Kitsap County, WA Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Opt-out status
- None; retail cannabis is allowed
- State license required
- WSLCB license under Ch. 314-55 WAC
- County permits
- May include administrative conditional use permit
- Compliance required
- Chapter 69.50 RCW and Chapter 314-55 WAC
- Nonconforming status
- Unavailable to prior unlicensed retailers
- Governing section
- KCC § 17.415.345
- Applies
- Unincorporated Kitsap County only
Summary
Kitsap County has no cannabis opt-out or ban; a marijuana retailer may locate in unincorporated Kitsap County only at a site licensed by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, cleared through the county's own permits, and fully compliant with Chapter 69.50 RCW and Chapter 314-55 WAC, under KCC § 17.415.345.
3. This section shall apply to those marijuana retailers that are licensed by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board under Chapter 314-55 WAC. ... C. Permits. 1. Kitsap County makes no representations as to the legality of the use subject to this section. All applicable permits (e.g., administrative conditional use permits, building permits or tenant improvement permits) shall be required. 2. Only state-licensed marijuana retailers may locate within unincorporated Kitsap County. Upon request, all retailers must supply a copy of the state-issued license. 3. No permit shall be approved unless the applicant demonstrates full compliance with Chapter 69.50 RCW and Chapter 314-55 WAC. D. Nonconforming Uses. No use that constitutes or purports to be a marijuana retailer as those terms are defined in this title that was engaged in that activity prior to the enactment of these provisions shall be deemed to have been a legally established use under Kitsap County Code and that use shall not be entitled to claim legal nonconforming status.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4864424; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).
Full Breakdown
345 instead conditions every marijuana retailer, with or without a medical endorsement, on holding a valid Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board license and fully conforming to state law and Kitsap County Code. , that state and local rules do not preempt federal law, and that county zoning approval is not a defense against federal prosecution; that boilerplate applies to every retailer, producer, and processor use in the title. 50 RCW, the state Uniform Controlled Substances Act's cannabis provisions, and Chapter 314-55 WAC, the Liquor and Cannabis Board's licensing rules; the applicant must also produce a copy of the state license on request.
A retailer that was operating before these zoning provisions took effect gets no legal nonconforming-use protection: subsection D specifically strips any pre-existing marijuana retail use of the ability to claim it was legally established under Kitsap County Code, meaning an unlicensed or improperly sited retailer cannot grandfather its way into compliance.
Violations & Fines
Operating a cannabis retailer without both a current state Liquor and Cannabis Board license and county permit approval under § 17.415.345(C), or continuing to operate an unpermitted retailer on a nonconforming-use theory barred by § 17.415.345(D), is a Class I civil infraction under § 17.610.020, with each day of operation charged as a separate infraction under Chapter 2.116 and RCW 7.80.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Kitsap County banned marijuana retail stores?
What county permits does a cannabis retailer need in Kitsap County?
Can an existing unlicensed marijuana store claim grandfathered status in Kitsap County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kitsap County
Compare Kitsap County to another location·View the Washington cannabis regulations overview
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