How Many Cannabis Plants Can You Grow in California? (2026 Rules)
Quick answer: Six living plants per private residence, for adults 21 and older, no matter how many adults live there. The plants must be in a locked space that can’t be seen from a public place. Your city or county can ban outdoor growing, but it can’t completely ban growing indoors.
Last verified: October 30, 2026, against the California Department of Cannabis Control and the official text of Proposition 64. Laws change, so check the official site before you plant.
| Who can grow | Adults 21 and older. Medical patients can grow more if their physician recommends it |
|---|---|
| Plant limit per adult | None. The limit is per residence |
| Household limit | 6 living plants per private residence, including its grounds |
| Mature vs immature | No split in the adult-use law. It counts “living plants” |
| Where plants can be | In your home or on its grounds, in a locked space, out of public view, subject to local rules |
| License or registration | No state license. Some cities and counties require a permit |
| Over-the-limit penalty | More than 6 plants: up to 6 months in county jail, a fine up to $500, or both |
How the limit works
Under Health and Safety Code §11362.1(a)(3), an adult may grow up to six living plants. Section 11362.2(a)(3) then caps every private residence and its grounds at six at one time. The residence cap is the one that matters.
Say two adults share a house. They don’t get 12. They get six between them, and four roommates would also get six. A “private residence” means a house, apartment unit, mobile home or similar dwelling.
Adult-use law doesn’t split plants into mature and immature. It says “living plants,” so don’t assume seedlings get a free pass. Count everything that’s alive and growing.
One federal note: home growing remains illegal under federal law even though California allows it. Recreational marijuana is still Schedule I.
Where you can grow
State law sets three conditions in §11362.2(a)(2). Your living plants must be:
- Inside your private residence or on its grounds, such as an outdoor garden area
- In a locked space
- Not visible by normal unaided vision from a public place
The locked-space rule applies indoors too, so a spare room or tent should lock. Outdoors, think locked fence or greenhouse, then check whether your city allows outdoor growing at all.
Renters, landlords and local rules
This is where California gets patchy. Under §11362.2(b), local rules work like this:
- Outdoor grows: A city or county can ban them completely.
- Indoor grows: A city or county can’t completely ban growing inside a residence, or inside a fully enclosed and secure accessory structure on the grounds.
- Everything else: Local governments can adopt reasonable regulations. The Department of Cannabis Control says these can include permit requirements or indoor-only rules.
So the indoor option is your legal floor, but it can still come with local conditions. Call your city or county planning office before you start, because rules vary from one town to the next.
Renters have less room. Section 11362.45(h) preserves the right of a private owner to prohibit or restrict cannabis activity on their own property, so a landlord can ban growing. Read your lease first. The law doesn’t name homeowners associations, so check your HOA’s governing documents too.
How much of your harvest can you keep?
Everything your legal plants produce, as long as you keep the excess at home. Section 11362.1(a)(3) lets you possess what your plants produce and sets no weight cap for it. Anything over 28.5 grams has to stay at your residence or on its grounds, locked up and out of public view.
Away from home, the normal limits apply: 28.5 grams of flower and 8 grams of concentrate. If you make products from your harvest, you can’t use volatile solvents like butane or propane.
Can you give it away?
Yes, to another adult 21 or older, with no compensation of any kind. The gift limits are the same as the public possession limits: up to 28.5 grams of flower and 8 grams of concentrate. Selling homegrown cannabis takes a license, so don’t do it.
Where do you get seeds or clones?
Licensed retailers can sell seeds and live, immature plants under state regulations (4 CCR §15408). A plant must be non-flowering, shorter and narrower than 18 inches, and come from a licensed nursery or microbusiness. Adult-use customers can buy up to six immature plants a day (§15409). Not every store stocks them, so call first.
What if you go over the limit?
- Breaking a growing rule within six plants (for example, not locked or visible from a public place): an infraction, with a fine up to $250 (§11362.4(e)).
- More than six plants, age 18 or older: up to six months in county jail, a fine up to $500, or both (§11358(c)).
- More than six plants with aggravating factors: a harsher sentence is possible with certain prior convictions, or if the grow caused listed environmental harm, such as illegal water diversion (§11358(d)).
- Ages 18 to 20, up to six plants: an infraction, with a fine up to $100 (§11358(b)).
Your city or county may add its own penalties for breaking local rules, so check those as well.
California home grow FAQ
Can two adults grow 12 plants in California?
No. California’s limit is six living plants per private residence, including its grounds. Two adults, or more, living in the same home share those six plants.
Can my California city ban growing cannabis at home?
Partly. A California city or county can completely ban outdoor personal grows and can reasonably regulate indoor ones. It can’t completely ban growing inside a private residence or a fully enclosed, secure accessory structure.
Can my landlord stop me from growing cannabis in California?
Yes. California law lets private property owners prohibit or restrict cannabis growing on their property, so a landlord can ban it even where your city allows it. Check your lease before you plant.
Do I need a license to grow six plants in California?
You don’t need a state license to grow up to six plants for personal use if you’re 21 or older. Some California cities and counties do require a local permit, so check with yours.
Want the bigger picture? Read our California marijuana law guide and marijuana cultivation for beginners.
Setting up indoors? See our guides to grow lights and grow tents.
