CSQ CERTIFICATION
The CSQ Certification Program and applicable standards were built around ISO/IEC 17067
N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(a)5 · Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturers
New Jersey GMP for Cannabis
New Jersey requires cannabis products to be manufactured in accordance with good manufacturing practices pursuant to 21 CFR Parts 110 and 210 (N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(a)5), with ingestible equipment meeting the state retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24) and a Food Protection Manager certification. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission verifies this by licensing and inspection — New Jersey requires no third-party GMP certificate and names no private standard.
New Jersey's Cannabis GMP Rules, in Plain English — and Why CSQ Certification Is Worth It
New Jersey legalized medical cannabis in 2010 and adult-use in 2020, and adult-use retail sales began on April 21, 2022. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) regulates the whole market under the Personal Use Cannabis Rules (N.J.A.C. 17:30). For product manufacturers, New Jersey makes food-safety GMP the law — cross-referencing federal good manufacturing practices (21 CFR Parts 110 and 210) and its own retail food code, plus food-safety training and a Food Protection Manager certification — but it requires no third-party GMP certificate and names no private standard. CSQ is an accredited, independent way to prove the GMP practices New Jersey's rules already require. This page explains what New Jersey actually requires, which CSQ standard fits your license, and where certification with Kiwa ASI adds value.
START HERE
Does New Jersey Require Cannabis Operators to Be GMP Certified?
No — New Jersey requires no accredited third-party GMP certificate. But GMP is far from optional for product manufacturers: the state's rules make good manufacturing practices mandatory, layer on its own retail food code and food-safety training, and require a Food Protection Manager certification. Here is the short version, and why CSQ still matters.
WHO REGULATES WHAT
One regulator: the CRC
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission licenses and regulates the entire market — cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, retail, and delivery — for both adult use (N.J.A.C. 17:30) and medical (N.J.A.C. 17:30A). It was created by the 2019 Jake Honig Act and expanded by the CREAMM Act in 2021. Ingestible manufacturing also answers to New Jersey's own retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24).
THE REQUIREMENT
GMP practices + food code, not a certificate
Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturers must follow good manufacturing practices (21 CFR Parts 110 and 210), meet New Jersey's retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24), hold a Food Protection Manager certification, train ingestible employees, and have every product lab-tested. No accredited third-party GMP certificate is required, and New Jersey names no private GMP standard.
WHERE CSQ FITS
Voluntary — accredited proof of what NJ expects
CSQ is an accredited (ISO/IEC 17065) cannabis-specific GMP certification. New Jersey doesn't require it, but it gives independent, audit-ready proof of the GMP practices New Jersey's rules already require — valuable for CRC inspection readiness, diligence, and multi-state operators.
What New Jersey actually requires
New Jersey runs an adult-use program under the Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (CREAMM Act) (N.J.S.A. 24:6I-31 et seq.; 2020 ballot Public Question 1; first adult-use retail sales April 21, 2022) and a medical program under the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act (N.J.S.A. 24:6I-1 et seq.). Both are regulated by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC), which was created by the 2019 Jake Honig Act to run the medical program and expanded by the CREAMM Act to cover adult use. Its adult-use rules are the Personal Use Cannabis Rules (N.J.A.C. 17:30).
For the Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer — the maker of edibles and infused products — food-safety GMP is the law. Products must be manufactured “in accordance with good manufacturing practices pursuant to 21 CFR Parts 110 and 210” (N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(a)5); the equipment used for ingestible products must meet New Jersey's own retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24) and the manufacturer must hold a Food Protection Manager certification (11.3(f)); and employees who make ingestibles must complete food-safety training (11.12(d)). Every product is tested by a CRC-licensed, ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory before release (17:30-18.5). What New Jersey does not do is require an accredited third-party GMP certificate — its rules name no private standard (no SQF, BRCGS, FSSC, ISO, or CSQ), and the GMP it references is the older federal cGMP (21 CFR Parts 110 and 210), not the FSMA parts (21 CFR 111 or 117) some other states use. GMP is verified by CRC licensing and inspection. So in New Jersey CSQ is voluntary: accredited, independent proof of the GMP practices New Jersey's rules already require.
