Is marijuana legal in Washington?
Yes. As of 2026, marijuana (weed) is legal in Washington for adults 21 and older, who can buy it at licensed stores and possess up to one ounce of useable cannabis. Medical cannabis is also legal. Recreational home growing is not allowed.
Status checked November 4, 2026
Contents
Marijuana laws in Washington
Washington voters legalized adult-use cannabis by passing Initiative 502 on November 6, 2012. Medical cannabis has been legal since Initiative 692 in 1998. The Liquor and Cannabis Board licenses retailers.
Adults 21 and older may possess amounts that do not exceed the retailer sale limits in RCW 69.50.360(3): one ounce of useable cannabis, 16 ounces of cannabis-infused product in solid form, 72 ounces of infused product in liquid form (or 200 milligrams of THC if the liquid is packaged in units of no more than four milligrams of THC each), and seven grams of cannabis concentrate. It is unlawful to open a package or consume cannabis in view of the general public or in a public place, a class 3 civil infraction.
Home cultivation is not legal for adult-use consumers. Only a qualifying medical patient or designated provider with valid authorization may grow at their domicile, generally up to six plants and eight ounces of useable cannabis produced from them, or other amounts specified on the recognition card, including up to 15 plants and 16 ounces if a health care professional recommends it.
A 2026 bill to allow adults 21 and older to grow at home, SB 6204, did not become law. Driving with a THC concentration of 5.00 or higher within two hours, or while affected by cannabis, is DUI. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, apart from state-licensed medical marijuana, which moved to Schedule III in April 2026.
Seattle – December 13, 2025: Shawn Kemp Cannabis sign on a brick building Photo: Adobe Stock (editorial use only).
What the law says
Legal
- The possession, by a person 21 years of age or older, of useable cannabis, cannabis concentrates, or cannabis-infused products in amounts that do not exceed those set forth in RCW 69.50.360(3) is not a violation of this section, this chapter, or any other provision of Washington state law.
- One ounce of useable cannabis;
- 16 ounces of cannabis-infused product in solid form;
- Seven grams of cannabis concentrate
Not legal
- It is unlawful to open a package containing cannabis, useable cannabis, cannabis-infused products, or cannabis concentrates, or consume cannabis, useable cannabis, cannabis-infused products, or cannabis concentrates, in view of the general public or in a public place.
- A person is guilty of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, cannabis, or any drug if the person drives a vehicle within this state:
- The person has, within two hours after driving, a THC concentration of 5.00 or higher
Quoted from RCW 69.50.4013.
How old do you have to be to use marijuana in Washington?
You have to be 21 to buy weed in Washington. Licensed retailers may sell the listed amounts only to a person 21 years of age or older. Possession of those same amounts is legal for adults 21 and older. Medical patients can obtain cannabis with a valid authorization and recognition card, including some patients who are younger than 21 through a designated provider.
How much marijuana can you have in Washington?
Adults 21 and older in Washington can have up to one ounce of useable cannabis, 16 ounces of infused product in solid form, 72 ounces of infused product in liquid form (or 200 milligrams of THC if each liquid unit has no more than four milligrams of THC), and seven grams of concentrate. Those are the amounts you may have on you, at home or in a car, unless you are a medical patient with different card limits. Opening a package or consuming cannabis in public is illegal. Unauthorized possession of 40 grams or less of cannabis is a misdemeanor.
Where can you buy marijuana in Washington?
You can buy weed in Washington at stores licensed by the Liquor and Cannabis Board if you are 21 or older and show valid ID. Medical patients can also buy at a retailer with a medical cannabis endorsement using a recognition card. Buying from an unlicensed seller is not legal. Tribal retailers may sell under agreements with the state.
Can you grow marijuana at home in Washington?
