Washington, DC cannabis laws let adults 21 and older possess, grow at home and give away small amounts of cannabis, but no store may sell it to the general public. The only legal place to buy is a medical cannabis retailer licensed by the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA), and adults can join the medical program by self-certifying, with no doctor visit.
So the District is a hybrid. Initiative 71 makes personal possession and home growing legal for adults, while a rider Congress adds to each federal spending bill blocks the city from licensing recreational stores. Medical patients can be as young as 18, and visitors can buy a short temporary registration online.
This guide covers what you can buy, carry and grow, where you can use it, driving rules, fines, taxes and travel, checked against the D.C. Code, ABCA rules and ABCA reports in November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Key takeaways
- Adults can possess, use at home, grow and gift cannabis in Washington, DC, but selling it without an ABCA license is a crime.
- Licensed medical retailers are the only legal shops, and adult residents and visitors can register quickly by self-certifying online.
- So-called gifting shops are unlicensed, and the city keeps closing them with padlocks, seizures and arrests.
- Federal land covers much of the city, and federal law applies there no matter what District law says.
- Rules differ by state and change often. Check ABCA and the laws of any state you travel to before you buy, carry or cross a border.
Is cannabis legal in Washington, DC?
Yes, for adults 21 and older, within limits. Voters approved Initiative 71 in November 2014, and it took effect on February 26, 2015. It is now D.C. Code § 48-904.01(a)(1), which lets adults possess, use, transport, grow and transfer small amounts without payment. It created no stores.
The reason is Congress. Since December 2014, the District’s appropriations have carried a rider, often called the Harris rider, that bars the city from spending money to legalize and regulate adult-use sales. Congress kept it in the fiscal year 2026 budget.
The medical program
Medical cannabis runs under D.C. Code Title 7, Chapter 16B, and the ABCA rules in Title 22-C of the D.C. Municipal Regulations (DCMR). Who can register:
- Residents 21 and older: can self-certify instead of getting a recommendation from a health care practitioner.
- Residents aged 18 to 20: need a recommendation number from an ABCA-registered practitioner.
- Minors: need a recommendation, a parent or guardian, and a registered caregiver, and must apply on paper or by email.
- Visitors: must be 21 or older and must self-certify. A practitioner’s recommendation can’t stand in for self-certification.
ID rules for visitors
Non-residents register online and upload a government photo ID. ABCA sells temporary registrations of 3 days ($10), 30 days ($20), 90 days ($50), 180 days ($75) or 365 days ($100), and the clock starts the day you pay, not the day you shop. Visitors with a card from a state or territory on ABCA’s reciprocity list can use that card instead, with no fee. Bring the same photo ID to the store.
How much cannabis can you buy in Washington, DC?
Only registered patients and caregivers can buy, and the limits run over a rolling 30-day period rather than per visit. The statute sets the dried flower cap (D.C. Code § 7-1671.06(o)), and ABCA’s rules at 22-C DCMR § 301.1 add separate caps for concentrates and for total THC across every form. The card below shows the exact amounts.
- Flower and pre-rolls: count against the dried cannabis cap.
- Concentrates and vapes: have their own gram cap, which is lower for patients aged 18 to 20.
- Edibles, drinks, tinctures and capsules: count toward the combined THC milligram cap.
- Visitors and self-certified adults: share the same 30-day caps as residents.
Stores check your remaining allowance in the tracking system before each sale. ABCA’s rules let only patients with a practitioner’s recommendation buy some higher-dose edibles, so self-certified buyers may see a shorter menu. Find licensed stores with our dispensary finder, and see why dispensaries scan your ID.
Hemp-derived THC products sold in corner stores are a separate category. A federal change to the hemp definition, passed in late 2025, will cap hemp products by total THC per container. Congress pushed its start from November 12 to December 11, 2026, in a September stopgap funding bill. Read our guide to delta-8 before you buy.
