Cannabis Facility Design Guide

Scope. The cannabis facility is the physical expression of the license. This guide covers CCR § 15006 premises diagrams, CCR §§ 15044–15047 security design, and the operational zoning that makes inspection-ready facilities. Reflects CCR Title 4 current as of January 1, 2026.

Your facility is your license, made visible. If the building can’t pass the diagram test, the license can’t pass the inspection.

CCR § 15006 premises diagram

Your DCC premises diagram must be to scale, show the perimeter, identify every room, mark limited-access areas, show camera fields of view, indicate product flow, and match your SOPs.

Common failures:

• Diagram doesn’t match GC construction drawings.
• Cameras shown that weren’t installed — or installed cameras not shown.
• Limited-access boundaries not continuous.
• Product flow arrows go the wrong way or skip required stations.

Limited-access areas

CCR 15006 defines limited-access areas: any area where cannabis is present or stored. Requirements:

• Access restricted to licensee, employees, and pre-approved visitors.
• Badges or equivalent access control.
• Visitor log documenting every entry.
• Clear signage indicating limited-access boundary.

Camera + surveillance (CCR §§ 15044–15047)

Specific requirements:

• Continuous 24/7 recording.
• Minimum 15 FPS at 1280×720 resolution.
• 90-day retention at minimum.
• Coverage: every entrance, every exit, every limited-access area, every point of sale, vault/safe interior, loading dock/transfer zone.
• Field of view to include faces, transactions, and cannabis product handoffs.
• Alarm system with sensor at every access point; alarm-system maintenance log.

Hypothetical: a 12,000 sq ft Type 11 distribution buildout

A 12,000 sq ft single-tenant industrial building in Vacaville, used as a Type 11 distributor with Type 13 transport. Camera count to meet CCR §§ 15044–15047: two exterior (front entry + dock), one receiving scale, one manifest-prep station, two limited-access-boundary doors, one test-hold cage (interior + door), one vault (interior + door), one manager office window into cage, one exit. Total: 11 cameras minimum at 15 FPS / 1280×720 with 90-day rolling retention. Storage sizing: at H.264, 11 channels × 15 FPS × 720p × 90 days = approximately 7–9 TB raw; budget 12 TB in a RAID-5 NVR. Alarm: door sensor on every limited-access threshold, glass-break on street-facing glazing, monitored response.

Storage vault design

CCR 15043 requires secure storage of cannabis goods. Best practice vault features:

• Dedicated room with access restricted to authorized staff (not general floor).
• Dual-control access (two authorized staff present for entry).
• Fire-resistant safe rated appropriate to inventory value.
• Motion sensor + door sensor.
• Camera inside vault capturing faces and product.

Activity-specific zones

Cultivation

Canopy zones measured and physically delineated. Mother room separate from flower. Dry/cure area isolated from active grow. Waste area outside limited-access until CCR 15048 destruction.

Manufacturing

Process flow: receiving → raw material storage → processing → in-process QC → finished-goods storage → shipping. Type 7: closed-loop room with fire suppression, ventilation, electrical classification per CCR 17210. Shared-use (Type S) kitchens require cross-contact barriers.

Retail

Point-of-sale zoning for age-verification at entry, product display, transaction zone, vault, customer waiting, staff break room. Daily-limit enforcement tracking tied to POS.

Distribution

Receiving dock, test-hold area (Type 11), inventory staging, manifest-prep station, shipping dock. CCR 15307 test hold requires physical separation until release.

Opening-day checklist

• Premises matches diagram exactly.
• Every camera tested and recording.
• Alarm system armed and tested.
• All limited-access signage in place.
• Badges issued; visitor log ready.
• Vault dual-control protocol documented and practiced.
• METRC activated; all inventory tagged.
• CDTFA seller’s permit posted.
• Cannabis waste disposal contract in place.
• Mock DCC inspection conducted and findings closed.