County of Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County
Cannabis Licensing

Non-Licensed (Personal/Medical)

Personal Cultivation and Possession

Detailed regulations can be found in Santa Cruz County Code Chapter 7.134 and include the following restrictions:

  1. No more than six cannabis plants may be cultivated at any one time at a single private residence.
  2. Cultivation may only take place inside a structure or enclosure existing on the grounds of a private residence (structure, for purposes of this chapter, includes an ancillary structure such as a prefabricated shed or greenhouse).
  3. Any structure or enclosure used for cannabis cultivation must be kept locked and secured to prevent unauthorized entry.
  4. The private residence containing the cannabis plants must be occupied by, and the cannabis plants must be cultivated by, a person 21 years of age or older.
  5. Cannabis plants must not be visible with normal unaided vision from a public place.

State law details that adults over 21 years of age are able to possess up to 28.5 grams of cannabis flower and up to 8 grams of cannabis extract.

Medical Cultivation and Possession

Detailed regulations can be found in Santa Cruz County Code Chapter 7.134 Cultivation of medical cannabis by a qualified patient or a person holding a valid identification card, or the designated primary caregiver of that qualified patient or person, may cultivate cannabis in an amount not to exceed more than 100 square feet of total garden canopy, as measured by the combined vegetative growth area. Possession of medical cannabis by a qualified patient or a person holding a valid identification card, or the designated primary caregiver of that qualified patient or person, may possess up to three pounds of dried cannabis bud or conversion per year.

Medical needs differ by patient and individual prescription may be different per patient. Please see the attached summaries for additional details on medical cannabis cultivation and possession.