Hawaii Marijuana License

Hawaii legalized medical cannabis in 2000 and created a dispensary system in 2015. The Department of Health's Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation (OMCCR) licenses dispensaries and runs the patient registry.

There are only eight dispensary licenses: three on Oahu, two each in Hawaii and Maui counties and one on Kauai. No new licenses have been issued since April 2016, so the main paths into the market are working with an existing licensee or the ancillary and hemp sectors.

• Dispensary license: vertically integrated, covering cultivation, manufacturing and retail
• Each licensee may run up to 2 retail locations, plus up to 2 more with approval for underserved areas
• Up to 3 production centers per licensee, with a plant cap

• Hawaii residency and ownership requirements set in state law
• Extensive security, tracking and testing rules (HAR Chapter 11-850)
• Background checks for owners and staff

• Original licensees paid a $75,000 initial license fee
• Annual renewal was $50,000; since 2023 a new fee formula applies
• No application round is open

1. Monitor the Department of Health for any change in law that adds licenses.
2. Consider partnering with an existing licensee.
3. Look at ancillary businesses that serve the medical market.

• Medical use only
• Patients may possess up to 4 ounces
• Registered patients may grow up to 10 plants
• Interim rules updated in November 2025 allow dispensaries to sell accessories such as dry herb vaporizers and papers

• Hawaii residents with a qualifying condition, such as cancer, glaucoma, PTSD, severe pain and others
• Written certification from a physician or APRN
• Out-of-state patients can apply for a temporary card

1. Get certified by a physician or APRN.
2. Register online with the Medical Cannabis Registry and pay the fee.
3. Use your card at a licensed dispensary.