District of Columbia Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning Rules (2026)

DC's cannabis dispensary framework was restructured under the Medical Cannabis Amendment Act of 2022 (DC Law 24-332), which moved licensing from DC Health to the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA, previously ABRA) and created pathways for legacy unregulated 'gifting' operators to enter the legal medical market. Licenses include Retailer, Cultivation Center, Manufacturer, Testing Laboratory, Internet Retailer, and Courier. Zoning for dispensaries is set in 11 DCMR Subtitle U section 806: retailers must be in Mixed-Use (MU) or Commercial (C) zones, must maintain a 300-foot buffer from schools (public, private, charter), recreation centers, child/youth residential care facilities, and existing cannabis facilities. The buffer is measured property line to property line. Operations are capped at 7:00 AM to midnight. Security requirements include video surveillance (30-day retention), alarm systems, secure product storage, and Metrc seed-to-sale tracking. Signage must be restrained — no product images visible from the street, no neon, no external advertising of cannabis brands. Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) weigh-in is required for new licenses, and ABCA holds protest hearings similar to liquor license cases. The Harris Rider continues to block DC from using local funds to regulate a tax-and-regulate adult-use market, so pure recreational retail is not licensed. Patients can self-certify under the Medical Cannabis Amendment Act, functionally broadening access. Federal cannabis prohibitions still technically apply and create banking/tax complications for licensed operators.