Arizona Cannabis Laws: Adult Use, Home Grow, $150 Medical Card and Dispensary Licenses

The historic Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix with a copper dome behind flagpoles, palms and desert plants — The Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix. Photo by David Jiang via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized.

Last verified November 13, 2026. Facts come from the agency or source linked on this page. Where sources conflict or we could not confirm something, we say so.

Adult-Use Rules Under Proposition 207
The Arizona Medical Marijuana Program
Open a Dispensary
Timeline
FAQ
Related Reading

Arizona at a Glance

Adult UseLegal for adults 21 and older under Proposition 207.

Possession Limit1 ounce, with up to 5 grams of that as concentrate, per secondary sources.

Home Grow6 plants per adult at a primary residence, with a 12 plant cap per residence, in a locked space out of public view.

Medical Card$150, or $75 if SNAP-eligible, and $200 for a caregiver, per ADHS. Cards are valid for two years.

Dispensary LicenseSources disagree: $25,000 application with a $5,000 renewal in the rules, or $5,000 plus $25,000 in several guides.

Arizona Medical Card Checklist

Get a physician certification for a qualifying condition.
Apply through the ADHS portal and pay $150, or $75 if you are SNAP-eligible with documentation.
If you need a caregiver, they apply separately and pay $200.
Note your two-year expiration. Renewal opens 90 days before and must be submitted at least 30 days before.
Do not let the card lapse, because a lapsed card needs a new application.

Card Cost Planner

Add up card fees over the years you plan to hold a Arizona card.

Years you plan to hold a card I am SNAP-eligible

Renewal Date Finder

Enter your approval date to estimate when it expires.

Approval date

Adult-Use Rules Under Proposition 207

Arizona voters approved Proposition 207 in 2020. The figures below come from secondary sources that agree with each other, so confirm them in the statute or on the Arizona Department of Health Services site before you rely on them.

Possession: adults 21 and older may possess up to 1 ounce, and up to 5 grams of that can be concentrate.
Home grow: each adult 21 and older may grow up to 6 plants at a primary residence, with no more than 12 plants at one residence when two or more adults live there.
Security: plants must be in an enclosed area secured by a lock or other device that prevents access by minors, and they must not be visible from public view.
Landlords: Proposition 207 lets property owners and landlords prohibit cultivation on their property.

A proposed repeal of most of the commercial market, I-04-2026, was filed in December 2025 and abandoned in May 2026, according to Drug Policy Watch. It will not appear on the ballot. Home cultivation would have stayed legal either way.

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Program

The Arizona Department of Health Services runs the medical program. Its rules in 9 A.A.C. 17 and state statute set registry cards to expire two years after issuance. The fee is $150 for a qualifying patient and $75 for a SNAP-eligible patient who submits documentation. The renewal fact sheet lists $150 for a patient renewal and $200 for a designated caregiver. Card fees are non-refundable.

ADHS says the renewal application is available 90 days before the card expires, and the rules require renewal materials at least 30 calendar days before expiration.
A card that lapses is no longer valid, and a patient who misses the date needs a new application for both the patient and the caregiver.
A caregiver card stays active until its own expiration when the patient renews early. If the patient's card lapses, the caregiver card is voided.

Older rule versions said one year and a 2015 ADHS report described yearly renewal, so older guides may be out of date. Fees may have changed since the documents we reviewed, so confirm on the ADHS portal. A 2018 bill summary proposed a $50 fee, and we found no sign it was enacted.

Opening a Dispensary in Arizona

Confirm availability Regulator: Arizona Department of Health Services, Medical Marijuana

Arizona's fee figures conflict. The rules in 9 A.A.C. 18 list a $25,000 nonrefundable initial application fee for a marijuana establishment license and a $5,000 renewal fee, from an unofficial ADHS document effective Nov. 1, 2024. Several 2025 and 2026 guides say instead $5,000 to apply plus $25,000 for the license, totaling $30,000. The ADHS medical dispensary rules list a separate $4,000 registration fee and $1,000 renewal. Social equity applicants had their own program: 26 licenses were awarded by lottery in 2022, with application fees reported at $4,000, so new social equity applications are not open. We found no transfer fee, only $2,500 for a location change and $2,500 for adding a cultivation site. One source says original social equity licenses can be transferred in some conditions under SB 1262 from 2024, and that transfers often sell for seven-figure premiums on the secondary market.

License	Application Fee	License Fee	Renewal	Notes
Adult-use marijuana establishment	$25,000 in the rules, or $5,000 in several guides	$25,000 in several guides	$5,000 in the rules	Sources conflict. Check the current 9 A.A.C. 18 text.
Medical dispensary registration	$4,000	Not applicable	$1,000	From the ADHS medical marijuana rules.

