Licensed Dispensary in Queens
Terp Bros NYC is a licensed dispensary in Queens operating two locations under New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) CAURD licenses: the Astoria store at 36-10 Ditmars Blvd (license OCM-CAURD-23-000020) and the Ozone Park store at 135-26 Cross Bay Blvd (license OCM-CAURD-25-000294). Both are state-authorized adult-use retailers, so every product is lab-tested and tracked seed-to-sale. You can confirm either license yourself at cannabis.ny.gov, and we walk you through exactly how below.
If you have ever wondered whether the shop you are buying from is actually legal, this page is for you. Buying from a licensed dispensary in Queens is not just a formality. It is the difference between regulated, tested cannabis and a gray-market product that nobody is accountable for.
What Makes Terp Bros a Licensed Dispensary in Queens?
Terp Bros holds two active CAURD licenses issued directly by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management. The Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program was New York's first wave of legal adult-use retail licenses, and Terp Bros was an early Queens recipient.
Here are the two license numbers, stated plainly so you can verify them:
- Astoria - 36-10 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105 - license OCM-CAURD-23-000020
- Ozone Park - 135-26 Cross Bay Blvd, Ozone Park, NY 11417 - license OCM-CAURD-25-000294
Both stores are run by founders Al Cottone and Jeremy Rivera, who built Terp Bros as a Queens-born, community-anchored operation. The Astoria flagship sits a short walk from the Astoria-Ditmars Blvd N/W subway terminal. The Ozone Park store is about five minutes from JFK and near Resorts World and Aqueduct. You can browse either inventory on our menu or read more about each shop on the Queens dispensary overview.
A license number is not just a badge on the wall. It ties the business to a state regulatory record that anyone can look up, which means you never have to take our word for it.
How Do I Verify Any Dispensary's License at cannabis.ny.gov?
New York requires legal dispensaries to be listed with the Office of Cannabis Management, and the state publishes a free public verification tool so consumers can confirm a shop is licensed before they buy. You can check Terp Bros, or any other dispensary in Queens, in under a minute.
Follow these steps:
- Go to the official source. Open cannabis.ny.gov in your browser. This is New York's Office of Cannabis Management - the only authority that issues adult-use retail licenses in the state.
- Open the dispensary verification tool. From the OCM site, navigate to the licensing/verification section (the state also distributes a "Cannabis NY" consumer verification resource). Look for the tool that lets you check a dispensary by name, address, or license number.
- Search the shop. Enter the business name, the street address, or the license number. For Terp Bros you can search "Terp Bros," the Ditmars Blvd or Cross Bay Blvd address, or paste a license number directly.
- Match the result. A legitimate listing will show an active OCM license tied to that exact address. Confirm the license number on screen matches the one posted in the store - for our Astoria location that is OCM-CAURD-23-000020, and for Ozone Park it is OCM-CAURD-25-000294.
- Look for the in-store placard. Every licensed New York dispensary is required to display its license and the state-issued verification placard at the entrance. The placard typically carries a QR code or short link back to the OCM verification page. No placard, no listing, no sale - walk away.
If a shop's address does not return an active license, or the number on the wall does not match the state record, that location is operating outside the law. The OCM verification tool is the single fastest way to separate a legal dispensary from an illicit one.
Why Does Buying From a Licensed Dispensary Actually Matter?
A licensed dispensary in Queens is regulated end to end - products are independently lab-tested, taxes are paid, inventory is tracked seed-to-sale, and you have real legal recourse if something goes wrong. None of that exists at an unlicensed seller.
Here is what the license guarantees, point by point:
- Lab-tested under NY OCM rules. Every product sold at a licensed dispensary must pass independent laboratory testing for potency and contaminants under Office of Cannabis Management requirements. You know what is in the package because the state mandates it.
- Tax-paid and accountable. Legal dispensaries collect and remit state and local cannabis taxes. That revenue funds the regulatory system that protects you, and it means the business has a verifiable paper trail.
- Seed-to-sale tracking via BioTrack. New York uses a BioTrack seed-to-sale tracking system so every regulated product can be traced from cultivator to the shelf. If a product is ever recalled, the state can find it. An untracked product cannot be recalled because nobody knows where it came from.
- Real recourse. If you have a problem with a product from a licensed dispensary, there is an actual licensee, an actual license, and an actual regulator standing behind it. With an unlicensed seller, there is no one to hold accountable and nothing to verify.
