April 2021 UPDATE: Growing marijuana for medical use is still allowed in Washington. Although Washington state closed its dispensaries, medical users can still grow a small number of plants without registering or more if they do. In true Washington style, the rules are not like any other state.
Please note: ILGM is NOT a legal adviser. Information contained in this website is intended as general introductory information only. The information contained on this website is not legal advice. It should not be construed as legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.
- Marijuana growing laws in Washington
- Growing medical weed in a recreational state
- Rules on cooperative gardens and registering as a patient in WA
- Tips for growing weed in Washington
- Medical marijuana in Washington
- Washington Marijuana Laws
- Buy High-Quality Seeds
- How much marijuana can you grow legally in Washington
- FAQs about marijuana growing laws in Washington
- Other updates
Marijuana growing laws in Washington
- Growing is limited to medical use
- Growers must be 21
- Grow four plants without registration
- Cooperative gardens are allowed
- Registration is recommended but not required
There’s more to marijuana growing in Washington.
Here are more details:
Growing medical weed in a recreational state
- Growing is Medical-Use only. Washington is a recreational state, but it does not allow growing for recreational purposes. Home growers must have a recommendation from a doctor.
- Growers need to be 21. Washington restricts growing to medical patients, but it does not restrict the age of patients. Growers must be 21 and may be the designated grower for an underage. Dispensaries that grow for patients must employ growers that are 21 and up.
- Grow up to 4 (or 15) plants. With a recommendation from a doctor, a patient can grow up to four plants. With registration, a patient can grow fifteen plants. If multiple patients reside in one house, the limit is fifteen plants. Breaking this rule will cause more hassle than anything else. You will be arrested, but you can argue it in court if a doctor can explain why you need so much. The worst part is, if you grow too many (or grow without a recommendation), police can keep your plants, even if you win in court.
Download my free marijuana grow guide and start growing high quality strains
Rules on cooperative gardens and registering as a patient in WA
- Cooperative gardens are allowed. Up to four patients can grow together. Up to sixty plants can be grown in a cooperative. The harvest can be as much as 72 ounces. Cooperatives are basically gardening clubs for patients. In them, patients work together to grow a variety of strains. All patients must be 21 or older and must register with the state. A cooperative garden cannot be less than 1 mile from a retail location.
- Register if you want to. Registering as a patient will earn you a recognition card that can be displayed as proof of permission to grow. In addition to having a grower’s permission slip, you can also grow more plants than those without it. A recognition card will also prevent arrest, as long as you do not have more than 15 plants.
Growing without registration is allowed but risky. If you do not have a recognition card, you could be arrested, but you may not be guilty if you produce a medical recommendation. If you don’t plan to register, it’s best to keep your growing stealth.
Also read Marijuana laws in Washington
Washington laws favor retail marijuana, but some room has been left for patients who prefer to grow their own. With the closing of medical dispensaries and limitations on where cooperative gardens can exist, growing at home is the best option for Washington patients.
If you plan to grow in Washington, learning easy indoor growing techniques is the best approach.
Tips for growing weed in Washington
Medical marijuana users in Washington can grow their own weed, but every other marijuana user in the state cannot. To keep from being mistaken for someone that cannot grow, keep from getting noticed at all.
Here are more Washington growing tips:
- Do not grow where anyone can see
- Do not grow more than 4 plants without registering
- Plan to obtain a medical recommendation (if you don’t already have one)
Have more questions about growing marijuana in Washington? Ask below. This page will be updated with answers to frequently asked questions when necessary.
If you are looking to grow marijuana in Washington- including the cities of Seattle, Vancouver, or Spokane, there are a few ways you can do it legally.
This is because Washington, the second state to legalize the sales of recreational marijuana, has also legalized marijuana growing. Here are the two ways to grow marijuana legally in the state of Washington.
Medical marijuana in Washington
One way to grow marijuana in Washington State is as a medical marijuana patient. Washington approves the medical use of marijuana for AIDS and cancer-related nausea and vomiting; pain from Hepatitis C; vomiting and nausea due to anorexia; muscles spasms from MS, seizures and epilepsy; blood pressure issues causing glaucoma; pain due to Crohn’s disease and other un-manageable pain.
If a medical provider feels that your condition is manageable by marijuana, you are approved to grow up to 15 plants that yield up to a total of 24 ounces.
In order to grow marijuana in Washington under this exemption, have a doctor write a recommendation, and register it with the department of health. If you need a list of doctors that will write a recommendation, try a site like Marijuana Doctors, or ask any other patients who they see.
Keep your registration card with the plants at all times. If you are not registered but are approached by police, you can try and prove your medical exemption in court.