FIND YOUR PATH
Match Your New Jersey License to the Right CSQ Standard
CSQ is voluntary in New Jersey, so this is about which scope fits if you pursue certification. Match your license class to the CSQ standard that fits; operators who hold more than one license can combine scopes into one coordinated audit with Kiwa ASI.
Class 1 Cannabis Cultivator
N.J.A.C. 17:30 · Class 1 · CRCSTANDARD
CSQ Cultivation v2.0.0
MINIMUM LEVEL
Level 1
PREP TIME
6–9 months
AUDIT LENGTH
~1 day onsite + 1 day offsite doc review (initial)
Cultivation licensed by the CRC. Foundation: cGACP (good agricultural and collection practices) plus cGMP, with the premises and sanitation rules of N.J.A.C. 17:30-10.1 and mandatory ISO/IEC 17025 lab testing.
Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer
N.J.A.C. 17:30-11 · Class 2 · CRCSTANDARD
CSQ Extraction / Manufacturing v2.0.0
MINIMUM LEVEL
Level 1
PREP TIME
6–9 months
AUDIT LENGTH
~1 day onsite + 1 day offsite doc review (initial)
The maker of edibles and infused products (extraction, infusion, packaging), selling to other licensees rather than consumers. This is where New Jersey's GMP mandate (21 CFR Parts 110 and 210), its retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24), the Food Protection Manager certification, and the symbol / serving rules bite hardest, and where CSQ maps most directly. CSQ items to watch: beverage-grade CO₂ (99.5%), food-grade non-denatured ethanol, allergen controls, and the per-serving “Not Safe for Kids” symbol stamp.
Class 5 Cannabis Retailer
N.J.A.C. 17:30 · Class 5 · CRCSTANDARD
CSQ Retail v1.0.0
MINIMUM LEVEL
Level 1
PREP TIME
4–6 months
AUDIT LENGTH
~1 day onsite + 1 day offsite doc review (initial)
Retail dispensaries selling to consumers. Built on cGHP (good handling practices) — storage, handling, inventory, seed-to-sale tracking in the Commission's current designated system (Metrc), and recall execution (N.J.A.C. 17:30-9.17).
Cannabis Testing Laboratory
N.J.A.C. 17:30-18.5 · ISO/IEC 17025STANDARD
ISO/IEC 17025
MINIMUM LEVEL
N/A
PREP TIME
Varies
AUDIT LENGTH
Per accreditation body
New Jersey requires cannabis testing by a CRC-licensed laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 (N.J.A.C. 17:30-18.5). CSQ does not certify testing labs; it requires them to be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited.
NEW JERSEY REQUIRES VS. CSQ GOES FURTHER
What's a State Rule, and What's a CSQ Best Practice?
New Jersey's regulations are the legal floor, enforced by CRC licensing and inspection and mandatory lab testing. CSQ is a voluntary published standard that documents GMP beyond that floor — and gives independent proof of the practices New Jersey's rules already require. Knowing which is which keeps you from over-buying or under-preparing.
