DC Cannabis Education

Updated October 2, 2026

Can Tourists Buy Weed in DC? How Visitors Buy Legally (2026)

By DCWeedHub Newsroom · Published · Updated

Yes, if you're 21+ and registered. How visitors get an ABCA non-resident registration or use a home-state medical card at licensed DC stores in 2026.

Can tourists buy weed in DC? Yes, if you're 21 or older and registered. DC's legal cannabis market is medical-only, and ABCA-licensed businesses serve registered patients. Visitors qualify in one of two ways: register online with the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) for a temporary non-resident registration, which is digital and usable as soon as you receive it, or show a valid medical cannabis registration from a jurisdiction on ABCA's reciprocity list. Then buy at an ABCA-licensed store or order from ABCA-licensed delivery.

Register before you go.
If you're not already registered, adults 21+ can self-certify online with ABCA before visiting (Register first).
Visitors can use a temporary non-resident registration or a card from a jurisdiction on ABCA's reciprocity list. Check ABCA for current fees and rules.

Can tourists buy weed in DC? The short answer

  • Age: 21 or older. ABCA's non-resident registration is for adults 21+ only.
  • What you need: an ABCA non-resident registration or a recognized out-of-state registration, plus an unexpired government-issued photo ID.
  • Where to buy: only ABCA-licensed retailers and internet retailers. ABCA says retail staff must ask for both your registration and a photo ID before any sale.
  • Where to use it: private property where the owner allows it. Never in public space, and never on federal land (more below).

Option 1: Register as a non-resident

ABCA's non-resident process runs entirely through its MyABCA.DC.gov portal. According to ABCA:

  1. You must be 21 or older, and the only required document is a government-issued photo ID.
  2. Self-certification is required. ABCA doesn't accept practitioner recommendations for non-residents, and non-resident registrations can't have a caregiver.
  3. Choose your validity period. ABCA's August 2026 portal launch lets non-residents "pre-select their active validity period to coincide directly with their planned travel dates."
  4. Pay in the portal. Payment is built into the registration flow.
  5. Use it right away. ABCA says temporary patient registrations are digital and may be used immediately on receipt, and that non-resident registrations are valid for the entire period you select. There's no physical card for non-residents.

You can also sign up at licensed stores that offer on-site registration. ABCA says retailers with a MyABCA account can expedite on-premises applications, but it doesn't publish a list of which stores offer this, so ask first.

International visitors are eligible too. ABCA's fee page says "domestic and international visitors who are at least 21 years of age" can register for a temporary patient registration.

How long a non-resident registration lasts, and what it costs

ABCA's two pages don't match on the shortest option, so here's what each one says:

  • ABCA's patients page says non-residents have "Five valid periods: 30, 90, 180, and 365 days." It lists four periods while saying five.
  • ABCA's fee schedule lists five: 3, 30, 90, 180 and 365 days.
  • DC law lets the ABC Board set non-resident periods between 3 days and one year (D.C. Code § 7-1671.05).

Because the pages differ on the 3-day option, check which periods the portal actually offers when you register. On cost, ABCA's patients page says the non-resident fee "varies from $10 to $100 depending on the selected valid period." The fee schedule lists the fee for each period.

Option 2: Use your home state's medical card (reciprocity)

ABCA's wording: "Licensed D.C. retailers are permitted to accept patient registrations from most U.S. states, territories, and select tribal nations." The full list is on ABCA's reciprocity page. If you're 21 or older and enrolled in a program from a recognized jurisdiction, ABCA says you may show that registration and an unexpired government-issued photo ID "without additional DC registration."

ABCA's eligible jurisdictions, as listed on October 2, 2026: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

Two things to know:

  • Virginia patients must bring a written certification form completed by an authorized healthcare practitioner, plus an unexpired government-issued ID, according to ABCA.
  • Confirm before you go. ABCA asks visitors to confirm that their jurisdiction's program is extended reciprocity and to carry their registration card or digital credential. If your state isn't on the list, use Option 1.

Where to buy: licensed stores and licensed delivery

DC's legal market is the ABCA-licensed market. Here's how it works for visitors, per ABCA:

  • Storefront retailers may operate between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., and each store's hours depend on what ABCA approves. Every physical retailer must display its paper ABCA license on the premises.
  • Internet retailers are delivery-only and must feature their license on their website's homepage. Delivery hours vary by license type, so check with the business. Our delivery guide explains how it works.
  • Delivery limits: deliveries go only to DC residential and commercial building addresses that aren't on District government or federal property or school grounds.

