Iowa HHS is responsible for the regulation of consumable hemp products, including registration (hemp manufacturers and retailers are not licensed, they are registered).
What is Consumable Hemp?
For detailed information about Consumable Hemp in Iowa, please use the following link to visit our Consumable Hemp FAQ. You may also use the inquiry link in the FAQ to submit a question.
A hemp product is an item derived from or made by processing hemp or parts of hemp. Consumable hemp is a liquid or solid hemp product intended to be introduced into the human body by ingestion or internal absorption, including but not limited to: food, chew or snuff, oils and lotions, and hemp processed or otherwise manufactured, marketed, sold, or distributed as food (e.g., "gummies"), a food additive, a dietary supplement, or a drug.
Consumable hemp products do not include those intended to be introduced into the human body by any method of inhalation, which are prohibited under Iowa Code 204.14A. Violation of Iowa Code 204.14A(1) is a criminal offense (serious misdemeanor).
Animal products as well as products marketed or intended to “cure, treat, mitigate, prevent disease, or affect the function of the human body,” including products marketed as over-the-counter medication, are also prohibited. Additionally, consumable hemp products manufactured or sold in Iowa must contain 0.3% or less total THC to be legal.
A medical card is not required for the purchase of consumable hemp products.
HHS does not issue a list of approved consumable hemp products.
Registrants are required to ensure their product list is up to date.
Allows a person or business to sell consumable hemp products in Iowa directly to the consumer. With the registration form and payment, retailers of consumable hemp products must submit a complete list of all consumable hemp products the retailer intends to sell, along with information about the product suppliers and manufacturers.
Allows a person or business to operate as a manufacturer of consumable hemp products in Iowa. With the registration form and payment, manufacturers of consumable hemp must submit a complete list of all consumable hemp products they intend to produce, process, pack, hold, distribute, or sell, along with information about ingredient suppliers and manufacturers.
Consumable Hemp Registrant Portal: Use this link to enter the Portal, create your credentials, and renew or start a Registration for a Consumable Hemp Establishment.
Product List Submission:
Product List Upload Template: Use this link to download the template that Registrants will use to submit and maintain their products for sale. This link will download as a .XLSX. When you create your product list, it must be saved and uploaded as a .CSV as prescribed in the Guide below in order to avoid a rejection.
Consumable Hemp Product List Upload Guide: Please use the following guide for information on how to submit and maintain an accurate list of products for your Consumable Hemp Establishment.
Cost: $475 per year for each type of registration.
Processing Time: It may take up to 30 days for an initial registration to be approved after it is submitted. This Service Level Agreement (SLA) should be expected and taken into account.
Transferability: Registrations are issued by location and are not transferable to a new location or new operator at the same location. If a Registrant wishes to have different ownership, a new Registration is required.
Renewals: Registrations can only be obtained and renewed annually through the Consumable Hemp Registrant Portal. Registrations can be renewed as soon as 90 days prior to their expiration date. Registrations that have not been renewed and that are more than 60 days past expiration will be revoked without notice. After 60 days, the consumable hemp manufacturer or retailer must complete a new consumable hemp registration and may not sell any consumable hemp products prior to the new application's approval.
Consumable Hemp FAQs
For detailed information about Consumable Hemp in Iowa, please use the following link to visit our Consumable Hemp FAQ. You may also use the inquiry link in the FAQ to submit a question.
NO food license is required if:
A consumable hemp establishment plans to sell approved, prepackaged consumable hemp products from their retail store (either a physical location or online). A consumable hemp retailer registration is all that is required.
A consumable hemp business plans to manufacture, process, pack, hold, prepare, distribute, or sell consumable hemp products for topical use (e.g., oils and lotions) only. A consumable hemp manufacturer registration is required. If the establishment plans to sell directly to consumers, a consumable hemp retailer registration is also required.
