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Orem, UT Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Cannabis production establishment zone
M2 zone only
Medical cannabis pharmacy zone
Any non-residential zone
Signage limit
One 4x5 ft wall sign, green cross
State license required
Utah Dept. of Agriculture and Food
City requirement
Orem business license before operating

Summary

Orem confines cannabis production establishments to the M2 manufacturing zone and allows medical cannabis pharmacies in any zone that isn't primarily residential, under City Code Section 22-14-21(C), with both use types needing a City business license and a state license before opening.

A cannabis production establishment: Shall be permitted only in the M2 zone subject to the separation requirements below. Shall be operated entirely within an enclosed building. Shall be designed, constructed and operated to prevent the emission of any cannabis-related dust, fumes, vapors, odors or waste outside of the building. ... A medical cannabis pharmacy: Shall be permitted in all zones that are not primarily residential zones subject to the separation requirements below.

Full Breakdown

Orem regulates cannabis land use through Section 22-14-21(C), Requirements for Cannabis Production Establishment and Medical Cannabis Pharmacy, covering cannabis cultivation, processing, and independent testing facilities (SLU 2140) together with medical cannabis pharmacies (SLU 5920). " Signage is capped at one wall sign on the front building face, no larger than four feet by five feet, limited to the business name, hours, and a green cross, and cannot appear in or on exterior windows; no cannabis products may be visible from outside either facility. Both use types must also give the Orem Chief of Police a copy of their state-approved security plan upon request, and both remain subject to all other provisions of Utah state law applicable to the same, layering the state's Medical Cannabis Act licensing and testing rules on top of these local zoning limits.

Violations & Fines

Operating a cannabis production establishment outside the M2 zone, or a medical cannabis pharmacy in a residential zone, is a zoning violation Development Services and the Zoning Administrator can act on directly, separate from any state licensing action by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Because this sits within Chapter 22, a knowing violation carries the City's general zoning penalty: a Class C misdemeanor with up to a $500 fine and up to three months in jail under Section 22-1-6.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a medical cannabis pharmacy open anywhere in Orem?
Not in a residential zone. Section 22-14-21(C) permits a medical cannabis pharmacy 'in all zones that are not primarily residential zones,' subject to distance separation rules, so it can locate in commercial, office, or industrial zones but not on land zoned primarily for housing.
Does Orem allow cannabis cultivation or processing facilities?
Yes, but only in the M2 zone. Section 22-14-21(C) permits a cannabis production establishment, meaning a cultivation facility, processing facility, or independent testing laboratory, 'only in the M2 zone subject to the separation requirements below,' and it must operate entirely inside an enclosed, odor-sealed building.
What license does a cannabis business need in Orem?
Both a City of Orem business license and a state license. Section 22-14-21(C) requires each cannabis production establishment and each medical cannabis pharmacy to obtain a City business license, and separately bars operating 'without a license therefore issued by the Utah State Department of Agriculture and Food.'

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Orem

All Orem rules

Compare Orem to another location·View the Utah cannabis regulations overview

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