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State Guides · 6 min read

Cannabis Laws by State

Adult-use status, medical card fees and dispensary license costs for 20 states, with the source and date on every guide.

By

Last verified November 13, 2026. Each row links to a full state guide with sources, tools and a dispensary licensing section. Where sources conflict, the state guide says so.

Compare the States

Search or filter, and click a column heading to sort. Fees are the figures we found on state agency pages and are not a promise of current pricing.

ArizonaLegalActive$150 (card term not stated)Not statedFees disputed
ArkansasNot legalActive$50 per year1 yearFees not found
CaliforniaLegalOptional county cardVaries by countyVaries$1,000 + $2,500 to $96,000
ColoradoLegalActive$52 per year1 yearAbout $3,120 state + local
FloridaNot legalActive$75 per year1 yearNo window open (Oct. 2026 guide)
GeorgiaNot legalActive$75 from Dec. 5, 2026Not stated$5,000 + tiered fees
IllinoisLegalActive$50 per year1 to 3 years$5,000 + $60,000
LouisianaNot legalActiveNot foundUp to 12 monthsLimited permits
MassachusettsLegalActiveFree registrationNot stated$1,500 + $10,000
MichiganLegalActive$40 per two years2 years$3,000 + $15,000
MissouriLegalActive$28.92 renewal per three years3 yearsMicrobusiness lottery, about $1,637
New JerseyLegalActiveFree digital, $10 printed2 yearsConditional route, $1,000 up front
New MexicoLegalActiveNot foundNot found$2,500 per year (reported)
New YorkLegalActiveNo state feeNot stated$1,000 + $7,000
North CarolinaNot legalNoneNo programNot applicableNo state license
OhioLegalActive$50 per year1 yearCapped at 400
OklahomaNot legalActive$100 per two years2 yearsMoratorium to Aug. 1, 2028
PennsylvaniaNot legalActive$50 per yearUp to 1 yearClosed per one 2026 guide
TexasNot legalActiveSee guideSee guideSee guide
VirginiaLegal, no stores yetActive$50 per yearUp to 1 yearOpens Feb. 1, 2027 (draft)

State Guides

The historic Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix with a copper dome behind flagpoles, palms and desert plants
ArizonaArizona allows adult-use marijuana under Proposition 207, and a 2026 repeal measure was abandoned before it reached the ballot.
The Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock with its pale dome and colonnade under a cloudy blue sky
ArkansasArkansas has a medical marijuana program with a $50 yearly card and no adult-use market.
The white California State Capitol in Sacramento with its dome rising above palms and trees
CaliforniaCalifornia is legal for adults and offers an optional county medical card. The state health guidance we found is older, so confirm limits before relying on them.
The Colorado State Capitol in Denver with its gold dome, framed by blue spruce trees under a clear sky
ColoradoColorado has had legal adult-use sales since 2014, and the state's medical card is now a $52 yearly option.
Florida's Historic Capitol with striped red awnings beside a large magnolia tree in Tallahassee
FloridaFlorida has a large medical program but no adult-use marijuana, and the 2026 legalization amendment never reached the ballot.
The gold dome of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta with jets trailing smoke across a blue sky
GeorgiaGeorgia has a medical cannabis registry but no adult-use market, and the card fee goes up on Dec. 5, 2026.
The Illinois State Capitol in Springfield with its silver dome rising behind bare winter trees
IllinoisIllinois runs an adult-use market, a registered medical program and a short-term opioid alternative option.
The tall limestone tower of the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge against a blue sky with thin clouds
LouisianaLouisiana has a medical program with no adult-use market. Patients get a recommendation from a clinician and buy at a limited number of retailers.
The Massachusetts State House in Boston with its gold dome above a red brick facade and white columns
MassachusettsMassachusetts voters rejected Question 8 on Nov. 3, 2026, so adult-use sales and home growing continue.
The Michigan State Capitol in Lansing with its tall green dome behind a large tree
MichiganMichigan runs a licensed adult-use market and a state medical marijuana registry side by side.
Aerial view of the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City beside the Missouri River
MissouriMissouri voters legalized adult use in 2022, and patients and home growers each need their own state card.
The gold dome and lantern of the New Jersey State House in Trenton against a gray sky
New JerseyNew Jersey allows adult-use and medicinal cannabis, but residents still cannot grow at home, and more cannabis bills are in play here than anywhere else.
The round adobe-colored New Mexico State Capitol in Santa Fe with a bronze sculpture in the plaza
New MexicoNew Mexico allows adult-use sales and home growing, and it does not cap the number of licenses.
The New York State Capitol in Albany seen across a park with a statue and a wide walkway
New YorkNew York registers medical patients at no state cost and runs a licensed adult-use market alongside it.
The east facade of the North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh with a bronze statue in the foreground
North CarolinaNorth Carolina has no medical or adult-use cannabis program. Hemp is where lawmakers have actually been acting.
The Ohio Statehouse in Columbus seen from High Street under a partly cloudy sky
OhioOhio allows adult-use and medical marijuana, and a law that took effect March 20, 2026 changed the rules for both.
The Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City lit at dusk with its dome above a long colonnade
OklahomaOklahoma has one of the largest medical programs in the country and no adult-use market. New business licenses are frozen until 2028.
The green dome and marble facade of the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania has a medical marijuana program but no adult-use market, and legalization bills keep stalling in the Senate.
The Virginia State Capitol in Richmond with white columns and a red flower bed in front
VirginiaAdults can possess and grow marijuana in Virginia, but legal retail sales have not started. A June 2026 deal aims for July 1, 2027.
TexasMedical marijuana, hemp and THCA rules, 2027 bills and city guides.

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How We Build These Guides

We start from the state agency or legislature page. When an official page is out of date or unreachable, we use a named secondary source and say so. We list conflicts between sources instead of choosing one quietly, and each guide shows the date we last checked. If you spot a newer rule, send us the official source.

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