Washington residents can also participate in growing co-ops called collective gardens. Collective gardens allow up to ten patients to grow together, sharing the costs and benefits of their plants. Collective gardens also have a total limit of 15 plants.
Washington Marijuana Laws
It is legal to grow marijuana for others, although in Washington they don’t want you smoking the stuff if you do. You can, however, grow and make some cash.
To do this, simply grow on behalf of a patient as provider. Providers may grow up to 15 plants for one patient. As a provider, you can only have one patient at a time and must remain with that patient for at least 15 days. The patient must register their provider in writing with the health department.
Ready to grow marijuana in Washington? Start with buying high-quality seeds from our shop.
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Growers can also grow an unlimited amount commercially as a producer. There are multiple fees associated with this including application, annual and background check fees. If approved, a license can cost as little as $1300. But if you wanted to commercially grow marijuana in Washington, it can be done.
Check How To Start A Commercial Grow Operation In Washington for more information
How much marijuana can you grow legally in Washington
Whether you grow marijuana in Washington for yourself, or grow it for others, the state does not allow plants to be publicly viewable. So above all, keep your plants out of sight. There are also limits on how much marijuana any one person can be in possession of, so if you have more than 15 plants, you may want to consider scaling back.
It’s so easy to grow marijuana in Washington, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t take the simple steps to do it legally. Plus, technically, unlicensed growers can face a fine. Silly to have that happen when all you have to do is get registered or find someone who is. So, what are you waiting for? Get your marijuana seeds, download your Free Marijuana Grow Bible and let’s get growing!
Download the Free Harvesting Guide to learn more about when and how to harvest your Marijuana plants.
FAQs about marijuana growing laws in Washington
Does Washington allow growing marijuana for recreational purposes?
Washington is a recreational state, but it does not allow growing for recreational purposes. Home growers must have a recommendation from a doctor.
How many weed plants can a patient in Washington grow legally?
With a recommendation from a doctor, a patient can grow up to four plants. With registration, a patient can grow fifteen plants.
What age does an adult have to be to legally grow medical marijuana in Washington?
Growers must be 21 and may be the designated grower for an underage. Dispensaries that grow for patients must employ growers that are 21 and up.
Other updates
December 2015 – Washington’s Cannabis Industry Helps the Poor
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Hi Adam,
Thanks for your question. You can check the Wahsington Department of Health website on this:
https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/cannabis/medical-cannabis/patient-information/possession-amounts
It appears that outdoor growing is restricted to green houses and enclosed areas:
https://growealth.com/pages/can-i-grow-marijuana-in-washington
Keep in mind we are not a legal advisor. Make sure to do proper research before you do anything that could get you into any legal trouble.
Let us know if you have any other questions of course.
Kind regards,
ILGM
I have been Looking, but can’t find any information on if it is legal in Washington, with a medical card, to grow outside, like in a garden. Wondering if you have seen any regulations on where a medical patient is allowed to grow.
After I posted the above, I saw the Site had Reduced most words’ first letter to a Small letter, but left some Capitalized which should Not have been capitalized, in a kind of Random way.
Nevada prohibits Users from Growing anywhere near Clark and Washoe counties (Las Vegas and Reno areas) which between them contain most of the state’s population. So Cultivation by users is illegal In NV, Basically. Because they want to allow a gang of economic rapists – I Mean, The legalize Marijuana For Medical and Recreational use Ballot Initiative sponsors – And Their gang of Protectors – I mean, The police and sheriffs of the state – to charge users $400 per ounce for something they could grow in their yards for $2 per ounce. It’s the only time in the history of the world in which legalizing an illegal product resulted in the price rising Substantially. On day one of legal sales in NV, I thought some signs of protest might appear, but the incredibly weak, wimpy Local weed wimps and weaklings – Did i say weak, and wimpy? – instead lined up quietly and obediently and Waited to be raped and fleeced, Starting the day before legal sales began, and have been taking it up the ass most obediently and happily every day since. This site won’t allow me to start any word with a small letter.
Where are the answers to the posted by questions ?
Just for the record, Washington state was the first state to have recreational marijuana, not the second.
Can you grow medical marijuana with kids in the house?
Considering this article’s “latest update” was Dec 2015. I’d say your comment about researching before the post is a little off
Current laws are this without state registry card four plant with six plants. If you have the need for it and go they the hoops you can grow 15 plants. This is not a everyone thing it is a special case thing so printing if you get a card you get 15 is wrong that is not how this state works at all and you should research your articles better before writing them.
” A cooperative garden cannot be less than 1 mile from a retail location.” Is that a typo?
“…As a provider, you can only have one patient at a time and must remain with that patient for at least 15 days…” Does this mean the grow has to be at the patient’s home as opposed to growing it on my property and delivering it?
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