Washington law says licensed cannabis retailers must make sure all employees are trained. Under RCW 69.50.357, licensed cannabis retailers must make sure all employees are trained on the cannabis rules, on identifying people under 21, and on keeping them off the premises. That duty belongs to the employer. Washington approves no cannabis employee course and sets no training hours. This course helps a store meet and document that training duty.
What Washington requires
Washington puts the training duty on the employer. The law and the rules call for:
Licensed cannabis retailers making sure all employees are trained on the cannabis rules, on identifying people under 21, and on keeping them off the premises (RCW 69.50.357)
At a store with a medical endorsement, staff also trained to recognize authorizations and recognition cards, to let in the patients the law allows, and on the strains and the THC and CBD content of products sold to patients (RCW 69.50.357; RCW 69.50.375; WAC 314-55-080)
At a store with a medical endorsement, staff trained on confidentiality (WAC 246-70-080)
Employee records, including training, kept on the premises for five years and shown to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) on request (WAC 314-55-087)
The retail training law does not name producers, processors, and transporters. The five-year record rule covers them, and so do the rules in this course on badges, visitors, cameras, manifests, and the Cannabis Central Reporting System (CCRS).
The four hours and the 1-year certificate are Learn Brands' own standards. This course covers the shared topics. Each store still trains staff on its own written procedures, and gives hands-on training on its point-of-sale system, on CCRS reporting, and, at a store with a medical endorsement, on the Medical Cannabis Registry. This is not a medical cannabis consultant course. A consultant holds a separate certificate from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).
What is included
Washington Cannabis Workforce Training is fully online and self-paced, and takes about four hours.
Seven modules built on chapters 69.50 and 69.51A RCW and LCB rules in chapter 314-55 WAC
Federal and Washington law, the LCB, the employee badge, and purchase limits
Checking ID and refusing a sale, with official Washington Department of Licensing sample license images and tap-to-explore checks
Customer and patient privacy and confidentiality
Security measures and controls, from badges and visitors to cameras, shipments, and CCRS
Emergency response for a robbery, a heated customer, or a medical call, and what the store records and reports after an incident
What changed this year, including the limits on store signs that took effect January 1, 2026, and the changing federal hemp definition
A 29-page downloadable study guide to review before the final exam
Format, exam, and credential
Each module ends with flip cards, practice questions, and a real-world scenario from the shop floor, and the course closes with a final exam. Learners who finish receive a dated certificate of completion, valid for 1 year, for the store's training file.
Built for operators running a whole team
Washington stores keep employee records, including training, on the premises for five years and show them to the LCB on request (WAC 314-55-087). The Learn Brands LMS stores every certificate, shows who has finished and who is outstanding, and sends renewal reminders before certificates expire.
Washington cannabis training FAQ
Does Washington require cannabis employee training?
For retail stores, yes. Washington law says licensed cannabis retailers must make sure all employees are trained on the cannabis rules, on identifying people under 21, and on keeping them off the premises (RCW 69.50.357). That duty belongs to the employer. The retail training law does not name producers, processors, and transporters. This course helps a store meet and document that training duty.
Is this course approved by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board?
No. This course is not approved or endorsed by the LCB or any state agency. Washington approves no cannabis employee course and sets no training hours. The course is built on chapters 69.50 and 69.51A RCW and LCB rules in chapter 314-55 WAC, and it supports the training duty the law puts on the employer.
Is this the Medical Cannabis Consultant certificate?
No. This is not a medical cannabis consultant course, and it does not make you a consultant. A consultant holds a separate certificate from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), and every store with a medical endorsement must have a consultant on staff.
Who should take it?
Employees of Washington licensed cannabis retailers. It is written for the people who work the counter and the floor, at stores with and without a medical endorsement. Staff at producer, processor, and transport businesses can take it too. The course points out where a rule reaches them, such as the age, badge, conduct, and CCRS rules.
How long does it take?
About four hours, self-paced. Washington sets no training hours. The four hours are Learn Brands' own standard.
What topics does it cover?
Federal and Washington cannabis law and LCB rules, the employee badge, purchase limits, checking ID and refusing a sale, customer and patient privacy, security measures and controls, emergency response, incident reporting, and what changed this year.
Does it cover this year's rule changes?
Yes. Module 7 walks through the changes staff are most likely to be asked about, including the limits on store signs that took effect January 1, 2026 (RCW 69.50.369), the two cards added to the list of acceptable ID on November 8, 2025 (WAC 314-55-150), and the changing federal hemp definition. Rules change, and so does this course.
Does the certificate expire?
Yes. The certificate of completion is a dated record, valid for 1 year, and Learn Brands sends renewal reminders before it expires. The 1 year is Learn Brands' own standard. The certificate is a training record. It is not a permit or a license. Your employer issues the badge you wear (WAC 314-55-083).
Does it replace my store's own training?
No. Each store still trains staff on its own written procedures, and gives hands-on training on its point-of-sale system, on CCRS reporting, and, at a store with a medical endorsement, on the Medical Cannabis Registry. This course covers the shared knowledge every employee needs.
How long do training records have to be kept?
Washington stores keep employee records, including training, on the premises for five years and show them to the LCB on request (WAC 314-55-087). Every Learn Brands certificate is stored in your dashboard.
Do you offer team pricing?
Yes. A single seat is $59. Volume pricing is $49 per seat for 10 or more seats, $39 for 25 or more, and $29 for 50 or more. Buy seats, assign them to staff, and track completion in the dashboard. Bulk discounts are available to all companies on Learn Brands.
Workforce training in other states
Operating across state lines? Browse the full compliance training catalog for cannabis training in other states.
