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Is marijuana legal in Arizona?

Yes. As of 2026, marijuana (weed) is legal in Arizona for adults 21 and older, and medical marijuana is legal for registered patients.

Status checked November 4, 2026

Contents

Overview
What the law says
Minimum age
Possession limits
Buying
Growing at home
Where to use it
Medical cards
Visitors
Driving
Employment
Penalties
CBD, hemp and delta-8
Federal law
Recent changes
Legislation
Sources

Marijuana laws in Arizona

Arizona voters legalized adult-use marijuana by passing Proposition 207, the Smart and Safe Arizona Act, on November 3, 2020. It took effect November 30, 2020. Medical marijuana has been legal since voters passed Proposition 203 in 2010.

Adults 21 and older may possess, buy and transport up to one ounce of marijuana, with no more than five grams of concentrate. They may grow up to six plants at their primary residence, with a limit of 12 plants where two or more adults live. Plants must be in a locked, enclosed area that people can’t see from public view. Adults may give up to one ounce, or up to six plants, to another adult if nothing is paid.

Licensed marijuana establishments sell to adults 21 and older, and the Arizona Department of Health Services runs the medical program.

Some things are still illegal. Smoking marijuana in a public place or open space is a petty offense, and so is having more than one ounce but no more than two and a half ounces. Driving while impaired to even the slightest degree is illegal. Employers may keep drug-free workplace policies. Delta-8 and other hemp-synthesized intoxicants can’t be sold outside licensed marijuana businesses. A 2026 law, HB 2179, added marijuana advertising limits. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, apart from state-licensed medical marijuana, which moved to Schedule III in April 2026.

Nature's Wonder cannabis dispensary sign, Arizona Photo: Adobe Stock (editorial use only).

What the law says

Legal

Possessing, consuming, purchasing, processing, manufacturing by manual or mechanical means, including sieving or ice water separation but excluding chemical extraction or chemical synthesis, or transporting one ounce or less of marijuana, except that not more than five grams of marijuana may be in the form of marijuana concentrate.
Not more than twelve plants are produced at a single residence where two or more individuals who are at least twenty-one years of age reside at one time.
Transferring one ounce or less of marijuana, of which not more than five grams may be in the form of marijuana concentrate, to an individual who is at least twenty-one years of age if the transfer is without remuneration and is not advertised or promoted to the public.

Not legal

A person who smokes marijuana in a public place or open space is guilty of a petty offense.
Consume marijuana or marijuana products while driving, operating or riding in the passenger seat or compartment of an operating motor vehicle, boat, vessel, aircraft or another vehicle used for transportation.

Quoted from Arizona Revised Statutes §36-2852(A).

How old do you have to be to use marijuana in Arizona?

You have to be 21 to buy weed in Arizona for adult use. Under Proposition 207, only people 21 and older may legally buy, possess or use marijuana, and licensed stores check a valid ID. Medical patients can buy younger with a state medical card. People under 21 caught with an ounce or less face a civil penalty of up to $100 for a first violation, and using a fake ID to buy is a petty offense.

How much marijuana can you have in Arizona?

Adults 21 and older in Arizona can have up to one ounce of marijuana, with no more than five grams of it as concentrate. At home, you can also keep what your own plants produce, on the premises where they were grown. In a car, you can transport up to one ounce, but consuming marijuana while driving or riding in a vehicle is illegal. Having more than one ounce but no more than two and a half ounces is a petty offense.

Where can you buy marijuana in Arizona?

You can buy weed in Arizona at licensed marijuana establishments, many of which also serve medical patients. Adults 21 and older need a valid government ID, and medical patients buy with their state-issued card. Cities and towns can ban or limit marijuana businesses, so access varies by location. Buying from unlicensed sellers, including smoke shops selling hemp-synthesized intoxicants, is not legal.

Can you grow marijuana at home in Arizona?

Yes. Adults 21 and older in Arizona can grow up to six marijuana plants at their primary residence, and no more than 12 plants where two or more adults live. Plants must be in a closet, room, greenhouse or other enclosed area with a lock that keeps minors out, and they can't be visible from public view. Growing where people can see the plants, or outside a locked area, is a petty offense the first time.

