DEA Says Registration Tools Are ‘Coming Soon,’ but Growers and Processors Are Already Applying

By A.J. Herrington, Featured Writer

The Drug Enforcement Administration has announced that new online tools for medical marijuana manufacturers, cultivators, distributors, and analytical labs are “coming soon,” even as the agency continues processing applications submitted through its existing Form 225 system. The update follows the DEA’s April 29 launch of registration for medical marijuana retailers, which opened a 60‑day window for dispensaries to apply for federal authorization under the Schedule III framework.

Within the first four days, nearly 400 businesses had already submitted applications, according to a May 2 report from Marijuana Herald. That early surge came before the DEA clarified that updated forms for cultivators, manufacturers, and labs would be posted in the weeks ahead.

Some operators, however, are not waiting.

Registrations Already Underway

While the DEA’s website states that updated tools for manufacturers, bulk manufacturers, analytical labs, and distributors are forthcoming, the agency also notes that “those interested in applying for a DEA registration to handle Schedule III medical marijuana… may do so utilizing the DEA’s current Form 225 application.” The agency instructs applicants to select only the medical marijuana drug codes 7362, 7353, and 7386.

That mixed messaging has led some cultivators and processors to move forward anyway. Darren Story, a licensed cannabis cultivator in Santa Cruz County, California, told MJBizDaily that the DEA’s initial instructions “said it was for dispensaries, but the language was vague, so we did it anyway.”

Should Operators Apply Now?

The central question for many businesses is whether they should apply during the initial 60‑day window, even though the DEA has not finalized the program’s operational details.

Attorney Paula Savchenko said the lack of clarity has put pressure on medical providers to act quickly. 

“Only those that apply within the first 60 days are really said to receive the benefits of the medical marijuana rescheduling, and because we don’t really have clarity on when that’s going to when that application process is going to open back up,” she said in a recent interview with IgniteIt. “That’s leaving some uncertainty.”

Savchenko added that the DEA’s approach has put operators in a difficult position. 

“It’s also interesting, because the DEA is asking operators to go ahead and register without really knowing how this program is going to get rolled out,” she said.

Despite the uncertainty, she said her firm is advising clients to move forward. 

“There may be implications that we just can’t foresee at this time because the whole process isn’t rolled out right,” said Savchenko. “So that’s really kind of been the biggest concern from both our end, as well as our clients.”

“There’s only so much we know, and so we’re still recommending to our clients to go ahead and move forward with the DEA registration, especially within that first 60 days, because we want to make sure that they’re able to benefit from the tax implications, interstate, international commerce, and also research,” she added.

Why Some Operators Are Hesitant

Attorney Marc Hauser said many businesses remain cautious, stressing that he was not offering legal advice. 

“The risk of waiting and the risks of not waiting are still unclear at the moment, which makes this a hard decision for some people,” he said.

Hauser noted that operators in adult‑use markets may see limited benefit from DEA registration, particularly those already using accounting strategies that reduce the impact of 280E. Others are waiting for clarity on how the DEA, IRS, FDA, and other agencies will treat registered medical marijuana businesses once the Schedule III framework is fully implemented.

“There is still a lot of hesitancy out there by operators and by lawyers, because there’s still a lot of unknown,” Hauser said. “We don’t have a lot of certainty yet as to the difference between operating under the DEA scheme versus just operating under medical alone.”