.
The agency that receives your enrollment depends on your state. In Minnesota it is the Office of Cannabis Management; in Michigan it is the Cannabis Regulatory Agency; in California it is the Department of Cannabis Control through the CCTT–METRC system. Metrc LLC itself processes the credentialing and login setup, while your state authority controls who is eligible and which license numbers are valid. State law makes Metrc use mandatory, and operating without an active account is grounds for fines, holds, or license suspension. Mary Chen, opening a dispensary, must enroll even before she stocks a single jar, because every product she receives must arrive in Metrc as a tracked transfer.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gather everything before you open the registration screen, because the credential request asks for exact data that must match state records. Metrc cross-checks your entries against the license file your state authority sent to them, and any mismatch triggers a verification hold. Here is your pre-enrollment checklist, with why each item matters.
- Cannabis Establishment / Facility License Number. This is the unique ID Metrc uses to match your account to your license; a wrong digit means rejection.
- Exact legal business name. It must match the name on your state license, because Metrc verifies the business against state records before issuing credentials.
- Designated Industry Administrator name. This person becomes your Metrc Key Admin; naming the wrong person locks control with someone who may not have authority.
- Owner or responsible official name. The first credential request must come from an owner or designated manager, or the request is rejected.
- Business email address. The “Welcome to Metrc” login link is sent here, so a typo means you never receive your link.
- Phone number. Metrc Support uses it to reach you during the 72-hour verification window if something is unclear.
- New Business Training certificate. Some states require you to email the PDF certificate to the agency, and skipping it stalls credentialing.
- Physical facility address. This auto-populates tag orders later and must be the licensed premises, not a mailing address.
- All facility license numbers (if multiple sites). You enter them separated by commas during Metrc Learn registration, or the missing site never gets credentialed.
- Metrc Learn account login. You need a registered Metrc Learn account to even start the training that gates the request.
If you are a software vendor, your pre-work is different. You need your company name, primary and secondary contact details, the name of your software, and a signer with corporate signature authority for the API Use Agreement. DataLeaf Software, building a compliance app, cannot get a production key until an officer signs that agreement, so identify that signer early.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
You do not download a PDF and mail it in. The METRC enrollment lives inside Metrc’s own systems, and the entry point is your state’s Metrc partner page. For Guam licensees, that page is the official Metrc partner Guam page; for Minnesota it is the Metrc Minnesota vendor page. Each state has its own partner page at metrc.com/partner/[state], and that is where the “New Business” training button lives.
From the partner page, you click the New Business Training button, which sends you to the Metrc Learn platform. If you have never used Metrc Learn, you register for a free account first. During registration you select any facility type and enter all your facility license numbers, separated by commas. This step matters because the license numbers you enter here follow you into the credential request, and a missing one means that site is left out of credentialing.
After you finish the roughly 1.5-hour training and pass the quiz, the system prompts the designated Industry Administrator to request credentials right on screen. The credential request is not a separate website. It appears as a guided set of screen prompts at the end of training. Carlos Reyes, a new cultivator, finds that as soon as he passes his quiz, the screen asks him to enter his license number to start the request, so there is no separate link to hunt for. Software vendors skip this entirely and instead email their request to Metrc’s integration team, as covered in the Colorado API integration guide.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the METRC Enrollment Line by Line
This is the heart of the process. Work through each field in order, using the exact entries shown.
Field 1: Metrc Learn Account Registration (Name and Email)
This first screen asks for the first and last name and email of the person creating the Metrc Learn account. In plain terms, it is asking who is signing up to take the training. Type your full first and last name as it appears on your license paperwork, and enter a monitored business email, not a personal one you rarely check.
Mary Chen enters Mary Chen and mary@greenleafdispensary.com. A common edge case is when an outside consultant takes the training for the owner; if so, the account should still tie back to a person the business controls, not the consultant’s personal address. The most common mistake here is using a Gmail address that later does not match the business contact on file, which slows verification because Metrc cannot match it to your state record. People wrongly believe the training account and the Metrc login are the same; they are not, so the email you use here does not automatically become your Metrc username.
