Cannabis Regulations in Saint Paul, MN

Saint Paul maintains 153 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with cannabis regulations. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Saint Paul falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Personal Cultivation Limits

Adults 21 and older in Saint Paul may grow up to eight cannabis plants per residence, with a maximum of four flowering at a time, under Minn. Stat. §342.09. Plants must be at the grower's primary residence, in a secure, non-public space.

Key details: Statute: Minn. Stat. §342.09. Max plants: 8 per household. Max flowering: 4 at a time. Renter rule: Landlord can prohibit.

Exceeding the eight-plant household limit, growing in public view, or violating landlord rules can result in seizure of plants, civil penalties, and lease termination by landlords.

Saint Paul is more permissive than most cities when it comes to personal cultivation limits. That said, there are still limits.

Buffer Zones

Saint Paul keeps licensed cannabis retailers three hundred feet from every primary and secondary school. Sec. 65.511(b) of the zoning code measures the distance from the school's property line to the principal structure of the cannabis retail business, and the buffer does not apply inside B4 or B5 business districts, where retail cannabis is allowed closer to schools.

Key details: School buffer distance: 300 feet minimum. Measured from: School property line to retailer's principal structure. Exempt districts: B4 and B5 business districts. Adopting ordinance: Ordinance 24-21, effective September 18, 2024. Applies to: Retail license and retail endorsement holders.

A cannabis retail business sited within 300 feet of a primary or secondary school outside the B4/B5 exemption is not eligible for a zoning permit; the Department of Safety and Inspections and the zoning administrator can deny or revoke site plan approval, and the city can pursue a zoning enforcement action requiring relocation or closure of a business that opened in violation of the buffer.

Dispensary Zoning

Beyond its school buffer, Saint Paul's cannabis retail zoning rule requires a conditional use permit for new retail construction over 15,000 square feet outside industrial districts, mandates round-the-clock CCTV coverage of every sales area and entrance, and bars a cannabis retailer from sharing a common entrance with a licensed tobacco products shop.

Key details: CUP threshold: New construction over 15,000 square feet. CUP exemption: Industrial zoning districts. CCTV requirement: 24/7 coverage of sales areas and entries/exits. Co-location ban: No shared entrance with a tobacco products shop. Adopting ordinance: Ordinance 24-21, September 18, 2024.

Building a cannabis retail store over 15,000 square feet without the required conditional use permit, operating without functioning 24/7 CCTV covering sales areas and entrances, or sharing an entrance with a tobacco products shop are each independent zoning violations that can result in denial or revocation of site plan approval and a Department of Safety and Inspections enforcement order.

The Bottom Line

Saint Paul's cannabis regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Saint Paul is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Saint Paul's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.