What New Jersey requires (the legal floor)
- A CRC license for each cannabis business — adult-use CREAMM Act, N.J.S.A. 24:6I-31 et seq.; Personal Use Cannabis Rules, N.J.A.C. 17:30
- Good manufacturing practices for Class 2 manufacturers — “pursuant to 21 CFR Parts 110 and 210” — N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(a)5
- Compliance with New Jersey's own retail food code and a Food Protection Manager certification for ingestible equipment — N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.3(f); N.J.A.C. 8:24
- Food-safety training for employees who make ingestible products — N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(d)
- The state cannabis symbol (“Not Safe for Kids”) on packaging, and stamped on each serving of a multi-serving edible where practical — N.J.A.C. 17:30-16.6; N.J.S.A. 24:6I-35
- Edible THC limits: 100 mg per package, 10 mg per serving, 5 mg per single-serving beverage — N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.5
- Product testing by a CRC-licensed, ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory — N.J.A.C. 17:30-18.5
- A recall plan, and seed-to-sale tracking in the Commission's designated system — N.J.A.C. 17:30-9.17, 17:30-3.6
- No accredited third-party GMP certificate is required — New Jersey names no private GMP standard
What CSQ adds (voluntary best practice)
- An accredited (ISO/IEC 17065) cannabis GMP certification — independent, audit-ready proof beyond CRC inspection
- Built to meet the good manufacturing practices New Jersey requires (21 CFR Parts 110 and 210) and its retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24)
- A documented internal audit program (Section 1.5) and CAPA system (Section 1.6)
- An annual mock recall (Section 1.8) and verified traceability test — supporting the recall plan New Jersey requires (N.J.A.C. 17:30-9.17) and seed-to-sale tracking (17:30-3.6)
- Cannabinoid and non-cannabinoid waste streams kept completely separated (Section 2A.4 / 2B.4)
- Beverage-grade CO₂ (99.5%) for extraction — medical-grade is not acceptable
- Inhalation-grade ingredients for inhalable products (food-grade/GRAS is not sufficient)
- CRC inspection readiness, investor/lender/M&A diligence, multi-state standardization, and retail/buyer assurance
- A HACCP team and certified lead (Level 2 only — not a New Jersey requirement)
- What CSQ does not replace: the per-serving “Not Safe for Kids” symbol stamp (N.J.A.C. 17:30-16.6), the Food Protection Manager certification, and mandatory lab testing remain the operator's duty
Quick glossary — the terms that show up in a New Jersey CSQ audit
CRC (Cannabis Regulatory Commission)
New Jersey's single cannabis regulator — licenses and regulates the entire medical and adult-use market under N.J.A.C. 17:30 (adult use) and 17:30A (medical). Created by the 2019 Jake Honig Act and expanded by the CREAMM Act in 2021.
CREAMM Act
The Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (N.J.S.A. 24:6I-31 et seq.) — New Jersey's 2021 adult-use cannabis law; adult-use retail sales began April 21, 2022.
N.J.A.C. 17:30
The CRC's Personal Use Cannabis Rules — the operative source for manufacturing (Subchapter 11), sanitary, labeling, testing, and recall requirements. (Medical rules are at N.J.A.C. 17:30A.)
Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturer
The CRC license (N.J.A.C. 17:30-11) for making edibles and infused products — extraction, infusion, and packaging, sold to other licensees. The license where New Jersey's GMP and food-safety rules apply most directly.
21 CFR Parts 110 and 210
The federal good-manufacturing-practice frameworks New Jersey cross-references for cannabis manufacturing (N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(a)5) — the older, pre-FSMA cGMP (Part 110) plus the drug-cGMP umbrella (Part 210). New Jersey does not adopt the FSMA parts (21 CFR 111 or 117).
N.J.A.C. 8:24
New Jersey's own retail food establishment code (the state's adoption of the FDA Food Code). Ingestible-cannabis equipment and food-safety training cross-reference it.
Food Protection Manager certification
A person-level food-safety credential (ServSafe-style) that New Jersey requires of ingestible manufacturers (N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.3(f)) — a personnel qualification, not a facility or GMP certification.
ISO/IEC 17025
The competence standard for testing laboratories. New Jersey requires cannabis testing by a CRC-licensed laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 (N.J.A.C. 17:30-18.5). CSQ requires the labs it relies on to hold the same — it is not the same as ISO/IEC 17065.
