Bulletin summary (IL_IB_0026)
Metrc (Illinois) is updating how transport drivers are added to Transfer Manifests to better align with Illinois transporter licensing requirements. The change introduces an Employee ID validation step and reinforces correct use of the Transporter field so manifests reflect a properly validated transporter associated with the trip.
Bulletin: IL_IB_0026
Distribution date: 01/26/2026
Effective date: Ongoing
Subject: Creating Transfer Manifests with Transporter Licenses
What changed in Metrc Illinois transfer manifests
When you create a new Transfer Manifest in Metrc, you will now see an “Employee ID” field in the transfer window. This field is used to confirm that the employee you are assigning as the transporter/driver is actually a validated transporter for compliance purposes.
New Employee ID validation step
The Employee ID field is designed to validate the driver before the manifest is finalized. Operationally, this helps ensure that the person physically transporting cannabis is tied to the correct, state-issued transporter credentials.
- Enter the transporter’s Employee ID in the Employee ID field.
- Select Verify to validate the Employee ID.
- Confirm the verification indicator shows successful validation (Metrc displays a green checkmark when verified).
Correct use of the Transporter field (Transport #1)
Metrc also emphasizes that the Transport #1 field must contain only a transporter. In practice, this means your manifest should reflect the properly validated transporter identity for the trip, rather than a non-transporter employee or an incorrect selection.
Why Illinois operators should care
This update is more than a UI change—it impacts day-to-day shipping, receiving, and audit readiness in Illinois.
Practical implications for daily operations
- Fewer compliance gaps at dispatch: Verifying the Employee ID before transport reduces the risk of assigning a driver who is not validated as a transporter.
- Cleaner manifests for inspections: During roadside checks or facility audits, the manifest is more likely to align with Illinois expectations for transporter identification and licensing.
- Less rework and fewer delays: Catching transporter issues at manifest creation helps avoid last-minute trip disruptions, rejected shipments, or internal corrections after the fact.
- Clearer internal accountability: Tying the trip to a validated transporter improves traceability if questions arise about chain of custody.
Operational guidance: how to implement smoothly
To keep transfers moving, align your internal SOPs with the new validation behavior:
- Ensure transporter employees are properly set up so their Employee ID can be verified in Metrc before dispatch.
- Train dispatch/shipping staff to treat Employee ID verification as part of the normal manifest-creation workflow.
- Confirm the person selected in Transport #1 is a transporter (not a general employee record that lacks transporter validation).
Labeling note: support Metrc Retail ID compliance
While this bulletin focuses on manifest creation and transporter validation, strong compliance programs also reduce downstream issues by keeping packaging and retail labeling aligned with Metrc identifiers.
DistruLabels is a 100% free tool for creating compliant packaging and retail labels. It helps teams print consistent labels that support Metrc Retail ID workflows—reducing mislabels, reprints, and preventable compliance exposure when products move from inventory to retail-ready status.
For larger, multi-department operations that need deeper operational control beyond labeling, DistruERP is Distru’s comprehensive Cannabis ERP platform designed for complete supply chain management, including inventory, purchasing, sales operations, and compliance-focused workflows.
Metrc support and training resources
Metrc Support portal
For help troubleshooting Employee ID verification or transporter selection issues, use the Metrc Support portal at https://support.metrc.com. You can also access it from within Metrc by clicking Support, which redirects to the portal.
If it’s your first time using the portal, be prepared to provide a username (created when logging in), your state, your facility license number, and a valid email address to set a password.
Metrc Learn training
Metrc Learn provides interactive training to improve system proficiency and workflow efficiency. Access it at https://learn.metrc.com.
- From within Metrc: Open the Support drop-down menu and select Sign up for Training.
- From the Metrc website: Visit your state’s partner page and look for Metrc’s Training Resources.
Metrc Expert knowledge base
Inside Metrc, click the widget icon in the lower right corner to open Metrc Expert and search for help content related to transfer manifests, transporter fields, and Illinois workflow changes.
