The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Regulatory Services Division has opened the application process for new and updated licenses under the Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP). The program, which regulates the dispensing of low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to patients with certain medical conditions, is expanding following recent legislative changes.
Applications can be submitted through the RSD Contact Us portal. The deadline for all submissions is 5:00 p.m. Central Time on September 15, 2025.
DPS will issue a total of 12 new licenses in two phases. In Phase I, nine licenses will be awarded to applicants who previously applied during the 2023 window. These applicants must update their applications or provide additional information through a secure DPS portal by the deadline to remain eligible. There are no extra fees for updating an existing application, but requests to withdraw and receive a refund must be made by August 15, 2025. DPS plans to announce selected Phase I applicants on December 1, 2025.
Phase II is open to first-time applicants who must submit complete applications and pay the required fee by September 15, 2025. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Selected Phase II applicants are expected to be announced by April 1, 2026.
“Passed and signed into law in 2015, charged DPS with creating and administering TCUP in Texas, under the authority of the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 487. Through the program, DPS operates the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT)—a secure online registry of qualified physicians who can prescribe low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to patients with specific medical conditions. Additionally, TCUP dispensing organizations are licensed by the department and undergo regular physical inspections to ensure their compliance with state statute and administrative rules. HB 46, signed into law earlier this year, expanded TCUP—authorizing the department to issue 12 new TCUP dispensing organization licenses.”
The expansion follows House Bill 46 passed earlier this year that authorized DPS to issue additional licenses for dispensing organizations.