By contrast, unlicensed sellers operate entirely outside this system. Their products are untested, their potency claims are unverified, and there is no recall mechanism, no tax accountability, and no legal protection for the buyer. Under New York law, selling cannabis without an OCM license is illegal, and those operations carry every risk that the regulated market is designed to remove.
The Legal-vs-Illicit Quick Checklist
Before you buy anywhere in Queens, run this quick check. A legal dispensary passes all of it. An illicit shop fails at least one.
A licensed dispensary will:
- Display an active OCM license number and the state verification placard at the entrance
- Appear in the official cannabis.ny.gov verification tool at that exact address
- Check valid government photo ID and only sell to adults 21 and older
- Sell only lab-tested, packaged, seed-to-sale-tracked products
- Provide a real receipt and collect cannabis tax
An unlicensed seller will typically:
- Have no verifiable OCM license or no placard
- Not appear in the state verification tool, or list a mismatched address
- Sell loose, untested, or unlabeled product
- Skip ID checks or sell to anyone
- Operate from a smoke shop, bodega, or pop-up claiming to sell "legal" weed without a license
When in doubt, verify first. It takes under a minute and it is the only reliable way to know.
What Are the Current New York Cannabis Laws I Should Know?
Under New York's Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), adults 21 and older may legally possess and purchase cannabis, but only from OCM-licensed retailers. Unlicensed sales are illegal.
The current statewide rules, per the Office of Cannabis Management and the MRTA:
- Age: You must be 21 or older with valid government-issued photo ID to purchase.
- Possession: Adults 21+ may possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis flower and up to 24 grams of concentrated cannabis on their person.
- Where to buy: Adult-use cannabis may be purchased only from OCM-licensed dispensaries. Buying from an unlicensed seller is not a legal purchase, and selling without a license is illegal in New York.
These limits and rules apply everywhere in New York State, including Queens. For a deeper breakdown of the law, see our NY cannabis laws guide. Laws change - verify at cannabis.ny.gov.
Is Terp Bros a licensed dispensary in Queens? Yes. Terp Bros holds two active New York OCM CAURD licenses: Astoria is OCM-CAURD-23-000020 and Ozone Park is OCM-CAURD-25-000294. You can confirm both at cannabis.ny.gov.
How do I verify a dispensary's license in New York? Go to cannabis.ny.gov, open the Office of Cannabis Management dispensary verification tool, and search by the shop's name, address, or license number. A legal dispensary returns an active license tied to that exact address. Licensed stores must also display the license and verification placard at the entrance.
What is a CAURD license? CAURD stands for Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary. It was New York's first round of legal adult-use cannabis retail licenses, issued by the Office of Cannabis Management. A CAURD license authorizes a business to legally sell adult-use cannabis in New York.
Why should I buy from a licensed dispensary instead of an unlicensed shop? Licensed dispensaries sell only lab-tested products, pay cannabis taxes, track inventory seed-to-sale through BioTrack, and give you real legal recourse. Unlicensed sellers offer none of that, and selling cannabis without an OCM license is illegal in New York.
How can I tell if a dispensary is illegal? If a shop has no OCM license number, no state verification placard, does not appear in the cannabis.ny.gov verification tool, sells unlabeled or untested product, or skips ID checks, it is operating illegally. Verify before you buy.
How much cannabis can I legally possess in New York? Adults 21 and older may possess up to 3 ounces of cannabis flower and up to 24 grams of concentrated cannabis on their person, per New York's MRTA. Laws change - verify at cannabis.ny.gov.
Do I need ID to buy at Terp Bros? Yes. New York law requires valid government-issued photo ID proving you are 21 or older. We check ID at both locations and for delivery.
Are Terp Bros products lab-tested? Yes. As a licensed New York dispensary, every product we sell is independently lab-tested and tracked seed-to-sale under Office of Cannabis Management requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Terp Bros a licensed dispensary in Queens?
How do I verify a dispensary's license in New York?
What is a CAURD license?
Why should I buy from a licensed dispensary instead of an unlicensed shop?
How can I tell if a dispensary is illegal?
How much cannabis can I legally possess in New York?
Do I need ID to buy at Terp Bros?
Are Terp Bros products lab-tested?
Ready When You Are
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Two licensed Queens dispensaries. Same-day delivery across the borough. Tap your spot.