--- title: Cannabis Social Equity Rules in Illinois description: Learn all about Illinois's cannabis social equity rules, and how you can establish a successful dispensary business as a social equity applicant in the land of Lincoln. --- [![Cova Dispensary Software](https://www.covasoftware.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Cova%20Logo/Cova-Logo.png?width=174&height=39&name=Cova-Logo.png)](https://www.covasoftware.com/) - Retail Solutions - [Cannabis POS](https://www.covasoftware.com/pos) - [CBD POS](https://www.covasoftware.com/cbd-pos) - [Payments](https://www.covasoftware.com/payments) - [Ecommerce](https://www.covasoftware.com/ecommerce) - [Inventory Management](https://www.covasoftware.com/dispensary-inventory-management) - [Reporting & Analytics](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-analytics-reporting) - [Compliance](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-dispensary-compliance) - [Canada Retail Suite](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-retail-suite-canada) - [Complete Retail Suite](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-retail-suite-canada) - [Cova Pay](https://www.covasoftware.com/cova-pay-canada) - [Cova eCommerce](https://www.covasoftware.com/cova-ecommerce) - Pricing - [U.S. Pricing](https://www.covasoftware.com/pricing-us) - [Canadian Pricing](https://www.covasoftware.com/pricing-cad) - Resources - [4/20 Guide](https://www.covasoftware.com/420-retail-guide-for-cannabis-dispensaries) - [Cannabis Retail Blog](https://www.covasoftware.com/blog) - [Guides & Best Practices](https://www.covasoftware.com/guides-and-best-practices) - [Cannabis Laws](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-law) - [How to Open a Dispensary](https://www.covasoftware.com/how-to-open-a-dispensary) - [Case Studies](https://www.covasoftware.com/customer_story) - [FAQ](https://www.covasoftware.com/faq) - Contact - [Book a Consultation](https://www.covasoftware.com/get-started) - [Customer Support](https://support.covasoftware.com/) - [General Inquiry](https://www.covasoftware.com/contact) - [Request Demo](https://www.covasoftware.com/demo) [Request Demo](https://www.covasoftware.com/demo) # ILLINOIS # CANNABIS SOCIAL EQUITY RULES Social Equity Rules Select State ![down_arrow](https://f.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/1545951/sphere_theme_2020/images/Blog/Shape_1.png) - [California](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-social-equity-program/california) - [Colorado](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-social-equity-program/colorado) - [Illinois](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-social-equity-program/illinois) - [Massachusetts](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-social-equity-program/massachusetts) - [Michigan](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-social-equity-program/michigan) - [New Jersey](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-social-equity-program/newjersey) - [New York](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-social-equity-program/newyork) ILLINOIS In Illinois, a licensee is a qualified social equity applicant if they have at least 51% ownership and control by one or more individuals who meet at least one of the following criteria: -Lived in a disproportionately impacted area for 5 of the past 10 years. -Been arrested or convicted for cannabis-related offenses eligible for expungement. -Have a parent, child, or spouse with a cannabis-related offense. Social equity applicants pay reduced license and application fees and receive [technical assistance](https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/AUC/SocialEquityCannabis_Technical%20Assistance.pdf) and support from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) on everything from creating a business plan to applying for a license. They also have access to low-interest loans by DCEO for starting and operating a cannabis-related business under the ‘[Social Equity Cannabis Loan Program](https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/AUC/SocialEquityCannabisLoans%20One-Pager.pdf)’. These loans will be available to social equity licensees that demonstrate a need for funding and have been adversely impacted by the disparate enforcement of cannabis-related laws. [![LET'S CHAT!](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2821811/00269a9b-078b-425b-b348-cc1e451ba308.