How much cannabis can you have?
Adults 21 and older may possess, use and transport up to the Initiative 71 limit anywhere District law applies, whether in public, at home or in a car. The limit is per person. A group at a party can’t pool more than each person’s share.
- Home harvest: § 48-904.01(a)(1)(D) lets you keep the cannabis your legal plants produce inside the home where it grew. It can’t leave the house above the carry limit.
- Patients: may hold the amounts they are allowed to buy in 30 days, per 22-C DCMR § 301.1, which is more than the general adult limit.
- In a vehicle: the same carry limit applies, but you can’t use cannabis in a car on a street, alley or parking area.
- Packaging: patients must carry store-bought cannabis in its labeled container or sealed package (22-C DCMR § 300.3).
Edible potency rules come from ABCA, which applies special rules to high-THC ingestible products. ABCA does not publish a simple per-serving cap for consumers, so check with ABCA or your retailer about the strongest products you can buy.
Washington, DC cannabis limits at a glance
Where can you use cannabis in Washington, DC?
Only on private property, with the owner’s permission. D.C. Code § 48-911.01 bans use in any public space, including streets, alleys, parks, sidewalks and parking areas, and in any place the public is invited, which includes private clubs.
- Home: allowed. Adults can use cannabis together in a private home.
- Rentals: a lease can ban smoking or growing, and landlords may post rules against cannabis deliveries.
- Hotels: most ban smoking in rooms. A hotel room is private, but the hotel sets its own rules.
- Bars, restaurants, rooftops and patios: count as places the public is invited, so use there is illegal.
- Lounges: retailers can hold a safe-use or summer garden endorsement for on-site use. Under D.C. Code § 7-1671.06c, only registered patients and caregivers may enter, and alcohol and tobacco are banned.
- Federal land: the National Mall, memorials, Rock Creek Park, many small parks and traffic circles, federal buildings and military sites follow federal law, where any possession is illegal.
- Workplaces: the Cannabis Employment Protections Amendment Act limits when private employers can act on off-duty use, with exceptions for safety-sensitive jobs and federal contracts. Using at work is never protected.
- Campuses: colleges that take federal funds generally ban cannabis on campus, even for patients.
The District has no tribal land. For more on on-site use, read our consumption lounge guide, and for renters, can you smoke weed in a rental.
Driving and cannabis in Washington, DC
Driving while impaired by any drug, cannabis included, is a crime. The District’s definitions in D.C. Code § 50-2206.01 set alcohol concentration thresholds but no THC blood number, so cannabis cases turn on impairment: an officer’s observations, field tests, drug recognition evaluations and blood or urine tests.
- Two offenses: driving under the influence (§ 50-2206.11) and the lower charge of operating while impaired (§ 50-2206.14). The table below lists both.
- Using in the car: illegal on any street, alley, park or parking area, even when parked.
- Storage: keep products sealed and out of reach, ideally in the trunk, so there is no question of use while driving.
- Repeat offenses: bring higher fines and mandatory jail time.
See our full guide to cannabis and driving laws.
Can you grow cannabis at home in Washington, DC?
Yes. Adults 21 and older can grow a small number of plants inside their principal residence, and a household cap applies no matter how many adults live there. The card above shows both numbers.
- Grow indoors in your home, not on public or federal land and not in a shared yard visible to the street.
- You may gift homegrown cannabis within the transfer limit, but you can never sell it or swap it for goods or services.
- Renters should get the landlord’s written consent, since leases can ban growing.
- Lock plants and harvested cannabis away from children, guests and pets. Our storage guide has tips.
A 2026 Metrc bulletin for District licensees added tracking for retail seeds, so ask a licensed retailer whether it sells them before you look elsewhere.
