Mendocino County, CA Cannabis Regulations: Home Cultivation (2026)

Mendocino County is part of California's Emerald Triangle and has one of the state's longer-running local cannabis programs. For adult personal use, cultivation is allowed within or on the grounds of a private dwelling or accessory structure with a maximum of six living cannabis plants and a total canopy area of no more than 100 square feet per residence, consistent with Health and Safety Code §11362.2 and the Mendocino County code framework. Outdoor or mixed-light personal cultivation is generally limited and must comply with screening, security, and setback rules. Commercial cultivation is governed by Chapter 10A.17 (Mendocino Cannabis Cultivation Ordinance) in Title 10A Agriculture and by Chapter 20.242 Cannabis Cultivation Sites in the Zoning Code. Chapter 10A.17 originally provided for a three-phase permit framework, with Phase Three (for larger or new entrants) scheduled to open on April 1, 2021; the Board of Supervisors imposed a temporary moratorium delaying Phase Three. Outdoor or mixed-light commercial cultivation is prohibited within 200 feet of any occupied legal residential structure on a separate legal parcel and within 100 feet of an adjoining parcel under separate ownership, and within 1,000 feet of a youth-oriented facility, school, or park.