Not if you are only an adult-use consumer. Washington does not allow recreational home grows. A qualifying medical patient or designated provider with valid authorization may grow at their domicile, generally up to six plants and eight ounces of useable cannabis from those plants, or other amounts written on the recognition card. A health care professional may recommend up to 15 plants and 16 ounces. SB 6204, a 2026 bill to let adults 21 and older grow, did not become law.
Where can you use marijuana in Washington?
You can smoke weed in Washington mainly on private property. It is unlawful to open a cannabis package or consume cannabis in view of the general public or in a public place, a class 3 civil infraction. Landlords and employers may set additional rules. Consuming cannabis while driving is covered by the DUI law.
How do you get a medical marijuana card in Washington?
To get a medical marijuana card in Washington, you need an authorization from a health care professional. A cannabis retailer with a medical endorsement enters you in the medical cannabis authorization database and issues a recognition card. Default purchase and grow amounts apply if the authorization does not specify others; a clinician may recommend higher plant and ounce limits, up to 15 plants and 16 ounces at home. Adults 21 and older can also buy at licensed stores without a medical card.
Can visitors buy or use marijuana in Washington?
Yes. Out-of-state visitors can buy marijuana in Washington if they are 21 or older. Licensed adult-use retailers accept a valid government ID showing the buyer is 21 or older, and Initiative 502 did not add a residency requirement for those purchases. Visitors follow the same possession and public-consumption rules. Taking cannabis out of Washington across state lines remains illegal under federal law.
What are the rules on driving and marijuana in Washington?
No, you can't drive high in Washington. You can be convicted of DUI if you drive with a THC concentration of 5.00 or higher within two hours, or while you are under the influence of or affected by cannabis. Having a legal right to use cannabis under state law is not a defense. DUI is generally a gross misdemeanor, and repeat offenses can be a felony.
Can an employer in Washington fire you for using marijuana?
You can still get fired for using marijuana in Washington once you're on the job. Washington law bars most employers from discriminating in initial hiring based on a person's off-duty cannabis use away from work, or based on a pre-employment test that only finds nonpsychoactive cannabis metabolites. It does not stop an employer from maintaining a drug-free workplace, from testing after an accident or for suspected impairment, or from following federal rules. It is not a general ban on firing a current employee.
What are the penalties for breaking marijuana laws in Washington?
Adults 21 and older who stay within the RCW 69.50.360(3) amounts are not violating state possession law. Going over those amounts can be charged as a controlled-substance offense. Unauthorized possession of 40 grams or less of cannabis is a misdemeanor. Public consumption is a class 3 civil infraction. Unlicensed sales and manufacture are separate crimes.
Are CBD, hemp and delta-8 products legal in Washington?
Hemp and hemp-derived CBD that meet Washington's hemp definition are regulated separately from licensed cannabis. Intoxicating products sold as delta-8 or THCA may be treated as cannabis if they fall outside that definition. Licensed cannabis must come from a licensed retailer or, for patients, a lawful medical grow. 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 Washington?
Yes. Federal law still applies in Washington. 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 Washington changed recently, or is it about to?
Washington's adult-use and medical programs remain in place. Recreational home growing is still not legal. SB 6204, a 2026 proposal to allow adults 21 and older to grow up to six plants, did not become law. Possession limits remain those in RCW 69.50.360(3). New federal hemp limits begin November 12 and December 11, 2026.
Legislation
Sources (12)
- RCW 69.50.4013 (possession) app.leg.wa.gov
- RCW 69.50.360 (retail sale amounts) app.leg.wa.gov
- app.leg.wa.gov
- RCW 69.50.445 (public consumption) app.leg.wa.gov
- RCW 69.51A.210 (medical plant limits) app.leg.wa.gov
- RCW 46.61.502 (driving under the influence) app.leg.wa.gov
- RCW 49.44.240 (hiring and cannabis) app.leg.wa.gov
- lcb.wa.gov
- app.leg.wa.gov
- dea.gov
- federalregister.gov
- congress.gov
General information, not legal advice. Laws change often, so check with the state's cannabis agency before relying on this.
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