Cannabis Regulations in Monterey County, CA (2026)
2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Monterey County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Dispensary Zoning
In the unincorporated inland area, Monterey County confines cannabis retailers to Light Commercial, Heavy Commercial, and Mixed Use zoning districts, and confines cultivation to Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, Agricultural Industrial, and Farmland districts, each requiring a county administrative permit under Monterey County Code Chapter 21.67. A separate Chapter 20.67 governs the certified Coastal Zone, where a Coastal Development Permit is required instead.
Monterey County Cannabis Business Zoning Districts
Significant RestrictionsMonterey County Code §§ 21.67.030, 21.67.040(A), 21.67.050(A)
21.67.030 - Permits required. Except as provided in Section 21.67.090 of this Chapter, commercial cannabis activities shall not be allowed in the unincorporated areas of Monterey County without first securing all permits, licenses, or other entitlements required by County regulation and state law and regulation. 21.67.040 - Regulations for cannabis retailers. A.Applicability. The provisions of...
Buffer Zones
Monterey County keeps cannabis retailers and cultivation sites at least 600 feet from any K-12 school, child care center, youth center, playground, or drug recovery facility, measured property line to property line, under Monterey County Code § 21.67.040(B)(2) and § 21.67.050(B)(4). Retailers must also stay 1,500 feet from another approved retailer unless a use permit and special-circumstances findings are secured.
Monterey County Cannabis Buffer Zone Rules
Significant RestrictionsMonterey County Code § 21.67.040(B)(2)-(3)
21.67.040 - Regulations for cannabis retailers. B.Regulations. Cannabis retailers shall meet the following minimum requirements:...2.Retail facilities shall not be located within a six hundred (600) foot radius of a school providing instruction in kindergarten or any grades 1 through 12, a child care center, a youth center, a playground, or a drug recovery facility that is in existence at the t...
Cannabis Regulations by City in Monterey County
1 cities in Monterey County have their own cannabis regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Monterey County ordinances
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