Submitting a Statement of Deficiencies Response & Required Documentation

A licensee must receive a letter from the department to submit a deficiency response.

After an inspection is completed, the licensee will receive a Deficiency Report letter from the Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division. If no deficiencies are identified, a report will still be issued, but there will be no deficiencies noted.

The licensee is required to respond to the deficiencies through a Statement of Deficiencies Response application via the TransAction Portal (TAP). Completion of this application must be within 10 days of receipt of the report.

If a response from the licensee is not received within the 10 days, the department will assume that the deficiencies have not been corrected. Failure to correct all deficiencies and submit required materials in a timely manner may result in potential department action.

Response Requirements

  • The licensee is required to respond to each deficiency and submit the response application in the TransAction Portal (TAP).
  • Each deficiency must be responded to, and supporting documentation must be uploaded with a detailed description to easily identify the deficiency being addressed.
  • To support the claim that each deficiency has been corrected, the licensee will submit documentation in the form of photos, documents, or other attachments within the application.
  • A follow-up inspection may be completed to verify the licensee's Plan of Correction.

Instructions

Please note: Your online session will time out after 45 minutes of inactivity. Please save your work if you will be away from your computer.

  1. Log in to your TAP account.
  2. In the Cannabis License section, click on More…
    Cannabis License section of TAP listing the links Make a Payment, New Cannabis License, View Sites, Application Summaries, and Payments, and More.
  3. Under the Account Options, select “Submit a Statement of Deficiencies Response.” (This will only appear after the Deficiency Report letter has been issued.)
    Account Options panel for account-specific forms and applications, with the link Submit a Statement of Deficiencies Response highlighted.
  4. Enter the Letter ID from the Deficiency Report letter and click Next.
    Letter ID step of the application, prompting you to enter the letter ID from your deficiency letter, with a required Letter ID field and Cancel, Save Draft, Previous, and Next buttons.(opens full-size image)
  5. Confirm the Licensee, DBA (if stated), Letter Date, and Letter ID information is correct. There are instructions and information for assistance if needed as well. For guidance, contact your inspector or the Education Specialists.
    Statement of Deficiencies Response screen showing Licensee, DBA, Letter Date, and Letter ID fields, followed by response instructions, the 10-day submission requirement, and division contact information.(opens full-size image)
  6. Each deficiency cited will appear numbered. These numbers are the same as the letter sent. (Hint: have a copy of the letter available to reference, and for the notes pertaining to each deficiency.)
    Responses screen listing each cited deficiency with its number, category, site ID, citation, description of deficiency, and a required Date Corrected field; the Responses and No. 1 tabs show alert icons.(opens full-size image)
  7. Each deficiency must be responded to. When you select the deficiency number, the deficiency cited will be at the top. Below is the Number, Category, Site ID (multiple sites might be cited), Inspector, Inspection Date, Address, Citation Number, Description of Deficiency, Date Corrected, and Response/Steps taken to correct.
    Deficiency response form showing the citation and description of deficiency, a Notes/Deficiencies/Comments box, and the required Date Corrected and Response/Steps taken to correct fields highlighted.(opens full-size image)
  8. You can go back to “Responses” to review each deficiency and the date you chose for when it was corrected. If you would like to go back to that specific deficiency, you can click on the pencil icon pencil icon to be directed back to the response.
    Responses screen with the Responses tab and the pencil icon next to a deficiency highlighted.(opens full-size image)
  9. Once you have addressed each deficiency, click “Next” to move on to uploading documents.
    Button bar at the bottom of the Responses screen with the Next button highlighted next to Cancel, Save Draft, and Previous.(opens full-size image)
  10. Here you will upload documents to support your corrected deficiencies. You will click on “Supporting Documents (Deficiency Response)” or “Add” to upload each document.
    Attachments screen with upload instructions, attachment tips, and a Required Attachments table containing the item Supporting Documents (Deficiency Response).(opens full-size image)
  11. In the description for the attachment, state the deficiency number the file is referring to. If multiple files are being uploaded for one deficiency, number each one in the description as well. Example below:
    Select a file to attach dialog with the Type set to Supporting Documents (Deficiency Response), a required Description field reading No. 1 – 1 of 3, and a Choose Files button.
  12. To submit video files, licensees must use the Montana File Transfer Service. For instructions on how to submit files through the Montana File Transfer Service, go to https://transfer.mt.gov/Home/Instructions. The files that can be sent are below:
    • Windows Media Formats (.asf, .wma, .wmv, .wm)
    • Audio Visual Interleave (.avi)
    • Moving Pictures Experts Group (.mpg, .mpeg, .m1v, .mp2, .mp3, .mpa, .mpe, .m3u)
    • MP4 Video file (.mp4, .m4v, .mp4v, .3g2, .3gp2, .3gp, .3gpp)
  13. Once all the supporting documents have been uploaded, click “Next” to affirm, sign, and submit your deficiency response.
    Affirmation and Signature screen with a declaration statement, an agreement checkbox, a required Full Name field, the date, and the Next button highlighted.(opens full-size image)
  14. Click “Submit” to submit your deficiency response(s).
    Confirm Submission screen stating the application will be sent to the Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division and that changes cannot be made after processing, with the Submit button highlighted.(opens full-size image)
  15. To view your responses after you have submitted, click “More…” from the top options and click on “Search Submissions.”
    TAP menu bar with More and the Search Submissions link in the Submissions panel highlighted.(opens full-size image)
  16. Then you will click on the title of the submission. No changes can be made once you have submitted your deficiency responses.
    Submissions screen on the Pending tab with the Cannabis Statement of Deficiency Response submission title highlighted.(opens full-size image)
  17. If you cannot complete your deficiency responses in one session, you can save a draft and complete it later. To save, click “Save Draft” at the bottom of the screen.
    Button bar at the bottom of the screen with the Save Draft button highlighted next to Cancel, Previous, and Next.(opens full-size image)
  18. To access saved drafts, click on “More…” at the top of the main screen and click on “Search Submissions.”
    TAP menu bar with More selected, showing the Submissions panel with a Search Submissions link.(opens full-size image)
  19. On the “Draft” tab, confirm that the confirmation number is the same one provided when you saved the draft. Click on the title of the submission to access your saved deficiency response.
    Submissions screen on the Draft tab listing a saved Cannabis Statement of Deficiency Response, with the Confirmation Number column highlighted.(opens full-size image)
  20. Click “Continue Editing” to continue working on your draft application.
    Saved draft screen for the Cannabis Statement of Deficiency Response showing the confirmation number, with the Continue Editing links highlighted.(opens full-size image)
  21. Your deficiency response will be submitted to the Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division for review. A Deficiency Follow-up letter will be sent to address each deficiency that was resolved or unresolved. Once the follow-up letter is sent, you cannot submit any more responses or changes to the deficiencies cited.

Additional Resources