Foothills Cannabis Co. · L&D
What every team member must know about operating within Virginia's regulatory framework — from age verification to documentation requirements.
Module 1 of 5
Virginia's cannabis retail market is overseen by the Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) — one of the newer regulatory frameworks in the country, but no less strict. Every sale, every interaction, every record is subject to CCA oversight — and violations carry real consequences for you, your team, and the dispensary's license.
A single verified compliance failure can result in fines, suspension, or permanent revocation of the dispensary's Retail Cannabis Establishment License issued by the CCA.
Virginia requires all cannabis employees to hold a current CCA Employee Registration. Working without valid registration — or allowing an unregistered employee to handle transactions — is a direct violation.
Every gram sold is tracked in Virginia's mandatory seed-to-sale system. Documentation errors create audit flags that trigger CCA investigations.
Virginia's legal cannabis market is still establishing its foundation. Operating compliantly is how this industry demonstrates it can self-regulate — every breach creates political and regulatory risk for the entire state market.
The CCA has broad enforcement authority under the Code of Virginia § 4.1-1101 et seq., including the power to issue civil penalties, suspend licenses, and refer criminal violations to the Attorney General's office. The most commonly cited violations in Virginia's market? Age verification failures and transaction limit overages.
Module 2 of 5
The Code of Virginia requires verification that every customer is 21 years of age or older before any transaction. This is not optional — even in cases where a customer appears to be clearly over 21.
State law: No exceptions. Serving a customer under 21 is a criminal offense regardless of whether you believed them to be of age.
Click each step to review the full protocol.
ID must be checked before any product-related conversation begins. Ask the moment the customer approaches the sales floor. Do not allow a transaction to progress past the initial greeting without confirming identity.
Script: "Hi! I'll need to see your ID before we get started."Virginia law accepts: State-issued driver's license or ID card, US passport, military ID, or Tribal ID. Foreign passports are accepted for recreational purchases. Expired IDs, photocopies, and screenshots on phones are never acceptable, regardless of circumstances.
When in doubt, do not serve — every time.Hold the ID and examine: photo match (does it match the person in front of you?), date of birth (calculate their age — don't assume), expiration date, and physical security features (holograms, raised print, correct state formatting). If the ID feels wrong or looks altered, politely decline service.
All POS systems must capture age verification confirmation prior to completing the sale. Scan the barcode or manually enter the ID number. This creates the documented compliance record that protects you and the store in the event of an audit or complaint.
Never skip the POS scan step, even for returning regulars.If you refuse a transaction, notify a manager and log the refusal in the system. Do not argue with or physically detain a customer. If a customer becomes aggressive or threatens you following a refusal, follow the store's incident protocol and contact management immediately.
Script: "I'm not able to complete this sale. Have a good day."Module 3 of 5
Virginia law establishes strict per-transaction purchase limits for recreational customers. Unlike some states that set daily limits, Virginia's limits apply per transaction. Exceeding these limits — even unknowingly — constitutes a CCA regulatory violation.
| Product Type | Per-Transaction Limit (Recreational) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flower / Bud | 1 oz (28.35g) | Includes pre-rolls counted by weight |
| Concentrate / Extract | 5g | Applies to all extract forms (wax, shatter, vape carts) |
| Edibles (THC mg) | 500mg THC | Individual servings capped at 10mg THC per piece |
| Topicals | No limit | Non-intoxicating; no transaction restriction |
| Out-of-state visitors | Same recreational limits | Virginia residency not required; valid 21+ ID required |
Per-transaction, not per-day: Virginia's limits reset with each new transaction, not at midnight. A customer may legally make multiple purchases across a day, but each individual transaction cannot exceed these limits. Your POS system will flag any single transaction that exceeds the allowable amount.
"A customer wants 1 oz of flower and 8g of concentrate in a single transaction. Their ID is valid. How do you proceed?"
Module 4 of 5
Every product that enters or leaves the dispensary must be tracked in METRC (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting & Compliance) — Virginia's mandatory seed-to-sale system, required by the CCA. Your role at the point of sale is the final link in that chain.
Every product has a state-issued METRC tag. Tags must never be removed, altered, or transferred between products. Flag any item with a missing or damaged tag before it reaches the sales floor.
Your POS system automatically reports each completed sale to METRC. Never manually override or bypass POS steps — this creates sync errors that appear as unreported inventory discrepancies during audits.
Returns and voided transactions require immediate reporting in METRC. Do not accept a return or void a sale without manager authorization and proper system documentation.
When receiving product from a licensed distributor, confirm METRC transfer manifest numbers match what was received before signing. Discrepancies must be reported within 24 hours.
Red flags to report immediately: products without tags, quantities that don't match manifests, customer requests to split a purchase across multiple transactions to avoid limits, or any request to complete a transaction "off system."
Your responsibility is clear: If something doesn't look right, stop the transaction, notify your manager, and document the issue. You are never penalized for pausing a sale to verify compliance. You are penalized for completing one that shouldn't have happened.
Module 5 of 5
Answer all four questions and submit to receive your compliance certification. A score of 80% or higher is required to pass.
Training Complete
You've completed the Cannabis Compliance Foundations module. This certification is valid for 12 months from today's date.
Foothills Cannabis Co. — Annual Compliance Training
Next steps: Your manager will receive notification of your completion. Retain this page or take a screenshot for your records. Your recertification will be due in 12 months.