Start with the license

California voters passed Proposition 64 in 2016. Adult-use sales started Jan. 1, 2018. Every storefront and every delivery service needs a license from the California Department of Cannabis Control, or DCC. The DCC runs a public license search. Type in the business name and the license number before you order. A site with no license number is not legal in California. Unlicensed sellers skip product testing, skip state tax, and skip age checks.

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Age and ID

You must be 21 or older for adult-use cannabis. Medical patients are 18 or older with a physician's recommendation. The driver checks a government-issued photo ID at the door. The name on the order has to match the ID.

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Purchase limits

An adult 21 and older can buy 28.5 grams of flower and 8 grams of concentrate in one transaction. Medical patients with a valid county card can hold up to 8 ounces of flower. Retailers report sales through the state METRC tracking system. A second order on the same day can be refused.

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Delivery rules

Licensed delivery operates in most California cities. Some cities ban storefronts but cannot ban delivery from a state-licensed retailer. AB 1356 in 2021 settled that point. Local bans still exist, so check your city code and the DCC license record for the delivery address.

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Taxes and total price

The state excise tax is 15 percent of the retail selling price. Sales tax applies on top. City and county cannabis taxes add more, and rates run from 0 to about 10 percent. A $40 eighth can reach $55 or more at checkout. Medical patients with a valid Medical Marijuana Identification Card are exempt from sales tax. Receipts from licensed shops show the excise tax as a line item.

Labels and testing

Legal packages carry the state universal symbol and a label with THC and CBD content, batch number, harvest date, license number, and the testing lab. California requires tests for pesticides, microbials, heavy metals, and residual solvents. Ask for the batch number if a listing does not show one.

Payment

Cash and debit are standard. Credit card networks do not process cannabis sales because cannabis is a Schedule I drug under federal law. Some delivery services take a debit payment at the door. A site that accepts a credit card for a California cannabis order is a warning sign.

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