Travis County, TX Cannabis Regulations: Social Equity Licensing (2026)
Key Facts
- Adult-use
- Not legal in Texas
- Equity program
- None possible
- Medical license
- DPS state-controlled
- Local cite-release
- Allowed under §43A
Summary
Texas does not license adult-use cannabis businesses, so Travis County has no social equity licensing program; only a small set of state-licensed Compassionate Use Program dispensaries operate statewide under TX HSC Chapter 487.
Sec. 487.102. ELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSE. An applicant for a license to operate as a dispensing organization is eligible for the license if: (1) the applicant possesses: (A) the technical and technological ability to cultivate and produce low-THC cannabis; (B) the ability to secure resources, personnel, and premises reasonably located to allow patients listed on the compassionate-use registry access; (C) the ability to maintain accountability for the raw materials and finished product; and (D) the financial ability to maintain operations for not less than two years from the date of application.
Full Breakdown
Texas has not legalized adult-use cannabis. The Texas Compassionate Use Program under Health and Safety Code Chapter 487 licenses a small fixed number of dispensing organizations selling low-THC products only to qualifying registered patients. The Department of Public Safety, not local governments, controls licensing. Because there is no commercial cannabis industry in Texas, Travis County cannot create a social equity license program. A 2022 Austin city ordinance directed police de-prioritization of low-level marijuana possession, but possession remains illegal under TX HSC 481.121.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed cannabis dispensary in Travis County is a state criminal offense under TX HSC Chapter 481, prosecuted by the Travis County District Attorney with potential felony charges depending on quantity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Travis County create cannabis equity licenses?
Is recreational cannabis decriminalized?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Travis County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Travis County to another location·View the Texas cannabis regulations overview
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