Reviewed Sep 2026Adult-use legal

Cannabis in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz licenses businesses, not sites: the code allows five retail licences, movable between locations. The register lists seven.

This page is about the United States — not the country you picked in the header.

Sellers listed: 7
License verified: 7
Minimum age: 21+

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Every rated seller in Santa Cruz

All seller types, ranked by Verdex score. Filter by service or pick a type above.

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Showing 7 of 7 sellers in Santa Cruz

Map 7 pins

Pins show sellers with a published street address. Online-only sellers appear in the list only.

638 public warnings about sellers in the United States

Regulator actions, recalls and look-alike sites we track. Check a shop or link before you pay.

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The rules

Key rules in California

Plain-language summary. The regulator is California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC).

Minimum age
21 for adult use; 18+ with a physician's recommendation for medicinal purchases
Possession
Up to 28.5 g non-concentrated cannabis and 8 g concentrate (adults 21+)
Daily purchase limit
Adult use: 28.5 g flower, 8 g concentrate, 6 immature plants per day; medicinal: 8 oz per day or as recommended
Home grow
Up to 6 plants for adults 21+; no volatile-solvent extraction; local permits or indoor rules may apply
Public use
Not allowed in public places, where tobacco smoking is banned, or within 1,000 ft of schools/day cares/youth centers while children are present; locally licensed lounges only
Taxes
15% state excise tax + sales tax on the total + local cannabis taxes; MMIC holders exempt from sales tax only
Driving
No open containers in vehicles; keep cannabis sealed or in the trunk

Summary, not legal advice — rules change; check local law. Last reviewed Sep 2026.

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How it works

How cannabis is sold in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz licenses businesses, not addresses, so a shop can move without the city counting a new one.

Why can a licence move?

Chapter 6.91 of the municipal code says the licence structure exists to limit outlets "without tying those outlets to specific properties". A separate licence is needed for each location, and it covers online and delivery sales too. The planning department and the chief of police must both approve a licence before it takes effect. The city began with the 2017 ordinance and revised the chapter in 2019 and 2020. When the count falls below five, the city must advertise that it is taking applications.

Which of the seven are downtown?

CannaCruz at 115 Limekiln Street, KindPeoples at 533 Ocean Street, Ohana at 1104 Ocean Street and The Hook at 1129 Mission Street read as urban. Calwave on Soquel Avenue, One Plant on Winkle Avenue and Santa Cruz Flavors on Commercial Way sit farther out. The licence-check guide covers verifying a store, and the state page covers the rest.