YES, a food license is required if:
A consumable hemp retailer plans to add consumable hemp as a food ingredient for immediate consumption by the consumer (e.g., in a coffee beverage that is brewed on site). The business needs a food service license. The consumable hemp retailer may not otherwise manufacture, process, package, repackage, relabel, mix, blend, or otherwise manipulate a consumable hemp product.
A consumable hemp manufacturer plans to manufacture, process, pack, hold, prepare, distribute, or sell consumable hemp products for use as human food or an ingredient in human food, a dietary supplement, or a drug. The business needs a food processing plant license.
NO inspection is required if:
A business wishes to register as a consumable hemp retailer only, and a food license is not required.
A business wishes to manufacture, process, pack, hold, prepare, distribute, or sell consumable hemp products for topical use only (e.g., oils and lotions).
YES, an inspection is required if:
A business wishes to register as a consumable hemp retailer and also requires a food license.
A business wishes to manufacture, process, pack, hold, prepare, distribute, or sell consumable hemp products for use as human food or an ingredient in human food, a dietary supplement, or a drug.
Consumable Hemp Resources
Iowa HHS only handles registration for consumable hemp products meant for humans, with a total THC under 0.3%. If you have an inquiry about any of the following, please contact the appropriate listed entity.
For detailed information about Consumable Hemp in Iowa, please use the following link to visit our Consumable Hemp FAQ.
Agricultural hemp products are regulated by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). Visit the IDALS website if you are interested in the following:
To purchase medical cannabis (CBD) products, a medical card is required. Medical CBD is only sold at facilities licensed and regulated by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Medical CBD products contain THC amounts that exceed 0.3%.
Delta-9 isometric/analog products and controlled substances
If you have questions about Delta-9 and controlled substances, contact the Iowa Board of Pharmacy online or at 515.281.5944.
The following consumable hemp products are not allowed to be sold:
Those containing a total THC (inclusive of any isomers, derivatives, and analogs, whether naturally occurring or synthesized) greater than 0.3% (dry weight);
Animal or pet products;
Those intended for inhalation (e.g., vape cartridges, rolling papers, cigarettes, cigars, pre-rolls, or wraps);
Those marketed tor intended to cure, treat, mitigate, prevent disease, or affect the structure of the human body (this includes over-the-counter medications);
Bread, cake, pie, or other “cottage food” items made in a person’s home kitchen or other residential space;
Manufactured alcoholic beverages, meat or poultry products, or dairy products infused with hemp;
Other food not produced in a licensed food-processing plant;
Those manufactured in other countries or in jurisdictions without an approved USDA hemp plan.
Consumable Hemp Products May Be Sold at a Farmers Market If:
The individual selling consumable hemp products at an IDALS-listed farmers market has applied for and received a retail registration for consumable hemp from DIA. The cost of an annual registration is $475. Open the "Registration" tab above to view videos that walk through the process of applying for a consumable hemp retailer registration.
The valid consumable hemp retailer registration documentation from DIA is posted in plain sight at the retailer’s farmers market booth/stand.
Selling Consumable Hemp at Other Events or Locations
Selling or providing samples of consumable hemp at any other event or unregistered retail sites is prohibited (e.g., at a “pop-up,” roadside, or temporary stand; door-to-door; at private parties; in vending machines).
Consumable Hemp in Food
Food that contains consumable hemp cannot be sold unless it is produced in a licensed food-processing plant. Bread, cake, pie, or other “cottage food” items made in a person’s home kitchen or other residential space containing consumable hemp may not be sold at farmers markets or any retail location, even with a consumable hemp retail registration.
Raw Hemp
Harvested raw hemp is considered a raw agricultural commodity and is not regulated by DIA. However, raw hemp packaged for human consumption may be sold as long as it has been manufactured according to the rules and regulations found in Iowa Administrative Code 481, Chapter 32, and the appropriate food licenses have been obtained prior to manufacturing.
*641 IAC 156.5(5): Consumable hemp products in interstate commerce and subject to federal law. Compliance with Iowa Code Chapter 204 and Iowa Administrative Code 641-156 does not represent compliance with federal law. For additional information, visit the FDA website.
