In California, adults aged 21 or older may grow six plants indoors, although some restrictions may apply. Your six plants may be grown outdoors in many cities and counties, however certain restrictions may apply. Check your local city or county laws and regulations for more information.
For medical cannabis patients, there are different laws and regulations. California NORML has provided a very helpful summary of the laws.
Patients’ Guide to Medical Marijuana Law in California
Update January 2018 – California’s laws regulating cannabis were substantially revised in 2017 by comprehensive new legislation known as the Medicinal and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA).
MAUCRSA establishes a uniform licensing regime for both medical and adult-use cannabis effective Jan 1, 2018. MAUCRSA supplants prior legislation which applied only to medical cannabis. It also makes adjustments to California’s legalization law, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) a.k.a. Prop 64.
After January 9, 2019, the only gardens that will be legal without a state license will be individual personal-use gardens or collective gardens for up to five patients, subject to state law and local control.
The passage of Prop. 64 (AUMA) to legalize adult possession and cultivation of recreational marijuana in no way impinges on the rights of medical marijuana patients under Prop. 215.
Under Prop 215, medical patients and caregivers are entitled to grow however much is required for their personal medical needs; however the courts have ruled that local ordinances can override state law.
Non-medical growers are limited to six plants per residence by AUMA. Cities and counties cannot ban 6-plant gardens, however they can “reasonably regulate” them, including forcing them indoors.
To learn more about your cannabis growing rights, see the California NORML Patients’ Guide to Medical Marijuana.