Marijuana possession limits vary dramatically across the United States. An adult can legally possess as much as 6 ounces in New Jersey, while several other legal marijuana states limit possession outside the home to 1 ounce. Some states also allow adults to keep substantially larger quantities at home than they may carry in public.
As of September 2026, 24 states have legalized marijuana possession for adults 21 and older. Washington, D.C., also allows adult possession.
The details can be considerably more complicated than a single number. States may establish different limits for marijuana flower, concentrates, extracts, edibles, products stored at home and marijuana harvested from legally cultivated plants.
This guide compares marijuana possession limits in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and explains how the rules work in each state that has legalized adult-use possession.
For a broader look at legalization, medical marijuana, home cultivation, dispensaries, taxes and other rules, visit The Marijuana Herald’s Marijuana Laws by State guide.
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Marijuana Possession Limits in All 50 States and D.C.
The table below focuses on possession by adults 21 and older for nonmedical use.
Medical marijuana patients may have separate limits, including in states where recreational possession remains illegal. Hemp-derived products regulated separately from state marijuana programs are also outside the scope of this table.
“General/public limit” refers to the amount an adult may generally carry away from their residence. Some states use slightly different legal terminology, but the column is intended to make state-to-state comparisons easier.
| State | General/Public Flower Limit | At-Home Limit | Concentrates and Other Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Alaska | 1 oz | 1 oz generally, plus marijuana produced by legal home-grown plants at the grow site | General possession law includes marijuana products; separate retail purchase limits apply |
| Arizona | 1 oz | 1 oz generally, plus marijuana produced by legal home cultivation on the premises | No more than 5 g of the 1 oz may be concentrate |
| Arkansas | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| California | 28.5 g | 28.5 g generally; marijuana harvested from legal home cultivation may exceed that amount if properly secured at the residence | Up to 8 g of concentrate |
| Colorado | 2 oz | 2 oz generally, plus marijuana produced by legally cultivated plants at the premises where grown | Product and retail equivalency rules apply |
| Connecticut | 1.5 oz | Up to 5 oz secured at a private residence; marijuana from legal home cultivation is treated separately | Equivalent product limits apply |
| Delaware | 1 oz | 1 oz | Up to 12 g concentrate or products containing up to 750 mg of delta-9 THC |
| Florida | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Georgia | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Hawaii | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Idaho | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal | No comprehensive medical marijuana program |
| Illinois | Residents: 60 g; nonresidents: 30 g | Same general adult-use limits; medical home growers have separate protections | Residents: 10 g concentrate and 1,000 mg THC in infused products; nonresidents: 5 g and 500 mg |
| Indiana | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal | Limited low-THC rules differ |
| Iowa | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical program rules differ |
| Kansas | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal | Limited low-THC protections differ |
| Kentucky | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Louisiana | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Maine | 2.5 oz | 2.5 oz generally, plus all marijuana produced by legal home-grown plants at the residence or cultivation location | No more than 10 g concentrate within the 2.5 oz total |
| Maryland | 1.5 oz | 1.5 oz personal-use amount; up to two plants may also be legally cultivated | Up to 12 g concentrate or products containing up to 750 mg THC |
| Massachusetts | 2 oz | Up to 10 oz, plus marijuana produced by legal plants grown at the residence | Equivalent amount of marijuana products as determined by regulators |
| Michigan | 2.5 oz | Up to 10 oz, plus marijuana produced by legal plants grown at the residence | No more than 15 g concentrate within the general outside-home limit |
| Minnesota | 2 oz | Up to 2 pounds of flower at a private residence | Up to 8 g concentrate and 800 mg THC in edible products |
| Mississippi | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Missouri | 3 oz | 3 oz generally; registered home cultivators may keep excess marijuana produced by their plants secured at the residence | Equivalent marijuana-product limits apply |
