Monterey County, CA Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Retail districts
- Light Commercial, Heavy Commercial, Mixed Use only
- Cultivation districts
- LI, HI, Agricultural Industrial, Farmland only
- Permit required
- Administrative permit plus Ch. 7.90 business permit
- Outdoor cultivation
- Banned except Ch. 21.69 pilot program
- Retailer spacing
- 1,500 ft minimum between retailers
- Coastal Zone
- Separate Ch. 20.67, needs Coastal Development Permit
- Retail hours cap
- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. countywide
Summary
In the unincorporated inland area, Monterey County confines cannabis retailers to Light Commercial, Heavy Commercial, and Mixed Use zoning districts, and confines cultivation to Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, Agricultural Industrial, and Farmland districts, each requiring a county administrative permit under Monterey County Code Chapter 21.67. A separate Chapter 20.67 governs the certified Coastal Zone, where a Coastal Development Permit is required instead.
21.67.030 - Permits required. Except as provided in Section 21.67.090 of this Chapter, commercial cannabis activities shall not be allowed in the unincorporated areas of Monterey County without first securing all permits, licenses, or other entitlements required by County regulation and state law and regulation.
21.67.040 - Regulations for cannabis retailers. A.Applicability. The provisions of this Section are applicable in Light Commercial (LC), Heavy Commercial (HC), and Mixed Use (MU) zoning districts. Cannabis retailers shall not be allowed in any other zoning district.
21.67.050 - Regulations for cannabis cultivation. A.Applicability. Except as provided in Section 21.67.090 of this Chapter, cannabis cultivation may only be permitted in the Light Industrial (LI), Heavy Industrial (HI), Agricultural Industrial (AI), or Farmland (F) zoning districts with an administrative permit in each case and as may be further restricted by this Section. Outdoor cannabis cultivation is prohibited in all zones within the unincorporated areas of Monterey County except as provided in Section 21.67.090 of this Chapter, and as provided in Chapter 21.69 of the Monterey County Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
90 commercial cannabis business permit, and a valid state license under the state's cannabis licensing law. 80. 040(A) limits cannabis retailers to the Light Commercial, Heavy Commercial, and Mixed Use zoning districts and bars them everywhere else. 050(A) limits cultivation to the Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, Agricultural Industrial, and Farmland districts, each requiring its own administrative permit by state license type, Type 1A through Type 4. 69. Within the Farmland district, the county allows indoor and mixed-light cultivation only inside greenhouses or agricultural support buildings that were legally established before January 1, 2016, an adaptive-reuse carve-out meant to keep new cannabis structures off productive farmland.
74 use permit and proof of special circumstances. 67 of the Coastal Zoning Ordinance, Title 20, and need a Coastal Development Permit from the Planning Commission rather than an inland administrative permit. 040(D)(6).
Violations & Fines
Monterey County Code § 21.67.130 makes any violation of Chapter 21.67, including operating without the required administrative permit or outside a permitted zoning district, a misdemeanor with no proof of intent required. Each violation is also a public nuisance, exposing the operator to injunctive relief, disgorgement of unlawfully obtained payments, abatement and investigation costs, attorney fees, and civil penalties the County Counsel or District Attorney may pursue under Chapters 1.20 and 1.22.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where in unincorporated Monterey County can a cannabis dispensary open?
Can I grow cannabis outdoors in unincorporated Monterey County?
Does the same zoning apply near Big Sur and the coast?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County 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.