Jackson County, MS Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Dispensary zoning
- Commercial districts only
- Dispensary-to-dispensary buffer
- 1,500 feet minimum
- School/church/child care buffer
- 1,000 feet (waivable to 500 feet)
- Hours of operation
- 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Cultivation/processing districts
- A-1, I-1, I-2, I-3 only
Summary
Jackson County restricts medical cannabis dispensaries to commercial zoning districts in the unincorporated county. Dispensaries must keep 1,500 feet from each other, stay 1,000 feet from schools, churches or child care facilities, and operate only 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Section 6.17.02. Medical Cannabis Dispensary.
1) Medical Cannabis dispensaries are allowed in commercial zoned districts.
2) A dispensary cannot be located within 1,500 feet of another dispensary.
3) The main point of entry of a dispensary cannot be located within 1,000 feet of the nearest property line of any school, church or child care facility. A dispensary may receive a waiver to this distance restriction by receiving approval from the school, church, or child care facility, and by applying for a waiver with its respective licensing agency, providing that the main point of entry of the dispensary is not located within five hundred (500) feet of the nearest property line of any school, church or child care facility.
4) Hours of operation for the dispensary shall be 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
5) A dispensary must be licensed to do business in the County.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
02 of the Jackson County Zoning Ordinance, medical cannabis dispensaries are permitted only in commercial zoned districts within the unincorporated area of the county, outside Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, Gautier and Moss Point, which each administer their own codes. A dispensary cannot locate within 1,500 feet of another dispensary, and its main point of entry cannot sit within 1,000 feet of the nearest property line of any school, church or child care facility. That distance can shrink to 500 feet if the dispensary gets a waiver approved by the affected school, church or child care facility and also applies for a waiver through its state licensing agency.
m. 01 and are confined to the A-1, I-1, I-2 and I-3 zoning districts, must occur in a registered, enclosed, locked and secure facility, and also require a county business license. The Jackson County Planning Department, at 2915 Canty Street in Pascagoula, administers zoning compliance for both cultivation and dispensary uses, and any siting question runs through that office's permit process under the Board of Supervisors' adopted zoning map.
Violations & Fines
Operating a dispensary outside a commercial zoning district, inside the 1,500-foot buffer from another dispensary, or inside the 1,000-foot school/church/child care buffer without an approved waiver violates Section 6.17.02 and can block or revoke the county business license needed to operate. Running outside the 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. window is a separate violation of the same section, enforced through the Planning Department's zoning compliance process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a medical cannabis dispensary locate in unincorporated Jackson County?
How close can a dispensary be to a school or church?
What hours can a Jackson County dispensary operate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jackson County
Compare Jackson County to another location·View the Mississippi cannabis regulations overview
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