| Montana | 1 oz | 1 oz general possession allowance | Up to 8 g or 8 mL concentrate, or 800 mg THC in marijuana products |
| Nebraska | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical marijuana rules differ |
| Nevada | 2.5 oz | 2.5 oz general possession allowance | Up to one-quarter oz of concentrated marijuana |
| New Hampshire | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| New Jersey | 6 oz | Up to 6 oz; recreational home cultivation remains illegal | Cannabis and marijuana products fall under the state possession framework; retail purchase equivalencies are lower |
| New Mexico | 2 oz | No numerical home-storage limit if excess marijuana is stored at the residence and not visible from a public place | Outside the home: up to 16 g extract or 800 mg edible marijuana |
| New York | 3 oz | Up to 5 pounds of flower or its equivalent at a private residence | Up to 24 g concentrate outside the home; state guidance calculates the 5-pound home equivalent at up to 22.5 oz of concentrate |
| North Carolina | Adult-use possession illegal under state law | Illegal under state law | Separate rules apply on sovereign tribal lands |
| North Dakota | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Ohio | 2.5 oz | 2.5 oz cumulative amount of adult-use and home-grown plant material, excluding legal live plants, seeds and clones | Up to 15 g extract |
| Oklahoma | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Oregon | 2 oz | Up to 8 oz of usable marijuana | Up to 16 oz of cannabinoid products in solid form or cannabinoid concentrates, 72 oz liquid products and 1 oz of cannabinoid extracts purchased from a retailer |
| Pennsylvania | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Rhode Island | 1 oz | Up to 10 oz per resident, plus legally cultivated live plants | Equivalent concentrate limits apply |
| South Carolina | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal | Limited low-THC rules differ |
| South Dakota | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Tennessee | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal | Limited low-THC rules differ |
| Texas | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Utah | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Vermont | 2 oz | 2 oz generally; qualifying marijuana harvested through legal home cultivation and properly stored is excluded from the standard limit | Up to 10 g of hashish; marijuana-product equivalencies also apply |
| Virginia | 2 oz on a person or in public | Private-residence possession is treated separately from the 2 oz public limit; up to four plants may be grown per household | Equivalent amount of marijuana products as determined by regulators |
| Washington | 1 oz | Same adult-use possession limit; recreational home cultivation remains prohibited | Up to 7 g concentrate, 16 oz solid infused products or 72 oz liquid infused products |
| West Virginia | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal for nonmedical use | Medical rules differ |
| Wisconsin | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal under state law | Some local penalties differ |
| Wyoming | Adult-use possession illegal | Illegal | Limited low-THC rules differ |
| District of Columbia | 2 oz | 2 oz generally, plus marijuana produced by legally cultivated plants at the residence | Medical marijuana has separate product and possession rules |
Which State Allows You to Possess the Most Marijuana?
For marijuana carried outside the home, New Jersey has the highest general adult possession limit in the country at 6 ounces.
That does not mean a New Jersey dispensary can sell someone 6 ounces at once. The state’s retail purchase limit is considerably lower, illustrating the difference between a possession limit and a purchase limit.
Several other states allow relatively large amounts outside the home. Missouri and New York allow up to 3 ounces, while Maine, Michigan, Nevada and Ohio allow 2.5 ounces.
Illinois residents may possess 60 grams, or a little more than 2 ounces, while Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont and Virginia generally allow up to 2 ounces outside the home or in public.
Which State Allows the Most Marijuana at Home?
At-home possession is a different question.
New Mexico does not impose a numerical adult-use home-storage limit for marijuana kept at a private residence, provided marijuana above the outside-home limits remains at the residence and is not visible from a public place.
Among states with explicit numerical limits, New York stands out. Adults may keep up to 5 pounds of marijuana flower at their private residence.
Minnesota allows up to 2 pounds of flower at a private residence. Massachusetts, Michigan and Rhode Island each allow substantially more marijuana at home than adults may carry in public, while Oregon allows up to 8 ounces of usable marijuana at home.
