Anne Arundel County, MD Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Access
- Arterial road or direct connector required
- Signage
- "No loitering" signs required in lots
- Displays
- Cannabis can't be visible to public
- On-site MD certs
- No on-site certification physician allowed
- Distance buffer
- None: unlike growers/processors' 750 ft
Summary
Anne Arundel County requires licensed cannabis dispensaries to take vehicular access from an arterial road, post "No loitering" signs, and keep cannabis displays hidden from public view, but sets no minimum distance from schools or homes.
(a) Dispensary. A licensed dispensary of cannabis, as defined in State law and regulations, shall comply with all of the following requirements. (1) Except for facilities located in industrial zoning districts, vehicular access shall be from an arterial road or from a local or higher classification road that directly accesses an arterial road. (2) "No loitering" signs shall be conspicuously posted in all parking areas. (3) Displays and depictions of cannabis may not be visible to the general public.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-93: County Code is current through May, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under County Code § 18-10-145(a), a licensed cannabis dispensary anywhere in Anne Arundel County, including unincorporated communities like Glen Burnie and Severna Park, which have no municipal code of their own, must take vehicular access from an arterial road, or from a local or higher-classification road that directly connects to one, unless the site sits in an industrial zoning district. Dispensaries must post "No loitering" signs in every parking area, cannabis displays and depictions can't be visible to the general public, and the site may not keep an on-site physician for issuing written medical-cannabis certifications. Unlike licensed growers and processors, which face a 750-foot buffer from schools and residential zones under § 18-10-145(b) and (c), dispensaries carry no distance-based buffer requirement.
Violations & Fines
A dispensary that violates these standards commits a zoning violation, enforced by the Office of Planning and Zoning under § 18-17-201. Civil fines run $125 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for any subsequent violation under § 18-17-203.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a cannabis dispensary need to be a set distance from a school in Anne Arundel County?
Do Glen Burnie or Severna Park have their own dispensary zoning rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anne Arundel County
Compare Anne Arundel County to another location·View the Maryland cannabis regulations overview
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