How to Check if a Dispensary Is Licensed: US, Canada, UK, Germany

Unlicensed cannabis shops often look exactly like licensed ones. They use the same green crosses, the same menus and sometimes the same brand names. The only reliable way to tell them apart is to check the seller against the regulator's own records, which takes about two minutes once you know where to look.

This guide covers the official lookups for the biggest U.S. markets, Canada's provinces, the United Kingdom and Germany. The rules differ a lot between these places, so the "right" kind of license differs too. We list what to check in each.

The two-minute check that works almost everywhere: six things to match

Whatever the country, a real license passes the same six checks.

• Use the regulator's site — Search the license lookup run by the state, province or national regulator. Ignore "verified" badges on directories and map apps.
• Match the name — The business name on the license (or its "doing business as" name) should match the store sign or website.
• Match the address — A license covers a specific premises. A valid license at a different address does not cover the shop you are standing in.
• Check the status — "Active" or its local equivalent. Expired, suspended, revoked or surrendered licenses do not allow sales.
• Check the license type — A retail or dispensing license, not a cultivation or manufacturing one. Medical-only licenses may not serve adult-use customers.
• Look for the posted license — Many regulators require the license or a verification code to be displayed at the entrance.

United States: check with the state regulator

Cannabis is licensed state by state, and the lookup tools vary. Here is how the checks work in three of the largest markets.

California: scan the QR code in the window

The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) licenses commercial cannabis businesses in California. Retailers must display their state license in their window, and you can scan the QR code on the license certificate to confirm its status. You can also look the business up in the DCC's online license search.

Check that the license is active and registered to the address you are visiting. The DCC also warns that unlicensed stores may sell untested cannabis that can contain mold, pesticides, harmful chemicals or mycotoxins. More in our California guide.

Colorado: the MED's monthly licensed-facility lists

Colorado's Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) publishes lists of every licensed facility, split into stores, delivery, hospitality, cultivations, product manufacturers, testing facilities and transporters. The lists are updated monthly, except the testing-facility list, which changes as certifications are renewed.

Pay attention to the store type. A Medical Marijuana Store sells to Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry patients, while a Retail Marijuana Store sells to adults 21 and older. See our Colorado guide.

New York: the Dispensary Verification Tool at the entrance

New York's Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) requires every licensed adult-use dispensary to post its Dispensary Verification Tool near the main entrance. The OCM also runs a Buy Legal map of licensed locations. When we checked in September 2026, the OCM listed 726 adult-use dispensaries statewide.

Canada: buy only from provincially authorized retailers

In Canada, adults can buy non-medical cannabis only from retailers authorized by a province or territory. The model varies: some provinces run the stores themselves, some license private stores, and some do both. The minimum age is 19 in most of the country, 18 in Alberta and 21 in Quebec. Health Canada keeps a page linking to each province's list of authorized retailers.

The excise stamp is a quick product-level check anywhere in Canada. Health Canada says every legal package carries the standardized cannabis symbol, mandatory health warnings, plain child-resistant packaging and an excise stamp that is different for each province and territory. See our Canada guide.

United Kingdom: no dispensaries, so verify the clinic and the pharmacy

The UK has no legal cannabis shops. Cannabis-based products for medicinal use are prescription medicines: Care Quality Commission guidance notes that, under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, they must be prescribed by, or under the direction of, a GMC-registered specialist. A website or shop selling THC cannabis without a prescription is not part of that system.

That means you verify two things instead of a dispensary:

1. The clinic
   The CQC is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Clinics that prescribe must register for the regulated activity "Treatment of disease, disorder or injury," and must notify the CQC before adding cannabis-based medicines or remote prescribing. Search the clinic on the CQC website.
2. The pharmacy
   The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) registers pharmacy premises. Its register shows each pharmacy's details, registration status and any notices or conditions.

See our UK guide for how clinic-plus-pharmacy prescriptions work in practice.

Germany: clubs and pharmacies, not shops

Germany's 2024 cannabis reform did not create cannabis stores. Adults have two legal routes, and each can be checked.

So a "German cannabis club" that ships to your door, or a website selling cannabis without a prescription, is operating outside the law. A draft amendment to the MedCanG that would tighten telemedicine prescribing and ban mail-order dispensing of medical cannabis had a Bundestag committee hearing in January 2026; check its current status before relying on online pharmacy delivery. More in our Germany guide.

Red flags of an unlicensed seller: eight warning signs

Government consumer guides in Canada and California describe the same warning signs. Any one of these is a reason to stop and verify:

• No license you can find — The seller cannot be found in the official lookup, or the license belongs to a different address.
• Online-only with no licensed location — British Columbia lists this as a trait of illegal online sellers.
• No age check — The website lets you in without confirming your age.
• Ships across state or provincial lines — California's regulator reminds consumers they cannot take cannabis across state lines, and B.C.'s legal stores may only ship non-medical cannabis within B.C.
• Odd payment methods — Requests for e-transfer or cryptocurrency, or no credit cards accepted. Health Canada lists both as common signs of an illegal retailer.
• Referral or sign-up bonuses — Health Canada also lists promotions like these among the common signs of illegal sellers.
• Products without required markings — No excise stamp in Canada; no batch number or licensed manufacturer on a U.S. label.
• Candy-style packaging, other drugs or medical claims — B.C. flags all three as signs of an illegal seller.

What a license gets you: tested products, inspections, recalls

A license is not a guarantee of quality, but it does mean the seller can only stock tested products, can be inspected and can be held to account through recalls and complaints. Unlicensed sellers offer none of that. Our methodology explains how Verdex uses these same official lookups before any business appears in our ratings.