Other states take a different approach by protecting marijuana produced from legally cultivated plants at the location where the plants were grown rather than establishing a fixed home-storage weight.
What Changed With Marijuana Possession Limits in 2026?
Several state possession laws changed in 2026.
Illinois increased the amount a resident may legally possess to 60 grams of marijuana flower, 10 grams of concentrate and infused products containing up to 1,000 milligrams of THC, effective June 12. Nonresident limits are half those amounts.
Massachusetts doubled its general adult possession limit from 1 ounce to 2 ounces effective April 19, 2026. The state’s existing allowance of up to 10 ounces at a primary residence remains in place.
Vermont increased its adult possession limit from 1 ounce to 2 ounces and increased its hashish limit from 5 grams to 10 grams under legislation enacted in June 2026.
Virginia’s 2026 marijuana legislation established a 2-ounce limit for possession on a person or in a public place while also creating the framework for licensed recreational marijuana sales scheduled to begin July 1, 2027.
Ohio also revised its adult-use marijuana statutes in 2026. The current law allows adults to possess a cumulative amount of up to 2.5 ounces of plant material and 15 grams of extract.
Because marijuana laws continue to change, this guide will be updated as states enact new possession limits.
Marijuana Possession Limits in Each Legal State
Alaska Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Alaska may generally possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana.
Alaska also makes an important distinction for home cultivation. Adults may grow up to six plants, with no more than three mature, flowering plants, and may possess the marijuana produced by those plants at the premises where they were grown.
As a result, a person who legally grows marijuana at home can possess more than 1 ounce at the grow location even though the normal possession and transportation limit is 1 ounce.
Arizona Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Arizona may possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana.
No more than 5 grams of that amount may consist of marijuana concentrate.
Arizona also allows adults to cultivate up to six plants at their primary residence, with a maximum of 12 plants at a residence containing two or more adults. Marijuana produced by those plants may be possessed on the premises where it was legally grown.
California Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in California may possess up to 28.5 grams of nonconcentrated marijuana and up to 8 grams of concentrated marijuana.
Adults may also cultivate up to six plants at a private residence.
Marijuana harvested from those plants can create an exception to the ordinary 28.5-gram home-storage amount. Marijuana produced through legal home cultivation that exceeds the general possession amount must be kept at the residence in a locked space and cannot be visible from a public place.
Colorado Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Colorado may possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana.
Colorado separately allows adults to cultivate up to six plants, with no more than three mature, flowering plants at one time, subject to household and local restrictions.
Marijuana produced by legally cultivated plants may be possessed at the premises where those plants were grown, meaning the amount lawfully stored at a legal home-grow location can differ from the normal possession limit.
Connecticut Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Connecticut may carry up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana plant material.
At a private residence, an adult may possess up to 5 ounces if the marijuana is secured in a locked container. The 5-ounce secured-storage allowance also applies to marijuana kept in a locked glove box or trunk.
Connecticut separately excludes marijuana plant material produced from a person’s legally cultivated plants from the ordinary personal possession calculation.
Delaware Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Delaware may possess a personal-use quantity of marijuana.
That means up to 1 ounce of marijuana flower, up to 12 grams of concentrated marijuana or marijuana products containing up to 750 milligrams of delta-9 THC.
Unlike most adult-use states, Delaware does not allow recreational consumers to cultivate marijuana at home, so there is no home-grown harvest exception to the possession limit.
Illinois Marijuana Possession Limit
Illinois substantially increased its possession limits in 2026.
Residents 21 and older may now possess up to 60 grams of marijuana flower, 10 grams of marijuana concentrate and marijuana-infused products containing up to 1,000 milligrams of THC.
Nonresidents may possess up to 30 grams of flower, 5 grams of concentrate and infused products containing up to 500 milligrams of THC.
The limits are cumulative, meaning a person cannot use separate product categories to exceed the overall allowances established by state law.
