Columbia, MO Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- School/church buffer
- 500 feet
- Dispensary cap
- 1 per 20,000 population
- Dispensary districts
- M-C, M-DT, IG
- Hours
- 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Summary
Columbia, Missouri has not opted out of marijuana licensing: dispensaries are permitted in the M-C, M-DT, and IG zoning districts, but every marijuana facility must sit at least 500 feet from a school, day care, or church under the Unified Development Code.
(qq)Primary use of land and buildings: Marijuana facilities. Pursuant to Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution the following types of marijuana facilities have been authorized: medical and comprehensive marijuana cultivation facilities, medical and comprehensive marijuana dispensary facilities, medical and comprehensive infused product manufacturing facilities, microbusiness marijuana dispensary facilities, microbusiness marijuana wholesale facilities, and marijuana testing facilities. These facility types are defined within section 29-1.11 of this chapter and shall be subject to the following additional standards:(1)No marijuana facility shall be located within five hundred (500) feet of an existing public or private elementary or secondary school, child day care center, or church as those terms are defined in the Rules of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services as contained in the Code of State Regulations Title 19 CSR Division 30 Chapter 95.(2)The number of total combined medical marijuana dispensary facilities and comprehensive marijuana dispensary facilities located within the city limits shall be limited to one (1) per twenty thousand (20,000) population, or fraction thereof
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 138).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 29-3.3(qq) of Columbia's UDC authorizes marijuana facilities under Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution and layers on local siting rules: no facility within 500 feet of an existing public or private elementary/secondary school, child day care center, or church, and dispensaries citywide are capped at one per 20,000 population. Table 29-3.1 permits comprehensive/medical marijuana dispensary facilities in the M-C, M-DT, and IG districts, while cultivation facilities are confined to the IG and A districts. Hours run 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Columbia, Missouri, in Boone County, has not opted out of hosting licensed marijuana businesses.
Violations & Fines
Operating a marijuana facility without a City of Columbia business license, in the wrong zoning district, or inside the 500-foot buffer is unlawful under Sec. 29-3.3(qq)(15); UDC Sec. 29-6.6(c)(1)(ii) sets fines of $10-$250 per day for a first offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Columbia, Missouri banned marijuana dispensaries?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbia
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