Washington, DC cannabis fines and penalties
Staying within Initiative 71 means no penalty at all. Going past it can bring a civil fine or a criminal charge. Fines for crimes come from the District’s fine schedule in D.C. Code § 22-3571.01.
| Offense | Type | Maximum fine | Possible jail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underage possession of one ounce or less without a medical registration (§ 48-1203) | Civil | $25, plus seizure | None |
| Using cannabis in public or in a vehicle on a street (§ 48-911.01) | Misdemeanor | $500 | 60 days |
| Possession over the adult limit (§ 48-904.01(d)) | Misdemeanor | $1,000 | 180 days |
| Selling, or growing or possessing to sell, half a pound or less, first offense (§ 48-904.01(a)(2)) | Misdemeanor | $1,000 | 180 days |
| Selling, or growing to sell, more than half a pound (§ 48-904.01(a)(2)) | Felony | $12,500 | 5 years |
| Operating a vehicle while impaired, first offense (§ 50-2206.15) | Misdemeanor | $500 | 90 days |
| Driving under the influence, first offense (§ 50-2206.13) | Misdemeanor | $1,000 | 180 days |
| Possession on federal land, such as the National Mall, first offense (federal simple possession law) | Federal misdemeanor | Minimum of $1,000 | 1 year |
Growing more plants than allowed counts as manufacturing under § 48-904.01, so it falls under the selling rows. Carrying cannabis into Maryland or Virginia is governed by those states’ laws and by federal law. Shops that hand out cannabis with a paid item face separate civil fines and closure orders, covered in our business guide.
Cannabis taxes you pay at the register
Medical cannabis is taxed at 6% under D.C. Code § 47-2002(a)(7)(A). There is no separate excise tax, because the District can’t run an adult-use tax system. Pipes, papers and other non-cannabis items are taxed at the District’s general sales tax rate, which has been scheduled to rise, so check your receipt.
In June 2026, the DC Council rejected a budget proposal to raise the medical cannabis rate to 10.25%. Registered patients who qualify by income get a discount at licensed retailers, covered below. Our cannabis tax rate guide compares nearby states.
Medical cannabis patients in Washington, DC
Because every legal sale is a medical sale, the medical program is how most adults buy. What changes for patients:
- Age: patients can be 18 to 20 with a recommendation, while adults outside the program must be 21.
- Cost: resident registration and renewal are free, and a physical card costs $10. Registrations last two years, and a temporary digital registration covers you while ABCA processes it.
- Caregivers: must be at least 18, register with ABCA and can serve more than one patient. They need not live in the District.
- Low-income discount: patients who show Medicaid or DC Alliance enrollment, or qualifying income, get 20% off cannabis products at licensed retailers. Their cards carry a red border.
- Delivery: internet retailers and retailers with a delivery endorsement can deliver to patients at District addresses, but not to federal or District government property or to school grounds.
For a side-by-side look at program types, see medical card vs recreational.
Travelling with cannabis from Washington, DC
Don’t take cannabis across the District line. Maryland has adult-use stores and Virginia allows adult possession, but carrying cannabis between them and the District still breaks federal law. It also takes you through federal land, such as the George Washington Memorial Parkway and the bridges and park land that line the Potomac.
- Airports: Reagan National and Dulles are in Virginia, and TSA screening follows federal law. Read can you bring weed on a plane.
- Metro and buses: trains, buses and stations are public places, so use is illegal there.
- Mail: sending cannabis through the U.S. mail is a federal crime.
- International travel: crossing a national border with cannabis can lead to arrest and a ban on entry. See bringing cannabis across the border.
Washington, DC cannabis at a glance
Recent changes and what’s next
- July 15, 2024: an emergency law gave ABCA civil power to close and padlock unlicensed cannabis shops. Permanent rules followed on December 17, 2024.
- December 3, 2025: the ABC Board adopted final technical rules covering patient limits, temporary registrations and enforcement, plus final sign and advertising rules.
- June 9, 2026: the Council voted down the proposed medical cannabis tax increase.