Field 2: Facility Type Selection
This field asks you to pick a facility type during Metrc Learn registration. In plain English, it wants to know what kind of cannabis operation you run. The important nuance is that this selection is for registration routing only, and in many states you may select any facility type because it does not control your actual training or access.
Carlos Reyes selects Cultivation because he grows plants, which feels natural, but even if he picked another type, his license number controls his real permissions. The edge case is a business with both a grow and a store under separate licenses; the type you pick here does not limit you, since your license numbers define your true scope. The common mistake is agonizing over this dropdown and entering incorrect license numbers because of it; the dropdown rarely matters, the license numbers always do. A frequent misconception is that choosing the wrong facility type blocks your access, when in reality your facility license number governs what you can do in Metrc.
Field 3: Facility License Number(s)
This field asks for the unique license number your state issued for each licensed site. In plain language, it is asking which licenses you are tracking under. Enter the number exactly as printed on your state license, and if you have more than one site, list every facility license number separated by commas with no extra spaces or words.
Vera Okafor, who runs two locations, types MN-CULT-001122, MN-RETL-003344 to cover both. The key edge case is multi-site operators; if you leave one number out here, that site never gets credentialed and you cannot track product there. The most damaging mistake on this field is a transposed or missing digit, because Metrc matches this number against the state’s license file and a mismatch triggers a verification hold of up to 72 hours. Many people believe Metrc will “figure out” their other licenses automatically; it will not, so you must list each one yourself.
Field 4: Designated Industry Administrator (Key Admin) Name
This field captures the person who will become your Metrc Key Admin, also called the Industry Administrator. In plain English, it asks who controls this Metrc account. This must be an owner or a designated manager, and you should enter that person’s full legal name exactly.
Mary Chen, the dispensary owner, lists herself as Mary Chen so she holds top-level control. The nuance for businesses with both an adult-use license and a medical permit is that you may use the same Key Admin for both, or assign separate administrators for each operation. The serious mistake here is naming a low-level employee or an outside vendor, because that person then holds the power to add and remove all users and may not have the authority to do so. A widespread misconception is that the Key Admin can be changed casually later; reassigning it requires a support request, so choose carefully the first time.
Field 5: Owner or Responsible Official Name
This field asks for the owner or responsible official behind the license. In plain language, it confirms who is legally accountable for the business. Enter the full legal name of the owner or designated manager, because the initial credentialing request must come from this level of authority.
Carlos Reyes, who owns his cultivation company, enters his own name as both owner and Industry Administrator since he runs the operation himself. The edge case appears with multi-member LLCs; list the owner who is authorized to act for the business, not every member. The mistake to avoid is submitting the first request under an employee’s name, because Metrc requires the initial request to come from an owner or designated manager and will reject one that does not. People often think any staff member can kick off enrollment; only an owner or designated manager can submit that first credential request.
Field 6: Business Email Address for Credentials
This field asks where Metrc should send your account setup link. In plain terms, it is asking which inbox gets your golden ticket into Metrc. Enter a reliable, monitored business email, and double-check every character, because this is where the “Welcome to Metrc” email lands.
Vera Okafor enters admin@twincitiescanna.com, an inbox she checks daily. The nuance is shared inboxes; if several managers monitor one address, make sure they know the Metrc link is coming so no one deletes it as spam. The costly mistake here is a typo in the domain, because the login link then goes nowhere and you wait, unaware, while your window ticks down. A common misconception is that the link arrives instantly; in practice Metrc Support verifies your request and responds within 72 hours, so watch your inbox and spam folder during that window.
Field 7: Phone Number
This field asks for a contact phone number. In plain English, how can Metrc reach you if there is a snag. Enter a direct business line where someone answers during business hours, formatted as your state expects, typically (555) 123-4567.
