How Many Cannabis Plants Can You Grow in Maryland? (2026 Rules)
Quick answer: Adults 21 and older in Maryland can grow up to 2 cannabis plants, and that’s the most any household can have, however many adults live there. Registered medical patients 21 and older can grow up to 4. Plants must stay out of public view and secure from anyone under 21.
Last verified: October 30, 2026, against Md. Code, Criminal Law § 5-601.2 and the Maryland Cannabis Administration. Laws change, so check the official site before you plant.
| Who can grow | Adults 21+. No one under 21 may grow. |
|---|---|
| Plant limit per adult | 2 plants (4 for registered medical patients 21+) |
| Household limit | 2 plants; 4 in a medical patient’s residence |
| Mature vs immature | No split in the statute. Plants are simply counted. |
| Where plants can be | Out of public view, including from other private property, on property you lawfully occupy or have consent to use |
| License or registration | None for adults. Patients must be registered with the state. |
| Over-the-limit penalty | Misdemeanor: up to 3 years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both |
How the limit works
Maryland’s limit is small and simple. Under § 5-601.2, a person can’t grow more than two plants. If two or more adults live at the same residence, that residence still can’t have more than two.
So a two-adult home gets 2 plants total, not 4. Three roommates? Still 2. The law doesn’t care who planted what, and it doesn’t make a mature or immature distinction. Two plants means two plants.
The separate medical limit
Medical patients get their own rule in Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis § 36-302. A qualifying patient who’s at least 21 can grow up to 4 plants. If two or more such patients live together, that residence is still capped at 4. Patients must follow every other home-grow rule below, and the ban on growing under age 21 still applies, so a patient aged 18 to 20 can’t grow.
What about one patient and one non-patient under the same roof? The MCA’s FAQ says patients can grow two additional plants, for a total of four, and no more than four in a given residence. So four is the ceiling.
Where you can grow
The statute sets out four location rules:
- Out of view: plants can’t be where they’re subject to public view, and that includes a view from another private property, without binoculars, aircraft or other optical aids. Your neighbor’s window counts.
- Secure: you must take reasonable precautions against unauthorized access and access by anyone under 21. The law’s example is an enclosed, locked space that under-21s don’t have a key to.
- The right property: you can only grow on property you lawfully possess, or with consent of the person who does.
- Adults only: no one under 21 may grow.
Indoors is the safest reading. The MCA’s FAQ says “in their home,” and its adult-use guide talks about “two indoor plants per household.” The statute itself doesn’t use the word indoor, but given the rule on views from neighboring property, outdoor plants are a much bigger risk.
Renters, landlords and local rules
The MCA is direct about this: landlords and property owners can prohibit growing cannabis on their properties. If you rent, check your lease and get any permission in writing.
The home-grow statute doesn’t mention HOAs or county limits, so treat those as unsettled and check your community rules and local code.
How much of your harvest can you keep?
This is the catch. We didn’t find a separate home-harvest allowance in Maryland’s law. The personal use amount is 1.5 ounces of usable cannabis, 12 grams of concentrate, 750 mg of THC in products, or two or fewer plants. Above that, under § 5-601:
- More than 1.5 oz, up to 2.5 oz: civil offense, with a fine of up to $250.
- More than 2.5 oz: misdemeanor, up to 6 months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.
Two healthy plants can produce more than 1.5 ounces, so plan for that before harvest day, and ask the MCA if you’re unsure. Medical patients can possess the amount authorized in their written certification.
Can you give it away?
Yes. Under § 5-602, “adult sharing” of the personal use amount between people 21 or older, with no payment, isn’t penalized. A gift tied to a sale or another transaction doesn’t count. Keep it to a true gift, and never sell.
Where do you get seeds or clones?
A licensed dispensary. Maryland’s regulations let dispensaries sell “home cultivation products,” meaning clones, seeds, seedlings, stalks, roots and stems. A dispensary can sell up to 2 actively growing plants or seedlings to an adult-use customer, and up to 4 to a qualifying patient 21 or older or a registered caregiver. Plants sold can’t be wider or taller than 8 inches. Not every shop stocks them, so call first. We read the MCA’s 2024 copy of these rules, so check the current regulations too.
What if you go over the limit?
Maryland’s plant rule has teeth. Under § 5-601.2(g), any violation of the home-grow section is a misdemeanor, with up to 3 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. There’s no civil tier for a third plant. That same penalty covers plants in public view, growing without access precautions and growing under 21.
And one plain reminder: home growing is still illegal under federal law, even where the state allows it. Recreational marijuana remains Schedule I, and the April 2026 move to Schedule III covers only state-licensed medical marijuana and FDA-approved products. Maryland has plenty of federal property, and state law doesn’t protect you there.
Maryland home grow FAQ
Can two adults in Maryland grow 4 plants?
No. Maryland caps a residence at 2 plants no matter how many adults live there. The 4-plant limit is only for registered medical patients 21 and older.
How many plants can a Maryland medical patient grow?
A registered medical patient in Maryland who’s 21 or older can grow up to 4 plants. Two or more patients living together still share a limit of 4 at that residence.
Can I buy cannabis seeds or clones at a Maryland dispensary?
Yes, where the shop carries them. Maryland regulations let licensed dispensaries sell seeds, clones and seedlings, with up to 2 growing plants or seedlings for an adult-use customer and up to 4 for a qualifying patient 21 or older.
Can my landlord ban a home grow in Maryland?
Yes. The Maryland Cannabis Administration says landlords and property owners can prohibit growing cannabis on their properties, even though home growing is otherwise legal for adults.
For the bigger picture, see our Maryland marijuana law guide and marijuana cultivation for beginners.
Setting up a legal grow? See our guides to the best grow lights and grow tents.