ISO/IEC 17065
The accreditation standard for bodies that certify products and processes. CSQ is delivered by ASI Food Safety as an ISO/IEC 17065-accredited certification body — the basis for an independent, accredited GMP certificate.
THE AUDIT
What a CSQ Audit Actually Looks Like
A New Jersey CSQ audit is an onsite review of your quality management system against the standard that fits each activity you perform. Here is how scoring, findings, and timing work — followed by the technical mapping table for the people who want it.
Scoring (100-point scale)
How CSQ scores you and what it means for your certificate
| Score | Outcome | Surveillance Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| 80–100 | Certificate issued | Annual surveillance audit |
| 70–79 | Certificate issued | 6-month surveillance audit |
| Below 70 | No certificate | 6-month wait before re-audit |
Findings categories
CRITICAL · –100 POINTS
Auto-fail finding
Regulatory non-compliance, product safety risk, or foundational QMS breakdown. A single Critical finding fails the audit regardless of other scores.
MAJOR · –10 POINTS
Significant gap
Systemic failures or significant deviations from CSQ requirements — not an immediate safety risk but requires corrective action.
MINOR · –1 POINT
Isolated finding
Documentation gap, single-occurrence lapse, or correctable deviation that is not systemic.
Audit timing & certificate validity
What to expect onsite and on the calendar
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Level 1 audit | 1 day onsite + 0.5 day report time |
| Level 2 audit | 1.5 days onsite + 1 day report time |
| Level 3 audit | 2 days onsite + 1 day report time (unannounced window) |
| Initial audit add-on | +1 day for offsite documentation evaluation (all levels) |
| Corrective action window | 30 days to close nonconformities |
| Certificate validity | 1 year + 45 days from audit date |
| Provisional certificate | Available for new operations (valid 6 months) |
| Dietary Supplement Addendum | 4-hour minimum · Pass/Fail · separate report within 72 hours |
For consultants, internal compliance leads, and operators who want the section-by-section map between New Jersey's regulations and CSQ 2.0:
New Jersey cannabis rules and corresponding CSQ 2.0 sections
| Requirement | Citation | CSQ Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| CRC licensing (Class 1–6) | CREAMM Act, N.J.S.A. 24:6I-31 et seq.; N.J.A.C. 17:30 | Module 1 (CSQMS) + Section 1.3 (Regulatory Compliance) |
| Good manufacturing practices | N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(a)5 (21 CFR 110/210) | Module 2A (cGMP) + Section 3C (formulated / ingestible product controls) |
| Premises/sanitation; retail food code; Food Protection Manager | N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.1, 11.3(f) (+ N.J.A.C. 8:24) | Section 2A.1 (Facility) + Section 2A.3 (Cleaning and Sanitation) + Section 2A.13 (Personnel Requirements) |
| “Not Safe for Kids” symbol; per-serving marking; THC limits | N.J.A.C. 17:30-16.6, 11.5 | Section 2A.12.8 / 2B.11.6 (Product Labeling and Packaging) |
| CRC-licensed laboratory testing | N.J.A.C. 17:30-18.5 (ISO/IEC 17025) | Section 2A.12.9 / 2B.11.7 (Product Sampling and Testing) — CSQ requires ISO/IEC 17025 labs |
| Recall plan (Commission may order a recall) | N.J.A.C. 17:30-9.17 | Section 1.8 (Product Recalls and Withdrawals) + Section 1.6 (CAPA) |
| Seed-to-sale tracking (Commission's designated system) | N.J.A.C. 17:30-3.6 | Section 2A.10.1 / 2B.9.1 (Identification and Traceability) |
| Food-safety training for ingestible employees | N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(d) | Section 2A.3 (Cleaning and Sanitation) + Section 2A.13 (Personnel Requirements) |
How to Prepare | A Realistic Path to CSQ Certification
Because CSQ is voluntary in New Jersey, step one is deciding whether it earns its place for you. If it does, most operators need 4 to 9 months, depending on license class and scope, to be ready for an initial audit. Here is a sequence that works.