Mary Chen lists her store’s main line. The edge case is a business with no staffed phone yet; use a cell number that the owner answers, since Metrc Support may call to resolve a credentialing question. The mistake is entering a number that goes to voicemail no one checks, which can stall resolution of any verification issue. People assume phone is optional filler; it is the backup channel Metrc uses when an email mismatch needs a quick fix.
Field 8: Submitting the New Business Training Certificate
After the quiz, the system generates a training certificate, and several states require you to send it to the agency. In plain language, this step proves you completed the training. Print or save the certificate to PDF and email it to your state’s designated address, such as compliance or medical cannabis program inboxes listed in your state’s guide.
Carlos Reyes prints his certificate to PDF and emails it to his state’s compliance address along with his credential request. The nuance covers businesses with both adult-use and medical licenses; you may need to send certificates to two different agency inboxes. The mistake is skipping this entirely because the on-screen prompt did not force it, which leaves your file incomplete and delays credentialing. A misconception is that finishing the quiz auto-sends your certificate to the state; in many states you must email it yourself.
Field 9: Final Credential Request Submission
The last step is confirming and submitting the on-screen credential request. In plain English, you are telling Metrc you are ready for a login. Review every field, confirm the license number and admin name are correct, then follow the screen prompts to submit.
Vera Okafor reviews both license numbers, confirms her name as Key Admin, and clicks submit. The nuance is timing; Metrc recommends submitting only after training is complete, and for vendors, requests submitted before training are not processed. The mistake is rushing the submit before checking the license number, since a corrected entry after submission means another support cycle. People believe submission equals access; it does not, because Metrc Support still verifies your training and credentials within 72 hours before sending your login link.
Field 10 (Vendors Only): API Developer Document Request and Use Agreement
Software vendors replace the licensee request with a different submission. This step asks for your company details and a signed API Use Agreement, as detailed in the Montana API integration page. In plain terms, you are applying to build software that talks to Metrc. Email your company name, primary and secondary contacts, phone numbers, and software name to Metrc’s integration team, attend a Metrc training class, pass the test, then download, sign, and return the API Use Agreement.
DataLeaf Software emails its details, completes the training test, and has its CFO sign the agreement before returning it to both the state division and Metrc’s integration inbox. The nuance is the signer requirement; the agreement must be signed by someone with corporate signature authority, such as an officer. The mistake is requesting a sandbox key before completing training, because Metrc processes requests only after training is done. A misconception is that one API key works everywhere; keys are state-specific, and you complete a Capability Assessment in the sandbox before Metrc issues a production key.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
These walkthroughs follow three filers through the enrollment from start to finish.
Scenario 1: Mary Chen, New Retail Dispensary Owner
| Enrollment Section | What Mary Enters |
|---|---|
| Metrc Learn name and email | Mary Chen, mary@greenleafdispensary.com |
| Facility type | Retail |
| Facility license number | CO-RETL-558899 |
| Designated Industry Administrator | Mary Chen (owner as Key Admin) |
| Owner / responsible official | Mary Chen |
| Business email for credentials | admin@greenleafdispensary.com |
| Phone number | (303) 555-0148 |
| Training certificate | PDF emailed to state compliance inbox |
| Final submission | Confirms license number, clicks submit |
| Outcome | “Welcome to Metrc” link received within 72 hours |
Scenario 2: Carlos Reyes, New Cultivation Owner Ordering Tags
| Enrollment Section | What Carlos Enters |
|---|---|
| Metrc Learn name and email | Carlos Reyes, carlos@highpeakgrow.com |
| Facility type | Cultivation |
| Facility license number | MI-CULT-220044 |
| Designated Industry Administrator | Carlos Reyes |
| Owner / responsible official | Carlos Reyes |
| Business email for credentials | carlos@highpeakgrow.com |
| Phone number | (517) 555-0193 |
| Training certificate | PDF emailed to state agency |
| After login: tag order | Admin > Tag Orders > New Tag Order, plant tags |
| Outcome | Credentialed, then orders RFID plant tags |
Scenario 3: DataLeaf Software, Third-Party API Vendor
| Enrollment Section | What DataLeaf Enters |
|---|---|
| Request method | Email to Metrc integration team |
| Company name | DataLeaf Software, Inc. |
| Primary contact | Priya Nair, priya@dataleaf.io |
| Secondary contact | Sam Wu, sam@dataleaf.io |
| Name of software | DataLeaf Compliance Suite |
| Training | Attends Metrc class, passes test |
| API Use Agreement | Signed by CFO with signature authority |
| Sandbox key | Issued after agreement approval |
| Capability Assessment | Completed in sandbox |
| Outcome | Production vendor API key issued |
How to File the Completed Enrollment
Enrollment moves through Metrc’s own channels, and the path depends on whether you are a licensee or a vendor.