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2821811/00269a9b-078b-425b-b348-cc1e451ba308) # RELATED GUIDES ## [Ebook: How to Open a Cannabis Store in Canada](https://www.covasoftware.com/how-to-open-a-cannabis-retail-in-canada-ebook) [Read More](https://www.covasoftware.com/how-to-open-a-cannabis-retail-in-canada-ebook) ## [Ebook: How to Open a Cannabis Dispensary (U.S. Edition)](https://www.covasoftware.com/how-to-open-a-cannabis-dispensary-ebook) [Read More](https://www.covasoftware.com/how-to-open-a-cannabis-dispensary-ebook) ## [Ebook: Why Some Cannabis Retailers Fail (And the Secrets of Those Who Succeed)](https://www.covasoftware.com/why-cannabis-retailers-fail-or-succeed-ebook) [Read More](https://www.covasoftware.com/why-cannabis-retailers-fail-or-succeed-ebook) ### Retail Solutions - [Cannabis POS](https://www.covasoftware.com/pos) - [CBD POS](https://www.covasoftware.com/cbd-pos) - [Payments CBD](https://www.covasoftware.com/payments/cbd) - [Payments Canada](https://www.covasoftware.com/cova-pay-canada) - [Payments USA](https://www.covasoftware.com/payments) - [Ecommerce Canada](https://www.covasoftware.com/cova-ecommerce) - [Ecommerce USA](https://www.covasoftware.com/cova-ecommerce-us) - [Gift Cards](https://www.covasoftware.com/giftcard) - [Inventory Management](https://www.covasoftware.com/dispensary-inventory-management) - [Reporting & Analytics](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-analytics-reporting) - [Compliance](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-dispensary-compliance) - [Enterprise](https://www.covasoftware.com/enterprise-pos99) ### Customers - [Customer Stories](https://www.covasoftware.com/customer_story) - [Customer Referral Program](https://www.covasoftware.com/refer) ### Pricing - [U.S.](https://www.covasoftware.com/pricing-us) - [Canada](https://www.covasoftware.com/pricing-cad) ### Resources - [Blog](https://www.covasoftware.com/blog) - [Best Practices & Guides](https://www.covasoftware.com/guides-and-best-practices) - [Cannabis Laws](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-law) - [Where is Cannabis Legal?](https://www.covasoftware.com/blog/where-is-cannabis-legal-in-north-america-in-2026) - [Cannabis Social Equity Guide](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-social-equity-program) - [How to Open a Dispensary Guide](https://www.covasoftware.com/how-to-open-a-dispensary) - [How to Scale a Cannabis Business Guide](https://www.covasoftware.com/how-to-scale-a-cannabis-business-guide) - [Cannabis Payment Guide ](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-dispensary-payment-guide) - [Cannabis Ecommerce Guide](https://www.covasoftware.com/how-to-start-cannabis-ecommerce-delivery) - [Dispensary Technology Guide](https://www.covasoftware.com/cannabis-technology-guide) - [Guide to Modern Dispensary Design](https://www.covasoftware.com/guide-to-dispensary-design) - [FAQs](https://www.covasoftware.com/faq) ### Partners and Integrations - [Partners](https://www.covasoftware.com/integrations) - [Carrot](https://app.hubspot.com/pages/2821811/editor/197789271693/content) - [Springbig](https://www.covasoftware.com/springbig-loyalty) - [Weedmaps](https://www.covasoftware.com/weedmaps-integration) - [Leafly](https://www.covasoftware.com/leafly-integration) - [KayaPush](https://www.covasoftware.com/dispensary-scheduling) - [Solink](https://www.covasoftware.com/solink-integration) - [Top Ecommerce Platforms](https://www.covasoftware.com/best-dispensary-ecommerce-reviews) ### Company - [Our Story](https://www.covasoftware.com/about-old) - [Markets we Serve](https://www.covasoftware.com/pos/markets-old) - [Our Customers](https://www.covasoftware.com/customer_story) - [In The News](https://www.covasoftware.com/news) - [Events](https://www.covasoftware.com/events) - [Our Team](https://www.covasoftware.com/about) - [Careers](https://www.covasoftware.com/careers) - [Contact Us](https://www.covasoftware.com/contact) - [**](https://www.facebook.com/CovaSoftware/) - [**](https://twitter.com/CovaSoftware) - [**](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM5KLyZ4jpFhnKpg2Xf8Kgw) - [**](https://www.instagram.com/covapos/) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/covasoftware) - [**](https://www.pinterest.ca/covasoftware) Retail Innovation Labs LLC Trading as Cova Software. 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