Recreational home cultivation remains prohibited in Illinois, although registered medical marijuana patients may grow plants and have separate protections for marijuana produced through legal medical cultivation.
Maine Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Maine may possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana or a combination of marijuana and concentrate.
No more than 10 grams of the total may consist of marijuana concentrate.
Maine also has one of the clearer home-grow protections in the country. Adults may possess all marijuana produced by plants they legally cultivate at their residence or at the location where the marijuana was grown.
That means a legal home-grown harvest does not have to fit within the ordinary 2.5-ounce possession limit while it remains at the authorized location.
Maryland Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Maryland may possess a “personal use amount” of marijuana.
That includes up to 1.5 ounces of usable marijuana, 12 grams of concentrated marijuana or marijuana products containing up to 750 milligrams of delta-9 THC.
Maryland also allows adults to cultivate up to two marijuana plants, with no more than two plants allowed at a residence regardless of how many adults live there.
Unlike several other home-grow states, Maryland does not provide a broad exemption allowing an unlimited legal harvest to be stored at home. The state’s possession thresholds therefore remain important to home cultivators after plants are harvested.
Massachusetts Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Massachusetts may possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana outside their primary residence.
That limit doubled from 1 ounce to 2 ounces effective April 19, 2026.
At a primary residence, adults may possess up to 10 ounces of marijuana, plus marijuana produced by plants legally cultivated on the premises.
Massachusetts allows up to six plants per adult, with no more than 12 plants at a residence regardless of the number of adults living there.
Amounts above the state’s applicable unsecured home threshold must be properly secured.
Michigan Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Michigan may possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana outside their residence.
No more than 15 grams may be in the form of marijuana concentrate.
At home, an adult may possess up to 10 ounces of marijuana along with marijuana produced by plants legally cultivated on the premises.
Michigan allows a household to grow up to 12 plants for personal use. Marijuana above the ordinary amount must comply with the state’s home-storage requirements.
Minnesota Marijuana Possession Limit
Minnesota has one of the country’s largest differences between public and private possession limits.
An adult 21 or older may possess or transport up to 2 ounces of adult-use marijuana flower in a public place but may possess as much as 2 pounds of flower at a private residence.
Adults may also possess or transport up to 8 grams of marijuana concentrate and edible marijuana products containing a combined total of up to 800 milligrams of THC.
The state’s large home limit makes Minnesota second only to states without a fixed numerical home-storage cap or states with substantially larger explicit allowances such as New York.
Missouri Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Missouri may purchase, possess and transport up to 3 ounces of dried, unprocessed marijuana or its equivalent.
Missouri also allows adults who obtain a personal cultivation registration to grow marijuana at home.
A registered cultivator who produces more than 3 ounces through legal home cultivation may keep the excess at one private residence if it is stored in a locked space and is not visible from a public place.
That home-grow exception does not increase the amount a person may ordinarily carry in public.
Montana Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Montana may possess up to 1 ounce of usable marijuana.
Montana uses equivalencies for different product categories. The adult possession amount may include up to 8 grams or 8 milliliters of marijuana concentrate or up to 800 milligrams of THC in marijuana products, including edibles.
Adults may also cultivate marijuana at home within the state’s plant limits, but the ordinary personal possession rules continue to apply to usable marijuana.
Nevada Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Nevada may possess up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana.
Adults may also possess up to one-quarter ounce of concentrated marijuana.
Nevada increased its adult possession and purchase limits from the state’s previous 1-ounce standard in 2024.
Home cultivation of up to six plants is permitted only in qualifying circumstances, including for many adults who live more than 25 miles from a licensed marijuana retailer, subject to additional statutory exceptions and household limits.
New Jersey Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in New Jersey may possess up to 6 ounces of marijuana and marijuana products.
That is the largest general adult possession allowance outside the home among states with legal recreational marijuana.
