Apple Valley, CA Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Local status
- Full opt-out; prohibited in every zoning district
- Permits available
- None; no entitlement may be issued
- Cultivation citation
- $1,000 per violation, up to $10,000/day
- Governing section
- Development Code § 9.36.230(C)
- Medical marijuana
- Governed by Health & Safety Code § 11362.77
Summary
Apple Valley bans cannabis dispensaries, delivery services, cultivation and every other commercial marijuana business in every zoning district in town. Development Code Section 9.36.230 makes the use prohibited outright: no use permit, variance, building permit or other entitlement can be issued to establish one anywhere within town limits.
C.Commercial Use 1.Medical marijuana shall be pursuant to Section 11362.77 of the California Health & Safety Code.2.The establishment or operation of any medical marijuana collective, cooperative, dispensary, delivery service, operator, establishment, or provider shall be considered a prohibited use in all zoning districts of the Town and no use permit, variance, building permit, or any other entitlement or permit, whether administrative or discretionary, shall be approved or issued for the establishment of any collective, cooperative, dispensary, delivery service, operator, establishment, or provider in any zoning district, and no person shall otherwise establish such businesses or operations in any zoning district.3.The establishment or operation of any business of commercial marijuana activity is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
230(C) of the Development Code declares the establishment or operation of any medical marijuana collective, cooperative, dispensary, delivery service, operator, establishment, or provider a prohibited use in all zoning districts of the Town. No use permit, variance, building permit, or any other administrative or discretionary entitlement may be approved or issued for one, and the Section separately bars any commercial marijuana activity outright, including the transportation, delivery, storage, distribution, or sale of marijuana, marijuana products, or accessories; cultivation; and manufacturing or testing, except to the narrow extent state law preempts local control under California Code of Regulations, Title 16, Division 42, Section 5416.
230 opt-out does not purport to override that or any other State or Federal statute. 210 of the Development Code rather than this Section. Property owners are also on the hook: renting, leasing, or otherwise allowing a tenant to use property for a prohibited marijuana business or unlawful residential cultivation is itself a violation, and an owner is strictly liable for an administrative citation even if a tenant is responsible, unless the owner's lease bars cultivation and the owner had no actual notice.
Violations & Fines
Violations of Section 9.36.230 are a misdemeanor or infraction at the discretion of the Town Attorney or District Attorney under subsection D. Administrative citations for illegal commercial or residential marijuana cultivation carry a flat $1,000 penalty per violation, capped at $10,000 per day, far above the Code's standard $100/$200/$500 escalating citation schedule under Section 1.01.200.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a cannabis dispensary in Apple Valley?
Does Apple Valley allow cannabis delivery from outside businesses?
What happens to a landlord who rents to an illegal marijuana business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apple Valley
California rules heatmap·Compare Apple Valley to another location·View the California cannabis regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Dispensary Zoning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle dispensary zoning.