Verify · California
California cannabis rules: what to know and how to check
In California, adults 21 and older can buy cannabis from state-licensed stores and delivery services. Check the store’s license with the state before you buy. Licensed products must be lab-tested and labeled, and the state issues recalls when something goes wrong.
Checked against the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) and California law on . Next review: .
CHSA does not test, certify or endorse products or retailers.
Official source
California’s cannabis regulator: Department of Cannabis Control (DCC)
- Check a business license Official license search
- See official recalls Recall notices from the regulator
- File a complaint Report an unlicensed business or a problem
- Regulator website Laws, rules and news
These links go to the regulator’s own website. CHSA does not copy or host license records, so you always see the official, current version.
What’s different in California
California has one state regulator for licensed cannabis, the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC). It licenses businesses, sets testing, label and packaging rules, and runs a public recall portal.
The biggest difference is local. Each city and county decides whether to allow cannabis stores. In DCC's local-ordinance data, 301 of 540 cities and counties (56%) prohibit all cannabis retail. So there may be no licensed store near you. State law says a city or county cannot stop licensed delivery from using public roads, and state rules let licensed delivery go to any city or county in California if it follows the state's delivery rules. Not every retailer delivers everywhere, so check before you order.
Licensed stores that are open to the public must post a DCC QR code certificate in the front window, near the entrance. DCC says you can scan it to check the store's license status. Delivery drivers must carry a copy and show it if you ask.
Since January 1, 2026, state law (AB 8) bans the sale of inhalable hemp products with THC, hemp flower and pre-rolls, products with synthetic cannabinoids, and alcoholic drinks that contain cannabinoids. From 2028, DCC says intoxicating hemp must be made, tested and sold like licensed cannabis.
Licensed does not mean risk-free. Licensed products are tested before sale, and DCC still issues recalls.
California rules at a glance
These are the main state rules for adult-use cannabis. Cities and counties can add their own rules. Numbers in brackets link to the law or regulation.
| Topic | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 21 and older for adult use. Adults 18 and older may buy medicinal cannabis with a physician's recommendation. | Source [1] H&S § 11362.1(a); B&P § 26140(a); medicinal age per B&P § 26001 (as amended by AB 8) and DCC's consumer page |
| How much you can have | Adults 21 and older may possess up to 28.5 grams of cannabis flower and up to 8 grams of concentrated cannabis, including the concentrate in cannabis products. | Source [1] H&S § 11362.1(a)(1)–(2) |
| Growing at home | Adults 21 and older may grow up to 6 living plants for personal use. | Source [1] H&S § 11362.1(a)(3) |
| Delivery | Allowed. Only a licensed retailer, microbusiness or licensed nonprofit may deliver. Drivers must be 21 or older, work for the retailer, and carry the retailer's license and QR code certificate. Cities and counties cannot stop licensed delivery from using public roads. | Source [2] B&P § 26090(a), (f); 4 CCR §§ 15415, 15416 (incl. § 15416(d), delivery to any jurisdiction) |
| Required lab tests | Before sale, a licensed lab must test samples for cannabinoids, foreign material, heavy metals, microbial impurities, mycotoxins, moisture content and water activity, residual pesticides, and residual solvents and processing chemicals. Terpenoids are tested only when applicable. | Source [3] 4 CCR § 15714(b) (detail in §§ 15717–15725); B&P § 26100 |
| Labels | Labels must show the California universal symbol (at least 0.5 inch high; 0.25 inch on vape cartridges), a bold "GOVERNMENT WARNING", and the THC and other cannabinoid content in milligrams per serving and per package. | Source [4] B&P § 26120(c); 4 CCR § 17410 |
| Packaging | Packages must be tamper-evident and child-resistant, resealable if they hold more than one serving, and must not look like products made for children. Edibles must be in opaque packaging. Edibles, orally consumed concentrates and suppositories must stay child-resistant for the life of the product. | Source [3] 4 CCR §§ 17411(a), 17412(a); B&P § 26120(a)–(b) |
| Edible THC limits | Edibles may contain no more than 10 mg of THC per serving and 100 mg of THC per package. | Source [3] 4 CCR § 17304(a); B&P § 26130(c)(2) |
| Poison control | California Poison Control System: 1-800-222-1222 . Free, confidential, 24/7. Call 911 if someone has trouble breathing or won’t wake up. | calpoison.org |
What California labs test for
Before licensed cannabis is sold, a state-licensed lab tests a sample of each batch for these eight categories (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 4, § 15714(b)). Passing means the sample met state limits when it was tested. It does not mean a product has no risk. What each test means
- Cannabinoids
- Residual solvents and processing chemicals
- Residual pesticides
- Microbial impurities
- Mycotoxins
- Heavy metals
- Foreign material
- Moisture and water activity
Terpenoids are tested only if applicable (§ 15725).
California recalls
DCC posts recalls of licensed cannabis products. CHSA keeps a live list of the latest California recalls, with what to do if you have the product. It updates as DCC posts new notices.
Keep the package. A recall notice lists the product and its batch or UID number, which you match against your label.
How California compares
California is the first state CHSA covers. When we add more states, this section will compare age limits, testing and recalls side by side. See which states we cover.
Sources
- Health and Safety Code § 11362.1 (adult use: age, possession, home grow)
- Business and Professions Code § 26090 (delivery by licensed retailers)
- DCC regulations, Cal. Code Regs. tit. 4, div. 19 (revised July 1, 2026)
- Business and Professions Code § 26120 (packaging and labeling)
- What's legal (consumer page)
- Search for a licensed business (how-to and license statuses)
- Cannabis recalls and safety notices
- File a complaint
- Where cannabis businesses are allowed (local ordinance dataset, CSV dated 2026-03-18)
- AB 8 (2025), Cannabis: cannabinoids: industrial hemp (Stats. 2025, ch. 248)
CHSA does not test, certify or endorse products or retailers.