Louisiana Cannabis Laws: Medical Marijuana Recommendations, Limits and Retail Permits

The tall limestone tower of the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge against a blue sky with thin clouds — The Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge, a Texas neighbor. Photo by Chrismiceli via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. 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.

How Louisiana Medical Marijuana Works
2026 Laws
Open a Dispensary
Timeline
FAQ
Related Reading

Louisiana at a Glance

Adult UseNot legal. A three-year adult-use pilot bill, HB 373, died in 2026.

Medical AccessRecommendation from an authorized clinician, sent to a retailer. No state-issued card is described in the sources we found.

Recommendation LengthExpires within 12 months of issuance under an emergency rule effective March 28, 2025.

Patient Limit71 grams of flower per 14-day period, per LDH.

Retail PermitsUp to 30 permits, which is 10 sites plus up to two satellite locations each, per LDH. Statute text sets a $22,500 annual retail permit fee, which sources dispute.

Louisiana Patient Checklist

Find an authorized clinician. The state keeps no directory, so you have to find one yourself.
Get a recommendation for a debilitating medical condition. It must carry an expiration date within 12 months.
Have the clinician send a signed paper or electronic recommendation directly to the retailer before fulfillment.
Choose a licensed retailer from the Louisiana Department of Health's list by region.
Stay within 71 grams of flower per 14-day period.

Renewal Date Finder

Enter your approval date to estimate when it expires.

Approval date

How Louisiana Medical Marijuana Works

The Louisiana Department of Health, known as LDH, oversees the program. Patients do not apply for a state card in the sources we reached. A clinician recommends medical marijuana, and the recommendation goes to the retailer. The statute covers physicians licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, nurse practitioners with prescriptive authority and medical psychologists. LDH's own page describes retailers serving patients with a recommendation from a board-certified Louisiana physician, which is narrower, so confirm with the retailer.

Recommendation length: an emergency rule effective March 28, 2025 requires an expiration date no more than 12 months after issuance.
January 2026 rule: patients or caregivers must have an authorized clinician send the signed recommendation directly to the retailer before fulfillment. LDH's final rule took effect April 28, 2026.
Qualifying conditions: eligibility depends on a debilitating condition. A 2019 bill analysis lists examples such as cancer, glaucoma, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, PTSD and intractable pain. Check the current statute for the full list.
Limit: patients are restricted to 71 grams of flower per 14-day period, per LDH.

2026 Laws

Senate Bill 270 was the one medical cannabis bill to pass in 2026. The governor let it become law without his signature on June 1, 2026. It lets terminally ill patients use medical marijuana in healthcare facilities and takes effect Aug. 1, 2026. Health care professionals and staff are barred from administering, storing, retrieving or helping a patient with the medical marijuana.

House Bill 568 added up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 for consuming cannabis within 2,000 feet of a school or on a school bus.
House Bill 373, a three-year adult-use pilot, died.
A bill that would have the Board of Pharmacy notify dispensaries in a region when they exceed 3,500 patients, HB 460, was listed, and we could not confirm that it passed.

Opening a Dispensary in Louisiana

Limited permits, fee disputed Regulator: Louisiana Department of Health, Medical Marijuana

LDH says retail permits are limited to 10 sites with up to two satellite locations each, for no more than 30 permits. The statute text we found sets an annual retail permit fee of $22,500 for each of the ten retail permit holders, and one consultancy says Act 513 of 2025 set it. A 2025 LDH notice, though, said Act 693 of 2024 did not authorize permit fees for retailers, and House Bill 661 of 2025 proposed a tiered annual fee starting at $500 based on gross sales. We could not confirm which applies, so confirm with LDH. Production is separate: the statute lists a $10,000 nonrefundable application fee and a $100,000 annual license fee for each licensee, the law caps production at two licenses, and a consultancy says both are held. One summary adds 7 percent of gross sales of therapeutic marijuana to the Disability Services Fund. Holder counts are unsettled: a 2025 fiscal note assumed 23 retailers, which does not match the ten-holder language, and a consultancy says LDH is not issuing new permits for non-satellite retail locations now.

License	Application Fee	License Fee	Renewal	Notes
Retail permit	Not found	$22,500 per year per statute text (disputed)	$22,500 per year (disputed)	Up to 30 permits including satellites. HB 661 of 2025 proposed a tiered fee. Confirm with LDH.
Production license	$10,000 (nonrefundable)	$100,000 per year	Renews annually on July 1	Capped at two licenses. 7 percent of gross sales to the Disability Services Fund per one summary.

What to Plan For

Retail permits are limited to 30 including satellite locations, and holder counts differ across sources.
Production is capped at two licenses, so a new producer license is unlikely.
A clinician's recommendation must go directly to the retailer before fulfillment.

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.

Annual retail permit fee (statute text, disputed): $22,500
A 2025 LDH notice said retailer permit fees were not authorized. Confirm with LDH.

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 Louisiana 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)

Louisiana Cannabis Timeline

Mar. 28, 2025An emergency rule requires recommendations to expire within 12 months.
Jan. 20, 2026LDH's rule is published in the Louisiana Register.
Apr. 28, 2026LDH's final rule takes effect.
June 1, 2026SB 270 becomes law without the governor's signature.
Aug. 1, 2026SB 270 takes effect for terminally ill patients in healthcare facilities.

Louisiana Cannabis Bills

Enacted SB 270: Medical marijuana for terminally ill patients in healthcare facilities. Effective Aug. 1, 2026.
Enacted HB 568: Up to one year in jail for consuming within 2,000 feet of a school or on a school bus.
Dead HB 373: Three-year adult-use pilot program.
Unclear HB 460: Board of Pharmacy notice to dispensaries above 3,500 patients.

See every state in the cannabis bill tracker.

Frequently Asked Questions About Louisiana Cannabis Laws

Is marijuana legal in Louisiana?

Only for medical use. An adult-use pilot bill, HB 373, died in 2026.

Who can recommend medical marijuana in Louisiana?

The statute covers licensed physicians, nurse practitioners with prescriptive authority and medical psychologists. LDH's page describes board-certified Louisiana physicians, so confirm with your retailer.

How much can a Louisiana patient buy?

LDH says patients are restricted to 71 grams of flower per 14-day period.

How long does a recommendation last?

An emergency rule effective March 28, 2025 requires an expiration date no more than 12 months from issuance.

What did Louisiana change in 2026?

SB 270 lets terminally ill patients use medical marijuana in healthcare facilities starting Aug. 1, 2026. HB 568 adds jail time for consuming near schools.

How many dispensaries does Louisiana allow?

LDH says retail permits are limited to 10 sites with up to two satellite locations each, for no more than 30 permits. The Marijuana Policy Project counts 28 licensed dispensaries, and holder counts differ, so check LDH's current list.

What does a Louisiana retail permit cost?

The statute text we found sets $22,500 per year for each retail permit holder. A 2025 LDH notice said retailer fees were not authorized, and a 2025 bill proposed a tiered fee, so confirm with LDH.