The City of Ventura permits licensed retail cannabis storefronts under Municipal Code Chapter 6.420, with up to five retail permits awarded through a competitive process and zoning controlled by Section 24.105.200. Ventura County unincorporated areas allow commercial cultivation and processing in specific zones under Measure O but prohibit retail. Other nearby cities with dispensaries include Oxnard, Port Hueneme, and Ojai.
The City of Ventura adopted a commercial cannabis program in February 2021, adding regulatory Chapter 6.420 and zoning Section 24.105.200 to the municipal code. The City Manager may grant up to five retail storefront or non-storefront cannabis permits and ten industrial permits, awarded through a competitive, merit-based process that weighs local ownership, neighborhood compatibility, security, and safety plans; the city approved its first retail permit applicants in early 2023. Applicants must obtain a Zoning Verification Letter from the Community Development Department confirming the site qualifies, and delivery requires a separate Cannabis Delivery Services Permit — a storefront permit alone does not cover it. Ventura County unincorporated areas allow commercial cannabis cultivation, nursery, processing, and distribution under Measure O (2020) on land zoned AE, M2, or M3, but prohibit retail sales. County cannabis businesses must be 1,200 feet from schools, day care centers, youth centers, parks, drug rehab centers, and residential neighborhoods.
Operating a cannabis business without a city permit remains illegal and may result in criminal prosecution, civil penalties, property seizure, and nuisance abatement. Code enforcement actively pursues unlicensed cannabis operations.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Ventura County.
See how other cities in Ventura County handle dispensary zoning.
See how Ventura's dispensary zoning rules stack up against other locations.
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