For licensees using the on-screen request, you submit directly inside Metrc Learn at the end of training by following the screen prompts. There is no fee to take the training, and the request itself costs nothing to submit, though every business pays Metrc license fees that vary by business type and endorsement. Metrc Support verifies your request within 72 hours and then sends the “Welcome to Metrc” email. Keep a copy of your training certificate and a screenshot of your submitted request as proof of filing.
Some states use an email credentialing channel instead. In Minnesota, after training you email credentialing@metrc.com with your facility license number, the state-registered account admin, the business owner, and the admin’s email address. The proof to keep is your sent email and any confirmation reply.
For software vendors, you email your developer document request and signed API Use Agreement to Metrc’s integration team and copy the relevant state division. After agreement approval, Metrc issues a sandbox key, you complete the Capability Assessment, and Metrc issues your production key. Keep the signed agreement and all confirmation emails. For general support across any channel, Metrc Support is reachable at https://support.metrc.com or 877-566-6506.
What Happens After You File
Once you submit, Metrc Support reviews your request against your state’s license file to confirm you meet the prerequisites. This verification takes up to 72 hours, and if your training and credentials check out, you receive the “Welcome to Metrc” email with a link to set up your account.
That login link is time-sensitive and expires after it is generated, so log in promptly. If it expires before you use it, you contact Metrc Support through the support portal or by phone to request a fresh link. Vera Okafor missed her link over a weekend and simply called support for a new one, losing only a day.
After your first login, the Industry Administrator sets the password and can then add other administrators and employees to the account. Your next step is the Beginning Inventory process, where you enter your initial plants and packages so your physical stock matches Metrc. Cultivators like Carlos Reyes also order RFID tags through Admin > Tag Orders, since you cannot tag plants without them, and tags typically take a few business days to arrive.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Enrollment
Each error below carries a direct cost.
- Entering a wrong digit in your facility license number triggers a verification hold of up to 72 hours.
- Submitting the first request under an employee’s name gets it rejected, since it must come from an owner or designated manager.
- Naming the wrong person as Key Admin hands account control to someone who may lack authority.
- Using a personal email that does not match state records slows verification.
- A typo in the credentials email means your login link goes to a dead address.
- Ignoring the email and spam folder during the 72-hour window makes you miss your link.
- Letting the login link expire forces a support request and another wait.
- Leaving out a second facility license number means that site never gets credentialed.
- Skipping the training certificate email leaves your file incomplete in states that require it.
- Forgetting to order RFID tags after credentialing stalls your ability to tag plants and packages.
- Vendors requesting a sandbox key before finishing training have their request ignored.
- Assuming Metrc license fees are waived leads to a billing surprise, since every business pays them.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do: – Do complete the full New Business Training before requesting credentials, because the request is gated behind it. – Do enter your license number exactly as printed, since Metrc matches it against state records. – Do designate an owner or trusted manager as Key Admin, because this person controls all access. – Do use a monitored business email, so your login link is not missed. – Do save your training certificate as a PDF, because some states require you to email it. – Do log in promptly when the link arrives, since it expires quickly.
