Issaquah, WA Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)

Issaquah has not opted out of licensed recreational cannabis. Land Use Code § 18.502.090 provides for the appropriate siting of recreational cannabis facilities licensed under State law, and the permitted use table at IMC 18.402.020 lists Marijuana Retailer (recreational) with a cross-reference to IMC 18.502.090. The columns of that table could not be tied to zone headers in the export, so this page relies on the section text itself.

General requirements: A facility must be entirely within a permanent enclosed structure with a roof. It must be the primary use at a location; recreational cannabis facilities are not allowed as an accessory use or as a home business. It must be operated by persons or entities holding a valid cannabis license from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board under Chapter 314-55 WAC and other applicable State laws, and it must obtain a City business license. No horticulture production, processing, or delivery of cannabis to the business owners can be visible to the public outside the structure, and City personnel including law enforcement can inspect the site and facilities at any time during regular business hours.

Retail cap: No more than two retail facilities can operate in Issaquah at any time, regardless of State allocation of retail cannabis licenses. A State license allocation therefore does not guarantee a local slot.

Application: The application must be made by a cannabis licensee or an applicant for a cannabis license, with a copy of the license or the license application, and must include the operating plan required by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. A permit cannot be issued unless the applicant is a cannabis licensee.

Security: Before a business license is issued, the facility must have an operational security system monitored 24 hours a day and an operational security camera system that retains recordings from all installed cameras for not less than 60 days, plus any other system required by WAC 314-55-083. It must also comply with crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) standards to the extent possible. Distance rules are covered separately in subsections C and D.