New York Begins Covering Most Metrc Tag Costs for Marijuana Businesses for 12 Months

New York marijuana regulators have begun providing state-paid Metrc inventory tags to licensed businesses, with the program expected to cover most tag costs for a 12-month period.

The state Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) said the benefit became available Tuesday, September 1, following the approval of additional funding in New York’s 2026-2027 enacted budget.

Under the new program, businesses can order complimentary inventory tags through the Metrc platform. Allotments are based on the number of unused state-paid tags already held at each licensed location, which OCM said will help distribute the benefit among as many licensees as possible.

Cultivation facilities can maintain up to 24,000 state-paid plant identification tags and 6,000 package tags. Manufacturers, processors, distributors and dispensaries can each maintain up to 10,000 complimentary package tags, while testing laboratories can hold up to 1,000.

Vertically integrated licensees, including microbusinesses and registered organizations, can access tag allotments for each activity they are authorized to conduct. Manufacturers and processors can also receive up to 125,000 state-paid retail item identification numbers per month.

Metrc tags are used to track marijuana plants and products through the state’s regulated supply chain. A tag is considered used once it is associated with a plant, product or package in the system.

Businesses remain responsible for shipping costs and for any tag orders that exceed the complimentary limits. OCM will not reimburse licensees for tags purchased before the program began.

The agency said its projection that the program will cover most inventory-tag expenses for 12 months is based on anticipated usage and the available budget. Licensees will be notified if the funding allocation or cost projections change.