How many cannabis plants can you grow at home?
The legal number depends on the state. For adults 21 and older in states with adult-use home grow, caps run from 2 plants per person in Maryland to 12 plants per household in Michigan. Oregon and Virginia set a flat 4 plants per residence. Colorado, Massachusetts, and Michigan cap households at 12. Medical programs in a few states allow more plants per patient.
Four adult-use states ban home grow: Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, and Washington. In states with no home grow law, the legal plant count is zero. Cannabis stays illegal under federal law, and no federal plant limit exists because there is no federal home grow program.
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Adult-use plant limits by state
Counts below apply to adults 21 and older. Some states count mature and immature plants under separate caps.
- Alaska: 6 plants per person, 12 per household.
- Arizona: 6 per person, 12 per household, with a limit tied to the distance of the nearest licensed store.
- California: 6 per residence.
- Colorado: 6 per person, 12 per household, no more than 3 mature plants per person.
- Connecticut: 3 mature and 3 immature per person, 6 mature and 6 immature per household.
- Maine: 6 mature and 12 immature per person, 12 mature and 30 immature per household. Seedlings are counted apart.
- Maryland: 2 per person, 4 per household.
- Massachusetts: 6 per person, 12 per household.
- Michigan: 12 per household.
- Minnesota: 8 per person, no more than 4 flowering, 16 per household.
- Missouri: 6 flowering per person, 18 per household.
- Montana: 4 mature and 4 seedlings per person, 8 mature per household.
- Nevada: 6 per person, 12 per household, if no retail store sits within 25 miles.
- New Mexico: 6 mature per person, 12 mature per household.
- New York: 3 mature and 3 immature per person, 6 mature and 6 immature per household.
- Ohio: 6 per person, 12 per household.
- Oregon: 4 per residence. Medical cardholders may grow more.
- Rhode Island: 3 mature and 3 immature per person, 6 mature and 6 immature per household.
- Vermont: 2 mature and 4 immature per person, 6 mature and 12 immature per household.
- Virginia: 4 per household. Plants must carry a label with the grower name.
- District of Columbia: 6 per person, 12 per household.
Adult-use states that ban home grow
- Delaware: legal possession and sales, no home cultivation.
- Illinois: legal sales, no home grow for adults. Medical patients may grow 5 plants with a card.
- New Jersey: legal sales, home grow not permitted.
- Washington: legal sales, home grow not permitted. Medical patients may grow up to 6 plants with an authorization.
Medical-only states with a plant count
Most medical-only states ban home grow. Two examples with a patient plant limit:
how many cannabis plants can i grow for personal use
- Oklahoma: 6 mature and 6 seedlings per licensed patient.
- Hawaii: 10 plants per registered patient.
States with medical programs but no home grow include Florida, Pennsylvania, Utah, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. In states where cannabis is illegal for adults, such as Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Carolina, the legal count is zero.
Why the counts differ
Three variables drive the numbers. First, per person or per household: Maryland counts each adult, Virginia counts the address. Second, mature or immature: New York splits 3 and 3, Maine counts seedlings apart from mature plants. Third, distance: Arizona and Nevada link plant counts to the number of licensed stores nearby.
A household cap overrides the per-person math. Four adults in Michigan may grow 12 plants total, not 48.
Local rules can be stricter
Counties and cities add rules on outdoor grow, fencing, plant visibility, and odor. California sets 6 plants per residence, and some cities ban outdoor cultivation. Virginia requires plants to sit out of public view. Check the local code before you plant.
What to check before you plant
- State cap per person and per household.
- Mature versus immature plant count.
- Age and residency rules.
- Local zoning and outdoor grow rules.
- Possession limits on harvested flower.
State rules change. Confirm the current limit with the state cannabis agency before you start a grow.