How Many Cannabis Plants Can You Grow in Arizona? (2026 Rules)
Quick answer: Adults 21 and older can grow up to six plants at their primary residence, with a cap of 12 plants where two or more adults live. Plants must be in an enclosed area with a lock or other security device that keeps minors out, and they can’t be visible from public view.
Last verified: October 30, 2026, against Arizona Revised Statutes §36-2852 and §36-2853. Laws change, so check the official site before you plant.
| Who can grow | Adults 21 and older, at their primary residence |
|---|---|
| Plant limit per adult | 6 plants |
| Household limit | 12 plants where two or more adults 21+ live |
| Mature vs immature | No split. The statute just says “plants” |
| Where plants can be | A closet, room, greenhouse or other enclosed area on the grounds, with a lock or other security device, out of public view |
| License or registration | None required by §36-2852 |
| Over-the-limit penalty | Falls outside the home grow protection, and producing marijuana can be a felony under §13-3405 |
How the limit works
Arizona’s rule is in A.R.S. §36-2852(A)(2), part of the Smart and Safe Arizona Act (Prop 207). Each adult 21 or older can have up to six plants for personal use at their primary residence. Section 36-2852(A)(2)(a) then limits a single residence to 12 plants where two or more adults live at one time.
So one adult gets six, two adults get 12, and four adults still get 12. A roommate under 21 doesn’t add anything, because the higher cap depends on two adults who are at least 21.
The statute doesn’t separate mature from immature plants, so count them all.
Medical patients are on a different track. Arizona’s medical law ties patient cultivation to not having a nonprofit dispensary within 25 miles of home (§36-2804.02). The adult-use rule has no such distance test, and adults 21 and older can use it with or without a card.
One federal note: home growing remains illegal under federal law even though Arizona allows it. Recreational marijuana is still Schedule I.
Where you can grow
The rules apply indoors and outdoors alike. Under §36-2852(A)(2), cultivation must meet both of these conditions:
- Enclosed and secured: It must take place in a closet, room, greenhouse or other enclosed area on the grounds of the residence, equipped with a lock or other security device that prevents access by minors.
- Out of public view: Plants can’t be visible from public view without binoculars, aircraft or other optical aids.
The optical-aid language helps you a little. Someone spotting your greenhouse from a plane doesn’t make it visible under this test, but a neighbor or passerby seeing it from a public street could.
What about distance from schools? Section 36-2852 has no buffer zone for home growers. The 500-foot school rule in §36-2857 applies to marijuana establishments, not houses. We found no 1,500-foot rule for home grows.
Renters, landlords and local rules
Renters can run into a real barrier. Under §36-2851(7), Prop 207 doesn’t restrict the ability of an individual or private entity that occupies, owns or controls property to prohibit or regulate conduct there. That means a landlord can ban growing. Check your lease first.
Homeowners associations aren’t named in the statute. Whether one can restrict a grow depends on its role and governing documents, which is unsettled, so read your HOA rules.
Towns have less leeway. Cities and counties can restrict or ban marijuana businesses, but §36-2857(C)(6) generally bars local rules that prohibit or restrict conduct the chapter allows. A town’s dispensary ban isn’t a home grow ban.
How much of your harvest can you keep?
Here’s the good news. Section 36-2852(A)(2) lets you possess, process and manufacture by manual or mechanical means the marijuana your plants produce, on the premises where they were grown. It sets no weight limit for that harvest.
The catch is the location. The moment you leave home, the normal limit applies: one ounce, with no more than five grams as concentrate. Don’t move a big harvest to a second home or a friend’s place.
Processing has limits too. You can sieve or use ice water separation, but the protection excludes chemical extraction or chemical synthesis. Section 36-2851 also bars processing with any liquid or gas, other than alcohol, with a flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, unless done by a marijuana establishment.
Can you give it away?
Yes, within limits. Under §36-2852(A)(3) and (4), an adult can give another adult 21 or older:
- Up to one ounce of marijuana, with no more than five grams as concentrate
- Up to six marijuana plants
Either way, there can’t be any payment, and the transfer can’t be advertised or promoted to the public. Don’t sell any of it.
Where do you get seeds or clones?
A gift of up to six plants from another adult is one route the statute spells out. Arizona’s law also defines marijuana to include viable seeds. We couldn’t confirm a state rule on whether dispensaries must or may sell seeds or clones, so call a licensed dispensary and check the Arizona Department of Health Services site.
What if you go over the limit?
- Visible or unsecured grow, within the plant limits: a petty offense for a first violation, with a fine up to $300 (§13-802). A second or later violation is a class 3 misdemeanor (§36-2853(D)).
- Too many plants: Those plants aren’t protected by §36-2852. Under §13-3405, producing marijuana is a class 5 felony under two pounds, a class 4 felony from two to four pounds, and a class 3 felony over four pounds. Convictions carry a minimum fine of $750 or three times the marijuana’s value, whichever is greater.
- More than one ounce away from home: over one ounce, up to 2.5 ounces, is a petty offense. Larger amounts fall under §13-3405.
The visibility penalty is mild, but an extra plant isn’t. Don’t treat the plant count as a soft limit.
Arizona home grow FAQ
Can three adults grow 18 plants in Arizona?
No. Arizona caps a single residence at 12 plants where two or more adults 21 or older live. Three adults in one home share that limit.
Does an Arizona home grow have to be locked?
It must have security. Arizona requires an enclosed area with a lock or other security device that prevents access by minors, and plants can’t be visible from public view without binoculars, aircraft or other optical aids.
Can you grow marijuana near a school in Arizona?
Arizona’s home grow statute has no distance rule for schools. The 500-foot school rule applies to marijuana establishments, not personal grows. All the usual enclosed, secured and out-of-view rules still apply.
Can my Arizona landlord ban home growing?
Yes. Arizona’s adult-use law doesn’t restrict a private owner or occupant from prohibiting or regulating marijuana activity on its property, so a landlord can ban growing. Check your lease before you plant.
Want the bigger picture? Read our Arizona marijuana law guide and marijuana cultivation for beginners.
Setting up indoors? See our guides to grow lights and grow tents.
