Contents
- Is METRC Down Right Now?
- How to Check METRC Status
- Why METRC Goes Down
- Compliant Manual Logging Checklist
- Reconciling Records Once METRC Returns
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ready to Reconcile Your Records
Is METRC Down? How to Check Right Now
If you're asking "is METRC down," there's no public live status page to check, unlike a typical cloud service's dashboard. To find out right now, try the METRC login page first. Then check the METRC support portal and current METRC bulletins for a posted outage notice. Whether you run a storefront dispensary or a delivery operation, the steps below are the same.
Keeping continuous seed-to-sale records (tracking cannabis from cultivation to sale in one system) matters because regulators require it. In Illinois, licensed cannabis businesses must use the state's seed-to-sale tracking system to monitor products from cultivation through retail sale. In Massachusetts, regulators require every licensed marijuana establishment and medical marijuana treatment center to maintain a seed-to-sale tracking system.
Rules vary by state, so confirm your own state's requirement with your regulator. Knowing whether you're facing an outage or a login problem also saves time, since the fix for each is different.
How to Check If METRC Is Down Right Now
Start with the METRC login page and try to log in as you normally would. Two signs point to a system-wide outage rather than an account problem. The page does not load at all, or it returns a system error instead of a normal rejected-password message.
Try a different browser or device first, in case the problem is local to you rather than METRC itself.
Next, look at the login page for a maintenance notice or banner. A posted notice usually confirms planned work, not a problem with your account.
If the login page gives no answer, check the METRC support portal and METRC bulletins next. A posted outage notice in either place confirms a system-wide problem, not an issue limited to your account.
How to Reach METRC Support Directly
METRC also runs a support portal and other official channels for login and account help. Contact details change, so check METRC's own support page for the current support email address and phone number before you reach out. Have your license or facility details ready too, since account-specific issues are usually resolved faster with that information on hand.
Why METRC Goes Down: Maintenance Windows, Version Updates and API Issues
An outage like this usually comes down to one of a few common technical causes. A scheduled maintenance window is planned downtime for updates or repairs. Many support teams post this kind of planned downtime in bulletins ahead of time, so check METRC's bulletins first if you suspect it.
A version update is a change to METRC's own software, which can require a restart. It can also bring new features or compliance changes, so check METRC's bulletins if something in your workflow looks different afterward.
An API (the technical connection that lets outside software, like a dispensary POS, exchange data with METRC) issue means that connection breaks down. When this happens, you may be unable to sync your POS with METRC even though the METRC website itself still loads normally.
This kind of partial outage still lets you sell through your POS even though METRC itself cannot update. Treat each sale the same way you would during a full outage. Log it in your backup log using the checklist below, then enter it in METRC once the connection is restored.
What to Do While METRC Is Down: Compliant Manual Logging Checklist
If METRC is down and you still need to record a sale or transfer, write it down right away in a backup log instead of waiting. Note each entry's source tag, package ID and full transaction detail so you can enter it correctly once METRC is back online.
- Source tag: where the product came from, such as the cultivator, processor or transferring licensee.
- Package ID: the specific package or batch number on the product label.
- Transaction detail: the type of sale or transfer, the quantity, the price and the date and time.
For example: the source tag might read the cultivator or licensee the product came from. The package ID is the batch or package number on the label. The transaction detail covers the type of sale, the quantity, the price, and the date and time. Fill in your own real values for each field, not placeholders.
As of April 2025, Michigan's cannabis regulator required licensees to record transfers and transactions outside METRC while it is unavailable. They had to use their own third-party system or a stand-alone tracking system instead. This is Michigan's rule. Confirm your own state's requirement with your regulator before you rely on it.
A dispensary POS (the software your staff use at checkout) already tracks what you have in stock through its inventory management tools. That gives you a place to log the sale the moment it happens, even while METRC is unreachable.
Assign one person per shift to keep the backup log consistent, so multiple staff are not creating separate, conflicting versions.
Reconciling Your Records Once METRC Is Back Online
Transaction reconciliation means matching your manual backup log against METRC's records once the system is back online, entry by entry, until the two match.
Work through your backup log from the earliest entry to the most recent. Enter every sale and transfer you recorded during the outage so your METRC record matches what actually happened.
Michigan requires licensees to enter all the transfer and transaction information they recorded manually into METRC within 24 hours of the system being restored. Confirm your own state's reconciliation deadline with your regulator rather than assuming the same window applies to you.
If you cannot finish reconciling before your state's deadline, contact your regulator right away and explain why. Document the reason for the delay in your backup log so you have a clear record if they ask.
If any entry in your backup log is missing a detail, such as a package ID, check it against your own POS or inventory records before you enter it into METRC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does METRC stand for?
METRC is the seed-to-sale tracking system some states require licensed cannabis businesses to use, tracking inventory from cultivation through retail sale. Massachusetts requires every licensed marijuana business and treatment center to maintain this kind of tracking system. See the explainer on what METRC is and how it tracks cannabis compliance.
How do I tell a METRC outage apart from a login or account problem?
An outage affects the whole system, so look for a notice on the METRC support portal or in current METRC bulletins. A login problem usually affects only your account, for example a wrong password or a locked login. Confirm with a coworker before assuming a wider outage.
| Signal | System-wide outage | Account or login problem |
|---|---|---|
| Where it shows up | METRC support portal or bulletins | Only on your own login attempt |
| Who else is affected | Other licensees too | Usually just your account |
| Likely cause | Maintenance window, version update or API issue | Wrong password or locked account |
Use this table as a quick check before you call support. If every signal points to a wider problem, the issue is very likely on METRC's side, not yours.
What should I do if METRC goes down during a busy period?
Follow the same backup log steps you would use for any outage. Record the source tag, package ID and transaction detail for every sale as it happens. Assign one person to keep the log consistent so service does not slow down while demand is high.
Ready to Reconcile? Let a Compliant POS Record Do the Work
WebJoint's cannabis POS runs compliant checkout, real-time inventory and METRC integration in one system. It also handles METRC package intake, purchase limit enforcement, METRC sales delivery manifests and inventory adjustments synced to METRC.
WebJoint integrates with METRC, BioTrack, Leaf Data and other state-mandated seed-to-sale systems, so the record stays useful whatever system your state requires. WebJoint serves licensed dispensary and delivery operators across the United States. That record is what you check against your manual backup log once METRC is back online. It is also what you reconcile from after any outage, whether the cause is a short maintenance window or a longer system issue.
See how compliant checkout and METRC integration work inside a dispensary POS, or read how POS-to-METRC integration runs day to day. Book a Demo with WebJoint to see it on your own inventory.