The possession limit should not be confused with New Jersey’s retail purchase limit. A licensed recreational retailer may generally sell a customer up to the equivalent of 1 ounce in a single transaction.
New Jersey also prohibits recreational home cultivation, meaning adults cannot legally produce their own marijuana simply because possession of up to 6 ounces is allowed.
New Mexico Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in New Mexico may possess outside their private residence up to 2 ounces of marijuana, 16 grams of marijuana extract or 800 milligrams of edible marijuana.
The rules change significantly at home.
New Mexico does not impose a numerical limit on marijuana stored at a private residence. Marijuana above the normal public possession amounts must remain at the residence and cannot be visible from a public place.
Adults may also grow marijuana at home under the state’s personal cultivation law.
New York Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in New York may possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana flower or up to 24 grams of concentrated marijuana outside their residence.
At home, adults may possess up to 5 pounds of marijuana.
The Office of Cannabis Management calculates the concentrate equivalent of the 5-pound flower allowance at up to 22.5 ounces of concentrated marijuana. A person may also possess a combination of flower and concentrate that stays within the state’s equivalency formula.
New York’s 5-pound allowance is the country’s largest explicit numerical at-home flower possession limit.
Ohio Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Ohio may possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana plant material and up to 15 grams of marijuana extract.
Ohio’s current law applies the amount cumulatively to adult-use marijuana and marijuana produced through legal home cultivation.
Seeds, live plants and clones being lawfully cultivated do not count toward the 2.5-ounce plant-material limit.
Ohio allows adults to grow marijuana at home subject to the state’s plant and household limits.
Oregon Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Oregon may possess up to 2 ounces of usable marijuana in a public place.
At home, adults may possess up to 8 ounces of usable marijuana.
Oregon also establishes separate limits for other marijuana products. Adults may possess up to 16 ounces of cannabinoid products in solid form or cannabinoid concentrates, up to 72 ounces of cannabinoid products in liquid form and up to 1 ounce of cannabinoid extracts purchased from a licensed marijuana retailer.
A household may cultivate up to four marijuana plants for personal use.
Rhode Island Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Rhode Island may legally possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana outside their primary residence.
At home, the limit increases to 10 ounces per resident, in addition to live marijuana plants lawfully kept on the premises.
Rhode Island allows up to three mature and three immature plants per dwelling unit for personal use. Unlike the 10-ounce storage allowance, the plant cap applies to the dwelling regardless of how many adults live there.
Possessing between 1 and 2 ounces outside the home is treated differently under Rhode Island’s penalty statutes, but the amount affirmatively protected as legal adult possession remains 1 ounce.
Vermont Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Vermont may possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana or up to 10 grams of hashish.
Vermont doubled both limits in 2026. The previous limits were 1 ounce of marijuana and 5 grams of hashish.
Adults may also cultivate up to two mature and four immature marijuana plants.
Marijuana legally cultivated, harvested and stored in accordance with Vermont’s home-grow law does not count toward the ordinary 2-ounce possession limit, allowing adults to keep their lawful harvest at home.
Virginia Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Virginia may possess on their person or in a public place up to 2 ounces of marijuana or an equivalent amount of marijuana products.
Possession at a person’s residence is treated separately from the public-possession thresholds.
Virginia also allows a household to cultivate up to four marijuana plants for personal use.
Although possession and home cultivation are already legal, Virginia does not yet have operational recreational marijuana stores. A regulated adult-use retail market enacted in 2026 is scheduled to launch July 1, 2027.
Washington Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Washington may possess up to 1 ounce of usable marijuana.
The state separately allows possession of up to 7 grams of marijuana concentrate, 16 ounces of marijuana-infused products in solid form and 72 ounces of marijuana-infused products in liquid form.
Washington does not allow recreational consumers to grow marijuana at home. Registered medical marijuana patients have separate cultivation rights and possession protections.
State law also imposes additional restrictions on marijuana carried in motor vehicles.
