What still needs checking
- The rate notice resolves stale pages showing 19%; recheck rates before a future purchase.
- Local restrictions and tax rates vary; no locality-specific permission or final checkout rate is asserted.
Possession and use
Adults 21 or older may possess up to 28.5 grams of cannabis flower and 8 grams of concentrated cannabis. Medical patients 18 or older with a physician's recommendation follow different allowances. Consumption is not permitted in public, within 1,000 feet of a school, day-care center or youth center while children are present, or anywhere smoking tobacco is prohibited. Property owners and employers may impose additional rules. A purchase receipt does not override possession or location limits.
Medical access
California residents with a qualifying physician recommendation can buy medical cannabis from a licensed medical retailer. The voluntary county-issued Medical Marijuana Identification Card can document eligibility and may affect sales-tax treatment, but it is not the only route to medical access. A visitor should not assume an out-of-state medical card qualifies for California medical privileges; adults 21 or older may use adult-use retailers if they meet ordinary identification and purchase rules.
Home growing
Adults 21 or older may grow up to six living plants per residence, not six per adult. The plants must be kept in a locked space that is not visible to the public. Cities and counties may regulate outdoor cultivation and retail access, although they cannot ban indoor cultivation in a private residence altogether. Medical cultivation can have different rules, so patients should check current local ordinances before planting.
Where to buy
Buy only from a retailer licensed by the Department of Cannabis Control. The state offers a license search and warns that unlicensed sellers lack the same testing, labeling and safety oversight. Adult-use daily sale limits generally track 28.5 grams of nonconcentrated cannabis or 8 grams of concentrate, with product-specific equivalents in the regulations. A local government can prohibit storefronts or delivery in its jurisdiction, so a shop's location and license matter.
Taxes and price
California's cannabis excise tax returned to 15% of the gross receipts from retail sales on October 1, 2025, after a temporary 19% period. The tax agency says another rate adjustment is delayed until fiscal year 2028–2029; do not assume the 15% rate is permanent. Ordinary sales and use tax and any local cannabis business taxes may also affect the final price. A qualifying medical purchase with a valid state medical marijuana identification card may receive a sales-tax exemption, but not a blanket exemption from every cannabis charge.
Travel and public places
California's state allowance ends at the state border. Do not take cannabis across state lines, through federal land or into an airport or other location where federal rules control. Do not drive while impaired or keep an open cannabis container in a vehicle. Public use restrictions and local rules still apply to products bought legally. Check destination rules before traveling within the state, especially for lodging and public events.
Sources and remaining checks
We checked the sources below on the date shown above. Rules may have changed since then. Check the current rules before making a decision, and read the remaining questions noted in this guide.
- California Department of Cannabis Control: What's legal. Read 23 Oct 2026; age, possession, grow, use, travel and licensed retailer rules.
- DCC regulations, text of regulations. Read 23 Oct 2026; retail transaction quantities and license rules.
- California Department of Public Health medical marijuana identification card. Read 23 Oct 2026; voluntary card and county process.
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration notice L-992. Read 23 Oct 2026; AB 564 restores 15% excise rate from Oct 1 2025.
- CDTFA cannabis retailers. Read 23 Oct 2026; retailer excise, sales and medical-card tax treatment.
No professional legal review is claimed. Check official sources and the verification notes below.