- July 30, 2026: an emergency act took effect letting ABCA close shops that sell Schedule I substances, such as psilocybin mushrooms, and let investigators test products for THC. Emergency acts last up to 90 days, so ask ABCA whether a longer version is in force.
- December 11, 2026: the new federal hemp definition is due to start, unless Congress delays it again.
- Pending: adult-use stores still depend on Congress dropping the Harris rider. We found no cannabis question on the District’s November 3, 2026 ballot. Check the DC Board of Elections for results.
For dispensaries and delivery services
Running a licensed retailer, internet retailer or courier? Our Washington, DC dispensary and delivery rules guide covers buying stock, Metrc, delivery, advertising and inspections. To compare licensing in other places, browse our cannabis license guides.
Frequently asked questions
Can tourists buy cannabis in Washington, DC?
Yes, if they are adults. Visitors self-certify online, pay for a temporary registration and then shop at any licensed retailer or order from an internet retailer. A registration from a reciprocity state works too.
Are gifting shops legal in Washington, DC?
No. The District’s gifting law only covers gifts with no payment of any kind, and since a 2025 ABCA rule, no business may claim its sales comply with that law. Products in these shops are untested, and buyers have no recourse if something is wrong.
Can I smoke in my car in Washington, DC?
No, not on a street, alley or in a parking area, even when parked with the engine off. Officers can charge you with public use, and you may face an impaired driving investigation as well.
Is it legal to smoke on the National Mall?
No. The Mall is National Park Service land, and U.S. Park Police enforce federal law there. Any amount can lead to a federal citation or arrest.
Can my employer test me for cannabis?
Many private employers in the District can’t act on a positive test alone unless you show signs of impairment at work. Federal workers, federal contractors and safety-sensitive roles follow stricter rules, so check your employer’s written policy.
Can I get cannabis delivered to a hotel?
Licensed delivery goes only to a patient or caregiver at a District address, after an ID and registration check. Hotels and landlords can ban deliveries, and couriers must follow posted rules, so ask the front desk first.
Sources
- D.C. Code: § 48-904.01, Prohibited acts; penalties (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 48-1203, Civil penalties for marijuana possession (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 48-911.01, Marijuana use in public (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 22-3571.01, Fines for criminal offenses (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 50-2206.01, Impaired driving definitions (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 50-2206.13, Penalties for driving under the influence (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 50-2206.15, Penalty for operating a vehicle while impaired (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 7-1671.06, Medical cannabis business rules (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 7-1671.06c, Safe-use endorsement (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 7-1671.06e, Delivery endorsement and internet retailer delivery (2026)
- D.C. Code: § 47-2002, Sales tax rates (2026)
- DC Council: D.C. Act 26-391, Medical Cannabis Licensing and Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026 (2026)
- Legal Information Institute: 21 U.S.C. § 844, Penalty for simple possession (2026)
- ABCA: Medical Cannabis Notice of Final Technical Rulemaking, 22-C DCMR (2025)
- ABCA: Signs and Advertising Notice of Final Rulemaking (2025)
- ABCA: Medical Cannabis Patient Registration Guide (2025)
- ABCA: Medical Cannabis Program Report, June 2026 (2026)
- ABCA: Three Stores Padlocked, Six Arrested (2026)
- Government of the District of Columbia: Initiative 71 Frequently Asked Questions (2015)
- Metrc: District of Columbia partner page and bulletins (2026)
- Marijuana Policy Project: District of Columbia (2026)
- NORML: District of Columbia Council Rejects Budget Proposal to Raise Marijuana Sales Tax (2026)
- ASTHO: Summary of FY27 Continuing Resolution (2026)
- Nutritional Outlook: Federal Hemp Limit Delayed to December 11 (2026)
- Jackson Lewis (law firm, backup source): District of Columbia Cannabis Employment Protections Amendment Act Goes Live July 13 (2023)
Last updated: November 2026. Laws and prices change; always check your state or provincial regulator.