Washington, D.C., Marijuana Possession Limit
Adults 21 and older in Washington, D.C. may possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana under District law.
Adults may also grow up to six marijuana plants at their primary residence, with no more than three mature at one time. A residence with multiple adults may have no more than 12 plants, including six mature plants.
Marijuana produced by legal home cultivation may be possessed at the residence where it was grown.
D.C. does not operate a conventional recreational retail marijuana market, although it has a regulated medical marijuana system.
Why Are Marijuana Possession Limits Higher at Home in Some States?
Several legalization laws deliberately distinguish between marijuana carried in public and marijuana stored at a private residence.
That distinction is particularly important in states that allow home cultivation.
A person who harvests several mature marijuana plants can easily produce more than a 1- or 2-ounce public possession limit. States have addressed that issue in different ways.
Minnesota establishes a specific 2-pound home limit. New York uses a 5-pound home limit. Massachusetts and Michigan allow 10 ounces plus marijuana produced from legally cultivated plants.
Other states, including Alaska, Colorado, Maine and Vermont, protect marijuana produced through legal home cultivation when it remains at the place where it was grown or is stored as required by law.
New Mexico takes another approach, allowing marijuana above its normal public possession limit to be stored at a private residence without imposing a numerical maximum, provided it is not visible from a public place.
For a complete state-by-state comparison of cultivation rules, see The Marijuana Herald’s Marijuana Home Grow Laws by State guide.
Does Homegrown Marijuana Count Toward Your Possession Limit?
It depends on the state.
Some states expressly exclude legally produced home-grown marijuana from the ordinary possession limit when it remains at the residence or cultivation site. Alaska, Colorado, Maine and Vermont are examples of states with protections for marijuana produced from legal personal cultivation.
Massachusetts and Michigan establish specific home-storage limits while separately protecting marijuana produced from legally cultivated plants.
Missouri allows registered personal cultivators to keep marijuana produced from their plants above the ordinary 3-ounce limit if the excess remains secured at the residence.
Other states take a stricter approach. Maryland allows adults to grow two plants but does not provide the same broad “keep your entire harvest” exemption found in some other home-grow states.
Home cultivation therefore does not automatically mean an adult can carry the entire harvest away from the residence.
Are Concentrates Subject to Different Marijuana Possession Limits?
Frequently.
Concentrates can be subject to much smaller weight limits than marijuana flower.
Arizona allows no more than 5 grams of concentrate within its 1-ounce possession allowance. Michigan allows no more than 15 grams of concentrate within the general outside-home allowance. Nevada permits up to one-quarter ounce of concentrated marijuana.
Other states use entirely separate categories.
Minnesota allows up to 8 grams of concentrate, New Mexico allows 16 grams of extract, Ohio allows 15 grams of extract and Washington allows 7 grams of concentrate.
States may also measure edible or infused products by milligrams of THC rather than the total weight of the product. Maryland, Minnesota, Montana and New Mexico are among the states that use THC-based limits for at least some product categories.
Consumers should therefore avoid assuming that an ounce of marijuana flower and an ounce of concentrate are treated the same way.
Is the Marijuana Purchase Limit the Same as the Possession Limit?
Not necessarily.
A possession limit determines how much marijuana a person may legally have. A retail purchase limit determines how much a licensed store may sell during a transaction or specified period.
Those numbers can be very different.
New Jersey is the clearest example. Adults may possess up to 6 ounces, but a recreational marijuana retailer generally may sell only the equivalent of 1 ounce in a transaction.
In other states, purchase and possession limits more closely match. New Mexico retailers may sell an adult up to 2 ounces of flower, 16 grams of concentrate or 800 milligrams of edibles at one time, matching the state’s outside-home possession amounts.
The distinction matters because legally possessing a certain quantity does not necessarily mean a dispensary can sell that entire quantity to a customer in a single visit.
Can Two Adults in the Same House Each Possess the Maximum Amount?