Don’t: – Don’t let an employee submit the first request, because Metrc will reject it. – Don’t guess at your license number, since one wrong digit holds the whole request. – Don’t ignore your spam folder, because the “Welcome to Metrc” email can land there. – Don’t name a consultant as your permanent Key Admin, since you may lose control of the account. – Don’t skip ordering RFID tags, because you cannot tag inventory without them. – Don’t assume the training and Metrc logins are the same account, since they are separate.
Self-Enrollment vs. Getting Professional Help
Many owners enroll themselves, while others hire a compliance consultant. This table weighs the trade-offs.
| Self-Enrollment | Professional Help |
|---|---|
| No extra cost beyond Metrc fees, so it saves money | Adds consultant fees, which raises your startup cost |
| You learn the system firsthand, which helps daily use | You may stay dependent on the helper for routine tasks |
| You control who becomes Key Admin, keeping authority in-house | A consultant as admin risks losing control of your account |
| Slower if you are new, since the learning curve is real | Faster setup, because the consultant has done it before |
| Mistakes fall on you, which can mean delays | Fewer field errors, since experts know the pain points |
| Full ownership of your data and access from day one | Smooth multi-site handling, useful for complex operations |
FAQs
Do I have to complete Metrc training before requesting credentials?
Yes. The credential request appears only after you finish the roughly 1.5-hour New Business Training in Metrc Learn and pass the quiz, so training always comes first.
Can an employee submit the first credential request?
No. The initial request must come from an owner or designated manager, who is then assigned as the facility Key Admin; an employee-submitted request is rejected.
Do I write my business name or my personal name as the Industry Administrator?
No. You write a person’s full legal name, not the business name, because the Industry Administrator is the individual who will control the account.
Do I enter multiple license numbers in one field?
Yes. List every facility license number in the same field, separated by commas with no extra words, so each site gets credentialed.
Does the facility type dropdown control my Metrc access?
No. Your facility license number governs your permissions, so in many states you may select any facility type during registration.
Do I have to email my training certificate to the state?
Yes. Many states require you to print the certificate to PDF and email it to the agency inbox, or your credentialing stays incomplete.
Does Metrc send my login link instantly?
No. Metrc Support verifies your request within 72 hours, then sends the “Welcome to Metrc” email, so you should watch your inbox and spam during that window.
Can I get a new login link if mine expires?
Yes. Contact Metrc Support through https://support.metrc.com or 877-566-6506 to request a fresh link, since the original expires after it is generated.
Do I write my license number with the dashes shown on my license?
Yes. Enter the license number exactly as printed, including any dashes, because Metrc matches it character-for-character against state records.
Is there a fee to enroll in Metrc?
No. Enrollment and training cost nothing, but every business pays ongoing Metrc license fees that vary by business type and endorsement.
Do software vendors use the same credential request as licensees?
No. Vendors email a developer document request and a signed API Use Agreement to Metrc’s integration team, then move through sandbox and production keys.
Can a vendor get a production API key before training?
No. Metrc processes vendor requests only after training is complete, and a production key follows a signed agreement and a passed Capability Assessment.
Do I need RFID tags right after I enroll?
Yes. Cultivators order plant tags through Admin > Tag Orders after credentialing, because you cannot tag plants or packages without them.
Is the Metrc Learn account the same as my Metrc login?
No. They are separate accounts, so the email and credentials you use for training do not automatically become your Metrc system login.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out California DCC Cannabis Distributor License Application + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California DCC METRC Account Registration + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California DCC Cannabis Testing Laboratory License (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Colorado MED Regulated Marijuana Business License Application (DR 8548) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Massachusetts CCC Marijuana Establishment License + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the New Jersey CRC Cannabis Business License + FAQs