01
Decide whether CSQ is right for you
New Jersey doesn't require it, so weigh the value: CRC inspection readiness, investor / lender / M&A diligence, multi-state standardization, and retail or buyer assurance. Because New Jersey already makes good manufacturing practices the law for product manufacturers, CSQ mostly certifies what you are already doing. If those matter, CSQ is worth pursuing.
02
Confirm your CSQ standard and level
Match your license class — Class 1 cultivator, Class 2 manufacturer, Class 5 retailer — to its CSQ standard, and decide whether Level 1 is enough or you want Level 2/3. Write the answer down; it drives every other step.
03
Run a gap analysis
Compare your current state to the CSQ standard, mapped against New Jersey's rules (the good manufacturing practices of N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12, the premises and food-code requirements of 11.1 and 11.3(f), and the retail food code at N.J.A.C. 8:24). ASI Training and Consulting, LLC can deliver a structured gap analysis as a separate engagement from the certification body.
04
Build the QMS documentation
Extend the food-safety controls New Jersey already requires — sanitation, food-safety training, allergen controls, and your recall plan — into a full CSQ quality management system with SOPs, CAPA, internal audit, document control, and recall/traceability (supporting the recall plan New Jersey requires under N.J.A.C. 17:30-9.17 and seed-to-sale tracking under 17:30-3.6).
05
Address the cannabis-specific Critical items
The findings most likely to fail a first audit: CO₂ purity, ethanol grade, inhalation-grade ingredients, waste-stream separation, and route-of-administration risk assessments. Confirm your edibles carry the state cannabis symbol and, where practical, the per-serving mark on multi-serving products (N.J.A.C. 17:30-16.6) before the auditor arrives.
06
Train your team and run internal audits
Deliver competency-based, role-specific training on GMP, hygiene, PPE, allergen handling, and traceability. Then conduct a documented internal audit and an annual mock recall, and close nonconformities through CAPA.
07
Schedule your CSQ audit with Kiwa ASI
Schedule through Kiwa ASI in the CSQ Database. Allow time for the offsite documentation evaluation (1 day) plus the onsite audit (1–2 days depending on level). Request a quote to start.
Why New Jersey Operators Choose Kiwa ASI
Kiwa ASI brings nearly a century of food safety expertise and the global Kiwa network's footprint in 30+ countries to New Jersey — a large, dense East-Coast market where combined medicinal and adult-use sales passed $1 billion in 2024 and product manufacturing is CRC-regulated.
Accredited
ISO/IEC 17065 + CSQ-Licensed
Audits and certificates are issued by ASI Food Safety, LLC — an ISO/IEC 17065-accredited certification body licensed by CSQ.
Expertise
Food-grade rigor for cannabis
Our auditors are credentialed food safety, GMP, and HACCP professionals with cannabis-specific qualifications. Cannabis is being regulated like food. We've been doing food for decades.
Efficiency
Direct scheduling, no surprises
Pre-audit scoping clarifies level, scope, and Module 3 requirements before you're onsite. Audit reports are turned around inside the standard CSQ timeline.
Comprehensive
Training and consulting available
Pre-assessments and gap analyses are delivered by ASI Training and Consulting, LLC, a separate legal entity, kept structurally separate from the certification body to safeguard impartiality under ISO/IEC 17065.
Continuity
Surveillance, recertification, transfer
If you're already CSQ-certified through another body and the relationship isn't working, we accept transfer audits. Continuity matters as much as the initial certificate.
Partnership
Global Kiwa network
Operations in 30+ countries. Useful when a New Jersey operator expands into other state markets or builds an international supply chain.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Jersey Cannabis GMP & CSQ Certification
No. New Jersey does not mandate an accredited third-party GMP certificate, and it names no private GMP standard. But GMP is required of Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturers: products must be made in accordance with good manufacturing practices (21 CFR Parts 110 and 210) under N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.12(a)5, meet New Jersey's own retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24), and be produced by staff holding a Food Protection Manager certification and food-safety training. Every product is lab-tested. CSQ certification is voluntary: accredited, independent proof of that program.