Sometimes, but state law needs to be examined carefully.
Many possession limits apply to an individual rather than to the household. Rhode Island, for example, expressly allows up to 10 ounces at a primary residence per resident.
However, cultivation limits often work differently.
A state may allow each adult to possess a certain quantity while imposing one plant cap on the entire residence. Maryland allows only two recreational marijuana plants at a residence regardless of how many adults live there. Oregon allows four plants per household. Virginia allows four plants per household.
Rhode Island allows three mature and three immature plants per dwelling unit regardless of the number of residents.
The same distinction can apply to storage and security requirements. Two adults living together should not assume that every limit automatically doubles simply because two legal-age consumers share the residence.
Does Marijuana in Your Car Count Toward the Possession Limit?
Generally, yes.
Putting marijuana in a vehicle does not create an additional possession allowance. The marijuana is still possessed or transported by the person and remains subject to the applicable state quantity limit.
Many states also impose additional vehicle-storage rules.
For example, marijuana may have to remain in a sealed container, trunk or other area inaccessible to the driver. Open-container restrictions can apply even when the total amount of marijuana in the vehicle is below the state’s legal possession limit.
Driving while impaired remains illegal in every state, regardless of whether marijuana possession itself is legal.
Can You Possess Marijuana in Public if You Cannot Use It in Public?
Yes, in most legal states.
Legal possession and legal consumption are separate issues.
A state may allow an adult to carry 1 or 2 ounces of marijuana while prohibiting that person from smoking or otherwise consuming it on a sidewalk, in a park or in another public location.
Public-consumption restrictions are widespread even in states with legal recreational marijuana.
That means being legally allowed to possess marijuana in a location does not necessarily mean a person can legally use it there.
What Happens if You Possess More Than the Legal Marijuana Limit?
Penalties vary significantly by state and by how much the person possesses.
Some states impose a civil fine for amounts just over the legal limit. Others classify excess possession as a misdemeanor, with felony penalties beginning at higher thresholds.
There can also be a substantial difference between simple possession and possession with intent to distribute.
The fact that someone possesses more than the personal-use limit does not necessarily prove an intent to sell, but larger amounts and other evidence can expose a person to more serious allegations.
Possession penalties also vary in states where recreational marijuana remains illegal. Some have decriminalized possession of small quantities even though possession is not technically legal.
That distinction is important: decriminalization means conduct may carry a reduced penalty, while legalization means the conduct itself is affirmatively allowed within the applicable limits.
Do Medical Marijuana Patients Have Higher Possession Limits?
In many states, yes.
Medical marijuana laws operate separately from recreational possession laws and can provide registered patients with higher purchase or possession limits.
Medical patients may also have legal possession rights in states where recreational marijuana remains prohibited.
For example, Nebraska does not allow recreational possession but protects qualifying medical marijuana patients for possession within the limits of its medical marijuana law.
Other states provide medical patients with larger purchase allowances, additional home cultivation rights or access to products that recreational consumers cannot obtain under the same rules.
The table in this guide therefore should not be used to determine the maximum amount a registered medical marijuana patient may legally possess.
Can You Take Marijuana From One Legal State to Another?
No state legalization law creates a general right to transport marijuana across state lines.
That remains true even when marijuana is legal on both sides of the border.
Someone traveling from Oregon to Washington, New York to Massachusetts or Maryland to Virginia cannot simply treat the two states as one legal marijuana market.
Each state’s marijuana laws generally protect possession within that state’s jurisdiction. Interstate transportation can implicate federal law and falls outside ordinary state adult-use protections.
The safest legal rule is simple: marijuana purchased or legally possessed in one state should remain in that state.
Is Marijuana Legal on Federal Property in a Legal State?
State marijuana legalization does not override federal restrictions on federal property.
This is particularly important in states containing large amounts of federally controlled land and in Washington, D.C.
National parks, federal buildings and other federal property are governed by federal law rather than a state’s recreational marijuana possession statute.
