Shasta County, CA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Outdoor cultivation
- Prohibited countywide (Sec. 17.88.320(D)(2))
- Buffer standard
- Must be invisible/undetectable from schools, parks
- Plant limit
- 6 plants per dwelling unit
- First violation fine
- Up to $10,000/day (Sec. 1.12.050(A)(2)(a))
- Repeat violation fine
- Up to $20,000/day (Sec. 1.12.050(A)(2)(b))
- Enforcement
- Resource Management Dept. / Ch. 8.28 nuisance abatement
Summary
Shasta County bans outdoor cannabis cultivation everywhere and requires that any legal indoor grow stay invisible and undetectable from schools, school bus stops, child care centers, public parks, libraries, churches, and youth-oriented facilities. Violators face administrative fines up to $10,000 per day, doubling to $20,000 for repeat offenses, under County Code Section 17.88.320(D).
D.Nuisance Declared; Cultivation Restrictions. ... 2.Outdoor cultivation on any parcel is prohibited. ... 6.Cultivation of cannabis shall not occur in a location where the cannabis would be visible or detectable from a school, school bus stop, school evacuation site, child care center, public park, public library, church, youth-oriented facility, or any public right-of-way or publicly traveled private roads at any stage of their growth.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code: Supplement 22).
Full Breakdown
320 was enacted after the county found that cannabis plants create "an attractive nuisance for children" at "schools, parks, churches, and other similar locations" and that criminal activity often follows cultivation. 2 states "Outdoor cultivation on any parcel is prohibited," regardless of whether the cannabis is for medical or nonmedical use. 140. Indoor grows are capped at six cannabis plants per dwelling unit no matter how many qualified patients or caregivers live there, and growers who aren't the sole legal owner of the parcel must get a notarized letter from every owner consenting to the cultivation.
" That standard applies regardless of the six-plant limit or indoor location, meaning windows, doors, and ventilation must be sealed and screened well enough that odor and sight lines don't reach any of those uses. 060.
Violations & Fines
Section 1.12.050(A)(2) singles out cannabis cultivation for steeper fines than the code's general penalty scale: a first violation of Section 17.88.320 draws an administrative fine of up to $10,000 per day per violation, and a "repeat violation" within twelve months of a final order jumps to $20,000 per day. The county also treats resulting building, electrical, or zoning violations tied to illegal cultivation as immediately finable, skipping the standard correction period other code violations get.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow cannabis outdoors in Shasta County?
How close can a legal indoor grow be to a school or park?
What happens if I violate the cultivation rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shasta County
California rules heatmap·Compare Shasta County to another location·View the California cannabis regulations overview
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