Both. New Jersey has a medical program under the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act and an adult-use program under the CREAMM Act (from 2020 ballot Public Question 1); adult-use retail sales began April 21, 2022. Both are regulated by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) is the single regulator for both the medical and adult-use markets — cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, retail, and delivery — under N.J.A.C. 17:30 (adult use) and 17:30A (medical). The CRC was created by the 2019 Jake Honig Act and expanded by the CREAMM Act in 2021. Ingestible manufacturing also answers to New Jersey's own retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24).
Yes — as practices, not a certificate. Class 2 Cannabis Manufacturers must follow good manufacturing practices (21 CFR Parts 110 and 210), meet New Jersey's own retail food code (N.J.A.C. 8:24), hold a Food Protection Manager certification, and train ingestible employees. New Jersey verifies this through CRC licensing, inspection, and lab testing. Note that New Jersey references the older federal cGMP (Parts 110 and 210), not the FSMA parts (21 CFR 111 or 117) that some other states use.
No. GMP compliance is verified through CRC licensing, inspection, and mandatory lab testing — not by a required outside auditor. The testing laboratory tests the product; it does not certify the manufacturer's GMP program. A CSQ certificate is voluntary and does not replace CRC inspection or lab testing.
No. The Personal Use Cannabis Rules (N.J.A.C. 17:30) name no private food-safety or GMP standard for manufacturers — not CSQ, SQF, BRCGS, FSSC, or ISO 22000/22716. The one ISO standard New Jersey requires (ISO/IEC 17025) applies only to testing laboratories, not to manufacturers. CSQ is a voluntary, accredited option delivered by ASI Food Safety; it is built to meet — not to satisfy or replace — New Jersey's rules.
New Jersey requires the state cannabis symbol — the red-and-yellow “Not Safe for Kids” mark — on cannabis packaging (N.J.A.C. 17:30-16.6, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 24:6I-35), and, where practical, marked on each serving of a multi-serving edible. That per-serving marking is a manufacturing and mold constraint — a CSQ certificate does not discharge it. CSQ documents the controls around it, but the symbol duty remains the operator's.
For adult-use ingestibles, no more than 100 mg of active THC per package and 10 mg per single serving — and no more than 5 mg per single-serving beverage (N.J.A.C. 17:30-11.5). Where servings cannot be demarcated, the product may carry no more than 10 mg per unit of sale. New Jersey also bans edibles shaped like humans, animals, or fruit.
Class 1 cultivators use CSQ Cultivation v2.0.0; Class 2 manufacturers (edibles and infused products) use CSQ Extraction or Manufacturing v2.0.0; Class 5 retailers use CSQ Retail v1.0.0. Testing laboratories follow ISO/IEC 17025 (CSQ does not certify labs but requires ISO/IEC 17025). Kiwa ASI can combine scopes into one coordinated audit.
Because it turns the GMP practices New Jersey already requires into accredited, independent proof. The highest-value cases: CRC inspection readiness, investor / lender / M&A due diligence, a multi-state operator standardizing GMP across programs (including a harder-posture state like New York, which mandates a third-party GMP audit), and retail or buyer assurance — plus audit-ready records that support the recall plan and seed-to-sale tracking New Jersey requires. You are largely certifying work you already have to do.
Yes — but as separate legal entities to safeguard certification-body independence. CSQ certification audits are delivered by ASI Food Safety, LLC (the accredited certification body, ISO/IEC 17065 accredited and CSQ-licensed). Pre-assessments, gap analyses, training, and consulting are delivered by ASI Training and Consulting, LLC. The two operate independently to comply with ISO/IEC 17065 impartiality rules.