A person may therefore be standing in a state where possession is legal while still violating the law by possessing marijuana on federally controlled property.
What About States Where Marijuana Possession Is Decriminalized?
Decriminalization and legalization are not the same thing.
A state may reduce possession of a small amount of marijuana to a civil violation or low-level offense without making possession legal.
New Hampshire, for example, has reduced penalties for certain possession offenses but has not legalized recreational marijuana.
Several other states and local governments have adopted similar policies.
For purposes of this guide, a state is listed as having legal adult-use possession only when state law affirmatively allows adults to possess marijuana for nonmedical purposes.
How Many States Allow Recreational Marijuana Possession in 2026?
As of September 2026, 24 states allow adults 21 and older to legally possess marijuana for nonmedical use.
Those states are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
Washington, D.C., also allows adults to possess marijuana, bringing the total to 25 U.S. jurisdictions with legal adult possession.
The remaining 26 states do not allow general recreational marijuana possession, although many operate medical marijuana programs and some have reduced penalties for low-level possession.
Frequently Asked Questions About Marijuana Possession Limits
What state has the highest marijuana possession limit?
New Jersey has the highest general numerical possession limit outside the home, allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to 6 ounces.
How much marijuana can you legally have at home?
It depends on the state. Some legal states use the same limit everywhere, while others allow considerably more marijuana at a private residence. New York allows up to 5 pounds at home, Minnesota allows up to 2 pounds and New Mexico does not impose a numerical at-home storage limit under its adult-use framework when the marijuana is properly stored.
Can you legally possess a pound of marijuana?
Only in limited circumstances. Minnesota allows adults to keep up to 2 pounds of marijuana flower at a private residence, while New York allows up to 5 pounds at home. New Mexico allows excess marijuana to be stored at a private residence without a numerical limit. Carrying a pound in public, however, would exceed the ordinary adult possession limit in every recreational marijuana state.
Is an ounce of marijuana the legal limit everywhere?
No. One ounce is common, but state limits range considerably. California uses a 28.5-gram limit, while Colorado allows 2 ounces, Missouri allows 3 ounces and New Jersey allows 6 ounces.
Are marijuana edibles counted by weight?
Sometimes, but not always. Several states instead use milligrams of THC or product-equivalency formulas. A 4-ounce package of gummies, for example, is not necessarily treated as 4 ounces of marijuana for legal-limit purposes.
Does home-grown marijuana count toward the limit?
That depends on the state. Some states allow all marijuana produced through legal home cultivation to remain at the grow location, while others impose a specific home-storage limit or continue applying the normal possession threshold after harvest.
Can tourists possess marijuana in a legal state?
Generally, adults 21 and older can possess marijuana within a legal state’s limits even if they are not residents, although certain states impose different limits on nonresidents. Illinois, for example, allows nonresidents half the amounts permitted to Illinois residents.
Can you possess marijuana bought in another state?
Transporting marijuana across state lines is not protected simply because possession is legal in both states. A legal purchase should remain within the state where it was obtained.
Can cities impose stricter marijuana possession limits?
Local authority varies by state. Municipalities frequently have power to regulate marijuana businesses, public consumption and zoning, but they may or may not be allowed to change the state’s basic adult possession protections. Local rules should be checked separately.
About This Guide
The Marijuana Herald reviews state statutes, regulatory guidance and enacted legislation when compiling and updating this guide.
The table focuses on legal adult-use possession rather than medical marijuana allowances, hemp-derived THC laws or the amount that may be possessed with reduced criminal penalties in states where marijuana remains illegal.
Because marijuana laws can change through legislation, ballot measures, regulations and court decisions, possession limits should be checked again before relying on them for a specific legal situation.
For complete information about marijuana legalization, home cultivation, medical programs, sales, taxes, delivery and penalties in each jurisdiction, visit our Marijuana Laws by State guide.
