Little Rock, AR Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- C-3 general commercial
- Permitted by right, Sec. 36-301(c)(1)
- C-2 shopping center
- Permitted by right, Sec. 36-300(c)(1)
- O-2 office district
- Accessory-only, capped at 10% floor area
- Licensing authority
- State Medical Marijuana Commission (Sec. 36-2)
- Opt-out clause
- None found in chapter 36
- Zoning violation fine
- $50-$500 per day, Sec. 36-4
Summary
Little Rock treats medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities as ordinary permitted uses rather than banning or specially conditioning them. Sec. 36-301(c)(1) lists both by right in the C-3 general commercial district and Sec. 36-300(c)(1) does the same in the C-2 shopping center district, while Sec. 36-2 defines each term around licensing by the state Medical Marijuana Commission and no buffer or opt-out clause appears anywhere in chapter 36.
Sec. 36-2: "Medical marijuana cultivation facility means an entity which has been licensed by the medical marijuana commission and operated in compliance with all applicable state rules that cultivates, prepares, manufactures, processes, packages, sells and delivers usable marijuana to a dispensary." "Medical marijuana dispensary means an entity that has been licensed by the medical marijuana commission and operated in compliance with all applicable state rules that sells medical marijuana. This term also includes cultivating dispensaries." Sec. 36-301: "(c)Use regulations.(1)Permitted uses. Permitted uses are as follows:...ddd.Medical appliance fittings and sales.eee.Medical marijuana cultivation facility.fff.Medical marijuana dispensary.ggg.Microbrewery or microbrewery restaurant..."
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83).
Full Breakdown
The C-3 general commercial district exists, per Sec. " Its permitted-use list in Sec. 36-301(c)(1) runs alphabetically from "Amusement, (commercial, inside)" through "Travel bureau," and "Medical marijuana cultivation facility" (item eee) and "Medical marijuana dispensary" (item fff) sit in that list next to pharmacies, pet shops and laundromats, meaning either use is allowed by right with a standard building permit, no conditional-use hearing and no siting standard written into the section. Sec. 36-300(c)(1), the parallel permitted-use list for the C-2 shopping center district, repeats the identical two uses at items xx and yy, so a dispensary or cultivation facility can open in either of the city's two general commercial zones on the same footing as any other retailer.
The one district that treats the use differently is O-2 office and institutional: Sec. " Sec. " Chapter 36 has no local moratorium, ban or opt-out clause for either use; the zoning code confines itself to where the licensed business may locate and leaves the licensing itself to the state commission.
Violations & Fines
Operating a dispensary or cultivation facility outside the C-3, C-2 or O-2 districts, or beyond O-2's ten-percent accessory-use cap, is a zoning violation under Sec. 36-4: each day of noncompliance counts as a separate misdemeanor, fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00, capped at $250.00 per day if continuous. The enforcing officer must first issue a written order giving seven days to abate or appeal to the Board of Adjustment, shortened to twenty-four hours for anyone cited again within the preceding twelve months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can a medical marijuana dispensary legally locate in Little Rock?
Can a dispensary operate in an office district?
Has Little Rock opted out of allowing marijuana dispensaries?
What happens if a dispensary opens in a district that does not allow it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Little Rock
Compare Little Rock to another location·View the Arkansas cannabis regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.