San Bernardino County, CA Cannabis Regulations: Buffer Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- State buffer
- 600 feet from schools
- Local expansion
- Up to 1000 feet
- Sensitive uses
- Schools, daycares, youth
- Measurement
- Property line to property line
Summary
California Business and Professions Code 26054 requires licensed cannabis businesses to sit at least 600 feet from schools, daycares, and youth centers; San Bernardino cities often expand these buffers.
26054.
(a) A licensee shall not sell alcoholic beverages or tobacco products on or at any premises licensed under this division.
(b) A premises licensed under this division shall not be located within a 600-foot radius of a school providing instruction in kindergarten or any grades 1 through 12, daycare center, or youth center that is in existence at the time the license is issued, unless the department or a local jurisdiction specifies a different radius. The distance specified in this section shall be measured in the same manner as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 11362.768 of the Health and Safety Code unless otherwise provided by law.
(c) It shall not be a violation of state or local law for a business engaged in the manufacture of cannabis accessories to possess, transport, purchase, or otherwise obtain small amounts of cannabis or cannabis products as necessary to conduct research and development related to the cannabis accessories, provided the cannabis and cannabis products are obtained from a person licensed under this division permitted to provide or deliver the cannabis or cannabis products.
(d) It shall not be a violation of state or local law for an agent of the department to possess, transport, or obtain cannabis or cannabis products as necessary to conduct activities reasonably related to the duties of the department.
(e) It shall not be a violation of state or local law for an agent of a state agency, as defined in Section 1100 of the Government Code, or a local agency, as defined in Section 50001 of the Government Code, to possess, transport, or obtain cannabis or cannabis products as necessary to conduct activities reasonably related to the duties of the state or local agency. (Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 70, Sec. 41. (AB 141) Effective July 12, 2021. Note: This section was added on Nov. 8, 2016, by initiative Prop. 64.)
Full Breakdown
Under state law, cannabis retailers, cultivators, and manufacturers must maintain a 600-foot buffer from any K-12 school, daycare, or youth center providing services to minors, measured per California Business and Professions Code 26054. Unincorporated San Bernardino County prohibits commercial cannabis entirely, but cities permitting operations apply additional buffers from parks, churches, residential zones, and other dispensaries. Adelanto and Hesperia require 1000-foot separation from schools and 600 feet from sensitive uses. Twentynine Palms factors proximity to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center base perimeter.
Violations & Fines
Operating inside a buffer zone results in license revocation by state regulators and local code enforcement, plus daily fines up to 5000 dollars under municipal cannabis ordinances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the 600 feet measured?
Do home-based daycares trigger buffers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino County to another location·View the California cannabis regulations overview
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