What to Plan For

Social equity licenses were awarded in 2022, so that route is closed.
Location changes cost $2,500 and adding a cultivation site costs $2,500.
Secondary-market transfers can sell for large premiums, so a legal review matters.

Startup Budget Planner

The sourced state fees are filled in. Enter your own quotes for the rest. We do not estimate build-out or inventory because they vary by site and operator.

Marijuana establishment initial fees (range of reported figures): $25,000 to $30,000
$25,000 in the rules text, $30,000 in guides that add a $5,000 application and $25,000 license.

Lease deposit and build-outSecurity and technologyOpening inventoryInsurance and legalWorking capitalLocal permits and fees

Fees are only part of the cost. Federal law still applies to cannabis businesses, so talk to a cannabis attorney and an accountant before you commit money. Fee figures come from the sources below and change, so confirm them with the regulator. Related reading: CannaWize Business Desk, 280E and Schedule III for Cannabis Businesses, Cannabis Banking Costs and the GAO Report, Licensing Lawsuits and State Markets.

Business sources:

How Arizona Compares


Arizona	Legal	Active	$150 per two years	2 years	Fees disputed
Arkansas	Not legal	Active	$50 per year	1 year	$7,500 + $15,000
California	Legal	Optional county card	Varies by county	Varies	$1,000 + $2,500 to $96,000
Colorado	Legal	Active	$52 per year	1 year	About $3,120 state + local
Florida	Not legal	Active	$75 per year	1 year	No window open (Oct. 2026 guide)
Georgia	Not legal	Active	$75 from Dec. 5, 2026	Not stated	$5,000 + tiered fees
Illinois	Legal	Active	$50 per year	1 to 3 years	$5,000 + $60,000
Louisiana	Not legal	Active	Not found	Up to 12 months	$22,500 per year (disputed)
Massachusetts	Legal	Active	Free registration	Not stated	$1,500 + $10,000
Michigan	Legal	Active	$40 per two years	2 years	$3,000 + $15,000
Missouri	Legal	Active	$28.92 renewal per three years	3 years	Microbusiness lottery, about $1,637
New Jersey	Legal	Active	Free digital, $10 printed	2 years	Conditional route, $1,000 up front
New Mexico	Legal	Active	No state fee (reported)	Not stated	$2,500 per year (reported)
New York	Legal	Active	No state fee	Not stated	$1,000 + $7,000
North Carolina	Not legal	None	No program	Not applicable	No state license
Ohio	Legal	Active	No state fee per Division FAQ	1 year	Capped at 400
Oklahoma	Not legal	Active	$100 per two years	2 years	Moratorium to Aug. 1, 2028
Pennsylvania	Not legal	Active	$50 per year	Up to 1 year	Closed per one 2026 guide
Texas	Not legal	Active	See guide	See guide	See guide
Virginia	Legal, no stores yet	Active	$50 per year	Up to 1 year	Opens Feb. 1, 2027 (draft)

Arizona Cannabis Timeline

2020Voters approve Proposition 207.
202226 social equity dispensary licenses are awarded by lottery.
Nov. 1, 2024Effective date of the ADHS rule versions we reviewed.
Dec. 2025A repeal measure, I-04-2026, is filed.
May 2026The repeal measure is abandoned and will not reach the ballot.

Arizona Cannabis Bills

Dead SB 1725: Nuisance offense for detectable smoking.
Abandoned I-04-2026 repeal measure: Would have repealed most of the commercial market. Abandoned May 2026.

See every state in the cannabis bill tracker.

Frequently Asked Questions About Arizona Cannabis Laws

Is marijuana legal in Arizona?

Yes for adults 21 and older under Proposition 207, with a 1 ounce possession limit per secondary sources.

How many plants can I grow in Arizona?

Six per adult at a primary residence, with no more than 12 at one residence when two or more adults live there, in a locked space out of public view.

Did Arizona vote on repealing marijuana in 2026?

No. A repeal measure, I-04-2026, was filed in December 2025 and abandoned in May 2026.

How much is an Arizona medical marijuana card?

$150, or $75 for SNAP-eligible patients, under ADHS rules effective Nov. 1, 2024. Fees are non-refundable.

Can my landlord stop me from growing?

Yes. Proposition 207 lets property owners and landlords prohibit cultivation on their property.

How much does an Arizona dispensary license cost?

Sources conflict. The rules text lists a $25,000 application and $5,000 renewal, while several guides list $5,000 plus $25,000. Check the current ADHS rules.

How long is an Arizona medical marijuana card valid?

Two years after issuance, per ADHS rules and statute. Renewal opens 90 days before expiration, and materials must be in at least 30 days before.