Where can you use marijuana in Arizona?

You can smoke weed in Arizona mainly on private property. Smoking marijuana in a public place or open space is a petty offense. You also can't consume marijuana while driving or riding in a vehicle. Landlords, employers, schools, hotels and other property owners can ban marijuana on their property. Cities and towns can't stop you from using it in a private home.

How do you get a medical marijuana card in Arizona?

To get a medical marijuana card in Arizona, you need a written certification from a physician that you have a qualifying debilitating condition, such as cancer, chronic pain, PTSD, epilepsy or another listed condition. You then apply online to the Arizona Department of Health Services, which issues the registry card. Patients can buy up to 2.5 ounces every 14 days. Medical cards also offer lower taxes than adult-use purchases.

Can visitors buy or use marijuana in Arizona?

Yes. Out-of-state visitors can buy marijuana in Arizona if they are 21 or older. Proposition 207 has no residency requirement, and licensed stores accept a valid government-issued ID. Visitors follow the same one-ounce limit and the same ban on smoking in public places. Taking marijuana out of Arizona across state lines isn't protected by state law and remains illegal under federal law.

What are the rules on driving and marijuana in Arizona?

No, you can't drive high in Arizona. It's illegal to drive while impaired to even the slightest degree by marijuana. Under Proposition 207, having marijuana metabolites in your body counts as DUI only if you're also impaired to the slightest degree. Consuming marijuana while driving or riding in a vehicle is illegal. The smell of marijuana alone isn't enough to justify a stop, except in a DUI investigation.

Can an employer in Arizona fire you for using marijuana?

Yes, you can get fired for using marijuana in Arizona, even legally off the job. Proposition 207 says employers can keep drug-and-alcohol-free workplaces and policies restricting marijuana use by employees and applicants. Registered medical patients have more protection, because employers generally can't punish them for their status or a positive test alone, unless they're impaired at work or the employer would lose federal money.

What are the penalties for breaking marijuana laws in Arizona?

In Arizona, having more than one ounce but no more than two and a half ounces of marijuana is a petty offense, a fine-only charge. Larger amounts are felonies. Smoking in a public place or open space is a petty offense, and growing plants in public view is a petty offense, then a misdemeanor. People under 21 with an ounce or less face a civil penalty of up to $100 for a first violation, rising to a misdemeanor for a third. Selling without a license is a felony.

Are CBD, hemp and delta-8 products legal in Arizona?

CBD is legal in Arizona, but delta-8 and other intoxicants made by converting hemp aren't legal hemp products. The Arizona Attorney General has said these hemp-synthesized products fall outside Arizona's hemp definition and may be sold only by licensed marijuana establishments. Arizona hasn't passed a separate age-21 hemp law. Separately, a stricter federal hemp definition, with a total-THC standard that counts THCA and a 0.4 mg-per-container cap, takes effect December 11, 2026.

Does federal law still apply in Arizona?

Yes. Federal law still applies in Arizona. Marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, with one exception: since April 28, 2026, marijuana covered by a state medical marijuana license and FDA-approved marijuana products are in Schedule III. A broader federal rescheduling proceeding was stayed on September 29, 2026, and has no decision date. State law does not change federal rules on federal land, on carrying marijuana across state lines, or on federally required drug testing, such as for DOT-regulated jobs.

Has the law in Arizona changed recently, or is it about to?

Yes, Arizona's law changed in 2026, but only around the edges. HB 2179, which took effect July 1, 2026, restricts marijuana advertising, requires age and pregnancy warnings, and limits ads aimed at young people. A bill that would have created nuisance penalties for smoking marijuana in your own backyard, SB 1725, died. At the federal level, state-licensed medical marijuana moved to Schedule III on April 28, 2026. New federal hemp limits begin November 12 and December 11, 2026.

Legislation

Sources (9)

General information, not legal advice. Laws change often, so check with the state's cannabis agency before relying on this.

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