State officials will be hosting five sessions in September to explain the online license application process for recreational marijuana business owners.

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency plans to begin accepting business license applications Nov. 1. It’s the first step to launching a regulated commercial marijuana market in Michigan that will come nearly a year after the voter-approved law took effect in December 2018.

To prepare interested and prospective business owners for what to expect, regulators will be demonstrating how the online application works.

Participants have to register in advance for the events, and they are not open to the general public. The free sessions are expected to last three hours.

Here are the events:

Detroit

WHEN 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 5

WHERE Cadillac Place, Room L-1503044, W. Grand Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48202

REGISTER https://bit.ly/MRA-DET

Saginaw

WHEN 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12

WHERE RC Zauel Memorial Library, Dr. Kurumety Meeting Room, 3100 N. Center Rd., Saginaw, MI 48604

REGISTER https://bit.ly/MRA-SAG

Kalamazoo

WHEN 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 19

WHERE Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S. Rose St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007

REGISTER https://bit.ly/MRA-KAL

Lansing

WHEN 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26

WHERE G. Mennen Williams Building, 525 W. Ottawa St., Lansing, MI 48933

REGISTER https://bit.ly/MRA-LAN

Traverse City

WHEN 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30

WHERE Traverse Area District Library, 610 Woodmere Ave., Traverse City, MI 49686

REGISTER https://bit.ly/MRA-TC

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency will be posting more information about applications for recreational marijuana business license applications online at www.michigan.gov/MRA. Questions about adult-use marijuana business licenses can be directed to the department by email to MRA-Adult-Use-Marijuana@michigan.govor or by phone at 517-284-8599.

A state license is necessary to operate any kind of marijuana business in Michigan. Licensing fees start at $4,000 and top out at $40,000, depending on the type of business.

Under state law, for the first two years of the recreational marijuana program, only business owners that hold a medical marijuana provisioning center license will be allowed to apply for a retailer license in the adult-use market. That’s true for some other license types -- including large-scale grow operations, processors and transportation companies.

Residents of 19 Michigan cities who are seeking to open a recreational marijuana business could qualify for a new discount on their license and application fees, under a social equity program state officials announced earlier this summer.

-- Amy Biolchini is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact her with questions, tips or comments at abiolch1@mlive.com. Read more from MLive about medical and recreational marijuana.