San Antonio, TX Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- State framework
- TX HSC Chapters 481 and 487
- Adult-use zoning
- Not authorized in SA UDC
- CUP dispensaries
- Three statewide licensees
- Hemp and CBD
- DSHS Consumable Hemp Program
- Local opt-in
- Preempted by state law
Summary
Texas has no recreational cannabis program, so San Antonio's Unified Development Code provides no commercial cannabis zoning. Only state-licensed Compassionate Use dispensing organizations and licensed hemp and CBD retailers operate, subject to standard retail zoning and state oversight.
(a) This section does not apply to low-THC cannabis regulated under Chapter 487.(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a person may not sell, offer for sale, possess, distribute, or transport a cannabinoid oil, including cannabidiol oil, in this state:(1) if the oil contains any material extracted or derived from the plant Cannabis sativa L., other than from hemp produced in compliance with 7 U.S.C.
Full Breakdown
San Antonio's Unified Development Code does not include any zoning category for recreational cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, retail, or consumption because Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 481 prohibits adult-use sales statewide. The Compassionate Use Program under TX HSC Chapter 487 licenses three vertically integrated dispensing organizations to serve qualifying patients, and any San Antonio satellite location operates as a state-licensed pharmacy-style facility under retail zoning. Hemp-derived products with under 0.3 percent delta-9 THC, including CBD and certain delta-8 items, are sold in regular retail and smoke shops licensed through the Texas Department of State Health Services Consumable Hemp Program. The city cannot create a parallel adult-use license while preemption stands, and any local effort would face Attorney General challenge.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed cannabis dispensary or cultivation facility is a felony under TX HSC 481.120. Hemp retailers operating without a DSHS Consumable Hemp Product Registration face administrative penalties and seizure of unregistered products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can San Antonio approve a recreational cannabis dispensary?
Where do CBD and hemp shops fit in San Antonio zoning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Antonio
Texas rules heatmap·Compare San Antonio to another location·View the Texas cannabis regulations overview
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Dispensary Zoning in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bexar County handle dispensary zoning.