Newport Beach, CA Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)

010 that prohibiting cannabis cultivation, processing, delivery and dispensaries citywide is necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare, and that the chapter exercises the City's police power and Charter authority to bar these uses regardless of whether the cannabis is for medicinal purposes. 030(A) makes it unlawful for any person to establish, operate, conduct, permit or allow any cannabis or medical cannabis use in the City, including cultivation, processing, delivery, dispensaries, cooperatives, and any other commercial cannabis activity requiring a State license under the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act, except where State or Federal law preempts a local prohibition.

Subsection B bars the City from approving or issuing any use permit, variance, building permit or other entitlement for cannabis-related activities. The chapter carves out one narrow exception in subsection C: retail delivery of medical cannabis to a qualified patient or caregiver from a non-storefront retailer located in the City that is closed to the public, effective on or after January 1, 2024, provided the retailer holds a Department of Cannabis Control non-storefront license, employs licensed security personnel at least 21 years old, and holds a City business license.

Delivery drivers for such a retailer must carry documentation including their license, government ID and chain-of-custody records. Subsection D separately bars any owner, manager, operator, contractor or employee of a non-storefront retailer from selling cannabis, accessories or branded merchandise from the business location, or delivering to anyone other than a qualified patient or caregiver.