OCR posts finished product labeling and QR code rules for cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, and dispensaries

As of May 20, 2026. The Office of Cannabis Regulation posted its Finished Product Labeling and QR Code Guidance on May 19, addressed to cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, and laboratories. The four-page policy, numbered OCR-POL-RID-0526 and signed by Executive Director Joanne Moorehead, sets out how every cannabis product sold in the territory has to be labeled before it reaches a customer.

The document lists an effective date of May 12, 2026, and its transition section says the guidance “takes effect immediately upon publication.” The OCR post links to the policy as a Google Drive file rather than a page or PDF on ocr.vi.gov.

What goes on the label

Each finished product container must carry a label generated by the territory’s inventory tracking system. Under the Virgin Islands Cannabis Use Act and the 2024 Cannabis Rules and Regulations, that label has to show:

the name of the licensed manufacturer that made the product
the harvest batch number
milligrams of THC per unit and servings per container
lab test results
recommended dosage or directions for use
a production or expiration date, including a “use by” or “freeze by” date for products that can grow mold or bacteria
storage instructions
every ingredient, including colorings, artificial flavors, and preservatives, listed by weight
the warning: “The intoxicating effects of this product may be delayed by up to four hours. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN.”

Where the label runs out of room, dosage directions and storage instructions can go on a second label or be printed on the packaging, as long as no label covers another. Only the outermost retail package has to carry the full label.

The QR code

Every label must include a product-level QR code at least half an inch square. Scanning it has to open a mobile-friendly page showing the package identifier and the product’s test results. OCR auditors may scan codes and check them against tracking records, and mismatches can lead to notices of violation, embargo, or penalties.

The QR requirement builds on the February 12 vote by the Cannabis Advisory Board to require Metrc Retail ID QR codes on every dispensary product. The policy’s own header calls it a “Retail ID Policy.”

Testing first, then the label

The guidance arrives five days after the board approved laboratory testing standards on May 14. The two documents work in sequence. The testing standards decide whether a batch can be sold, and the label carries those results to the buyer. The USVI cannabis testing guide explains what gets checked.

No conditional licensee can sell until OCR issues a Certificate to Operate, and none has been issued. When the first one is, every package leaving a cultivator, manufacturer, or dispensary will need this label.

Grace period and enforcement

OCR may grant an additional 30-day extension if label printing through the tracking system is still being set up. After the transition, non-compliant inventory can be quarantined, placed under a stop-sale order, or recalled.

What to watch

Whether OCR posts the policy as a page or hosted PDF on ocr.vi.gov, replacing the Google Drive link.
Whether OCR announces the 30-day extension while label printing is being set up.
The first Certificate to Operate, the point at which the labeling rules start to apply to real product.
The next Cannabis Advisory Board meeting, set for June 25, 2026.