To find a licensed store, use our dispensary directory, our map or our page on licensed dispensaries near the National Mall. We list ABCA-licensed businesses only.

If you visited DC years ago, you may remember "gifting" shops. That era is over: ABCA and MPD padlocked unlicensed sellers from 2024 on, and today's legal market is ABCA-licensed stores and delivery only. Our history of DC's gifting shops has the full story.

How much you can buy and carry

  • Purchase limit: ABCA's patients page sets the same purchase limit for residents and non-residents: 8 ounces within a rolling 30-day period.
  • Carrying: under DC's Initiative 71 law, adults 21 and older may possess, use and transport 2 ounces or less (D.C. Code § 48-904.01; MPD).

Where you can't use it

Our guide to where you can smoke weed in DC covers each place visitors ask about. In short:

  • Public space. DC law makes it illegal to smoke or consume cannabis on streets, alleys, parks, sidewalks and parking areas, in vehicles on those spaces, or in any place the public is invited, including private clubs (D.C. Code § 48-911.01). A violation is a misdemeanor.
  • Federal land. MPD notes that federal law still prohibits possessing or using any amount of marijuana, and that federal officers can arrest anyone in DC for it. That matters in a city with this much federal property, including the National Mall. Our DC cannabis laws guide covers the details.
  • Hotels and rentals. DC law lets property owners prohibit or regulate cannabis on their property (D.C. Code § 48-904.01). Check your hotel's or host's policy.
  • Where it's allowed: MPD says adults 21+ may use marijuana on private property. ABCA's Safe-Use Treatment Facility endorsement also lets some licensed retailers offer on-site consumption, in designated areas, of products bought there, and only qualifying patients and their caregivers may enter.

Taking it home

Your DC registration covers buying in DC. MPD notes that federal law continues to prohibit marijuana possession, and other states set their own rules. Plan to use what you buy while you're here.

What to expect at a licensed store

Staff will check your registration (or out-of-state card) and a government-issued photo ID before any sale, and a licensed store displays its paper ABCA license on the premises. People under 18 can't enter unless accompanied by a caregiver with a patient registration. Our first-visit guide walks through the rest. If something looks off, ABCA takes anonymous complaints through its online complaint form.

Planning your visit, step by step

  1. Check your card first. If your state is on ABCA's reciprocity list, bring that registration and your photo ID.
  2. If it isn't, register before you travel. Choose a validity period that covers your dates.
  3. Pick a store or delivery service from our dispensary directory or map. Check its hours, since each store's hours depend on what ABCA approves.
  4. Know where you're staying. Confirm your hotel's or host's policy, and remember that delivery can't go to federal or District government property.
  5. Keep it private. Use what you buy on private property where it's allowed, not in public or on federal land.

Moving to DC?

The non-resident option is for visitors. If you become a DC resident, use ABCA's resident registration instead. ABCA currently waives digital registration fees for DC residents (as of October 2, 2026, per ABCA's fee schedule); a physical card is optional. Residents get a 90-day digital temporary registration they can use right away, followed by a two-year registration after ABCA reviews the application. Our card guide walks through it.

FAQ

Can tourists buy weed in DC without a medical card?
Not without registering. Visitors 21+ can get an ABCA non-resident registration online, or use a recognized out-of-state registration. See also Can I buy cannabis in DC today?

Can I use my Maryland medical card in DC?
Yes. Maryland is on ABCA's reciprocity list (checked October 2, 2026). Bring your Maryland registration and an unexpired photo ID.

Can I use a Virginia medical card in DC?
Yes, with a written certification form from an authorized healthcare practitioner and an unexpired government-issued ID, per ABCA.

Can international visitors register?
Yes. ABCA says domestic and international visitors 21 and older are eligible for a temporary registration.

How fast can I use a non-resident registration?
ABCA says temporary registrations are digital and can be used immediately on receipt.

Do I need a doctor's recommendation as a visitor?
No. ABCA requires non-residents to self-certify and doesn't accept recommendations.

Sources

Last updated: October 2, 2026

DCWeedHub is an independent guide to DC's ABCA-licensed cannabis market. We list ABCA-licensed businesses only and aren't affiliated with or endorsed by ABCA. This is general information, not legal or medical advice.

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