Cannabis in San Francisco

Legal age

21+ (18+ with medical recommendation)

Daily limit

28.5 g flower, 8 g concentrate

State excise

15%

City cannabis tax

0% (suspended through Dec 31, 2035)

Sales tax

8.625% base rate

Delivery

Yes, licensed retailers and delivery services

On-site consumption

Only in stores holding a city consumption permit

That suspended city tax is the detail that sets San Francisco apart from Oakland, Los Angeles and most of the Bay Area. Voters approved a gross receipts tax of 1% to 5% on cannabis businesses in 2018 (Proposition D), but supervisors have postponed it several times to help licensed shops compete with unlicensed sellers. The Treasurer & Tax Collector now lists January 1, 2036 as its start date.

What does a purchase cost after tax?

Only two layers apply at a San Francisco register. Worked on a $50 shelf price:

The state excise tax went to 19% on July 1, 2025 and came back to 15% on October 1, 2025 under AB 564, which holds it there until mid-2028. Store rounding and whether excise is folded into the shelf price vary, so read the receipt.

Which neighborhoods have the most stores?

SoMa, the Mission and the Geary corridor hold most of the licensed retailers we profile. STIIIZY SoMa and Urbana Mission sit in the busiest stretches, The Apothecarium in the Castro is one of the city's longest-running medical-to-adult-use stores, and The Green Cross is a known name for delivery in the Excelsior. Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf have fewer stores than the tourist traffic would suggest.

Hours vary more than people expect. State rules allow retail sales between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., and most San Francisco stores close well before the late limit on weeknights. Many take debit cards through cashless ATM systems, but carry cash in case the terminal is down. If you are staying in the Financial District or near Moscone Center, SoMa is the closest cluster on foot, while the Richmond and Sunset have a handful of neighborhood stores along Geary and Irving.

Where can you legally smoke in San Francisco?

Only at home or in a permitted consumption lounge. San Francisco is one of the few California cities that issues on-site consumption permits through its Office of Cannabis, so some dispensaries have a smoking or vaping room attached. Parks, Golden Gate Bridge viewpoints, Muni and BART are all off limits, and so are cars, even parked. Visitors should read the first-dispensary guide on ID and payment and the California state rules page before buying.