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Phoenix, AZ Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)

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

Key Facts

Allowed zoning
C-2 and A-1 districts only
Permit
Use permit under Section 307
Residential buffer
500 feet from home districts
Facility buffer
5,280 feet apart
Hours
8 a.m. to 10 p.m., no drive-through

Summary

Phoenix confines marijuana dispensaries, cultivation, and infusion facilities to Commercial C-2 and Light Industrial A-1 zoning, each requiring a use permit and strict distance buffers from homes, schools, and other dispensaries.

124. Nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary facility, subject to the following conditions and limitations... d. Shall not exceed 5,000 square feet of combined net floor area... f. Shall not be located within 500 feet of the following residentially zoned districts: S-1, S-2, RE-43, RE-35, R1-18, R1-14, R1-10, R1-8, R1-6, R-2, R-3, R3-A, R-4, R-4A, R-5, and PAD-1 through PAD-15... i. Shall have operating hours not earlier than 8:00 a.m. and not later than 10:00 p.m. j. Drive-through services are prohibited.

Source: Phoenix City CodeView official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Phoenix has not opted out of marijuana businesses. Instead, the Zoning Ordinance permits nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary facilities in the Commercial C-2 district and cultivation/dispensary/infusion facilities in the A-1 Light Industrial district as conditional uses, each requiring a Section 307 use permit reviewed every 365 days. Dispensaries are capped at 5,000 square feet, must sit 500 feet from residential zoning, 5,280 feet from another dispensary or cultivation site, and 1,320 feet from schools, parks, or places of worship. Retail sale of recreational marijuana is allowed only as an accessory use at a licensed dispensary.

Violations & Fines

Operating without an approved Section 307 use permit, exceeding the 5,000-square-foot cap, running a drive-through, or violating the buffer or 8 a.m.-10 p.m. hours restriction can trigger permit revocation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a marijuana dispensary open anywhere in Phoenix?
No. Zoning Ordinance Section 623.D.124 limits dispensaries to Commercial C-2 (and cultivation/infusion to A-1 Light Industrial), with a use permit and buffers from homes, schools, and other dispensaries.
Has Phoenix opted out of marijuana businesses?
No. Phoenix permits nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary, cultivation, and infusion facilities as conditional uses in C-2 and A-1 zoning rather than banning them citywide.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Phoenix

All Phoenix rules

Compare Phoenix to another location·View the Arizona cannabis regulations overview

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