Peoria, AZ Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Peoria City Code § 11-75
- General rule
- Marijuana establishments prohibited citywide
- Exception
- Dual licensee sharing a medical dispensary location
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 2021-02, § 1, effective 1-19-21
- State term source
- A.R.S. § 36-2850 definitions
Summary
Peoria bars recreational marijuana establishments citywide except for a dual licensee that also holds a nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration. There is no zoning district where a stand-alone recreational marijuana establishment may open.
To the fullest extent allowable by law, the operation of a Marijuana Establishment is prohibited in the City, except where authorized for a dual licensee who: (1) Operates both a licensed nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary and a licensed marijuana establishment cooperatively in a shared location; and (2) Has not forfeited or terminated the nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-9: Supplement contains: LLocal legislation current through Ord. 2026-15, passed 6-16-26).
Full Breakdown
§ 36-2850. The single carve-out is for a dual licensee: an operator who runs both a licensed nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary and a licensed recreational marijuana establishment cooperatively in a shared location, and who has not forfeited or terminated the underlying medical dispensary registration issued by the Arizona Department of Health Services. In practice this means a recreational marijuana retailer cannot locate anywhere in Peoria on a stand-alone basis; the only lawful path is for an already-registered medical dispensary to add recreational sales at that same site.
The prohibition was adopted by Ord. No. 2021-02, § 1 (1-19-21), placing Peoria among the Arizona cities that opted out of allowing new recreational marijuana establishments after the state's 2020 legalization measure took effect, while preserving the co-location option the state statute makes available to existing medical operators.
Violations & Fines
Operating a Marijuana Establishment in Peoria without qualifying as a dual licensee under § 11-75(b) violates the section outright; the prohibition applies regardless of whether the operator holds a valid state-issued marijuana establishment license, because the city ban is separate from state licensing. A dual licensee that forfeits or terminates its nonprofit medical dispensary registration loses the exception and falls back under the general prohibition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a new recreational marijuana store open anywhere in Peoria?
What is a "dual licensee" under Peoria's marijuana ban?
Does Peoria's ban affect existing medical marijuana dispensaries?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Peoria
Compare Peoria to another location·View the Arizona cannabis regulations overview
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Dispensary Zoning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle dispensary zoning.