Hemp Laws & Licensing · MD

Maryland hemp laws & licensing

Verified September 29, 2026High confidenceClosed on GHD

At a glance

Retail license / registration required?
No — there is no state hemp-product retail license (growers register sites with MDA), and 2026 bills to create an MDA hemp…
Minimum age
21+
State THC caps (hemp products)
0.5 mg THC per serving · 2.5 mg per package
Hemp-derived THC products · online sales
Cannabis system only / banned · online: Prohibited
Key law
MD SB 214/HB 12 (2025), Ch. 58/57; ABCA §36-101 thresholds (Cannabis Reform Act 2023) — effective July 1, 2025

The law today

Since the Cannabis Reform Act took effect July 1, 2023, Maryland treats any hemp-derived product with more than 0.5 mg total THC (all isomers, including delta-8/10) per serving or 2.5 mg per package as cannabis that only Maryland Cannabis Administration-licensed dispensaries may sell to adults 21+; unlicensed sale is a misdemeanor with fines up to $5,000 (up to $10,000 for non-naturally occurring cannabinoids like THC-O), enforced by ATCC inspections and seizures.

A narrow exception allows unlicensed sale of hemp tinctures with at least a 15:1 CBD-to-THC ratio and no more than 2.5 mg THC per serving/100 mg per package, and low-THC CBD products (at or under the thresholds) remain lawful general-retail items. The Maryland Appellate Court upheld the law on September 9, 2025 and dissolved the 2023 injunction that had protected pre-existing hemp retailers, so enforcement is now statewide; there is no state hemp-product retail license (growers register sites with MDA), and 2026 bills to create an MDA hemp manufacturing license (HB 1631/SB 994) did not pass.

Who regulates it

Cannabis regulator

Hemp-derived THC products here run through the cannabis system: Maryland Cannabis Administrationcannabis.maryland.gov (opens in a new tab)

Licenses & registrations

The law

Testing & COAs

MCA dispensary/processor guidance – over-threshold hemp-derived products must be manufactured, processed and tested under MCA regulationscannabis.maryland.gov (opens in a new tab)

Need a lab? COA analysis partners

Steps to a compliant hemp business in Maryland

  1. 1

    Register the business with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation and obtain a Maryland sales and use tax license

  2. 2

    Growers: submit the Hemp Production Application on Maryland OneStop to register each growing site with MDA (USDA-approved state plan)

  3. 3

    General retailers (no cannabis license): sell only hemp products at or under 0.5 mg THC per serving and 2.5 mg per package (or qualifying 15:1 CBD tinctures up to 2.5 mg/serving, 100 mg/package with lab testing), and verify customers are 21+

  4. 4

    Remove all delta-8/delta-10/THC-O and other intoxicating hemp products from unlicensed premises; products above the thresholds require an MCA dispensary license and MCA-compliant manufacturing/testing

  5. 5

    Keep third-party COAs on file for every SKU showing per-serving and per-package THC

  6. 6

    To enter the intoxicating market, apply in an MCA cannabis licensing round (dispensary/processor) and comply with COMAR 14.17 testing and packaging rules

On Good Hemp Distro

Recreational (21+) market in Maryland

Closed on GHD

The Recreational (21+) market isn't available in Maryland: state law only allows these hemp products through its licensed cannabis system, if at all.

State law: cannabis system only.

Browse Everyday Hemp, Industrial & Services →

Live status — it changes as state rules are verified and as the federal cutoff approaches. Everyday Hemp, Industrial and Services products are available everywhere.

Sources & verification

Verified
September 29, 2026 — every official link above was fetched and checked on that date.
Confidence
High confidence — Official pages verified; law summarised from primary sources.
Research notes
The 0.5 mg/2.5 mg thresholds are codified in Alc. Bev. & Cannabis §36-1102 (statute page verified). One industry source lists the thresholds as effective July 1, 2025; the statute dates from the 2023 Cannabis Reform Act (Ch. 254) and the 2025 date is the appellate ruling, not a new effective date. ATCC Advisory 24-004 predates the Sept 2025 ruling, so its reference to the 2023 injunction is obsolete.
Good Hemp Distro market notes
Products over 0.5 mg THC per serving or 2.5 mg per package may be sold only by licensed cannabis dispensaries; Appellate Court of Maryland (Sept 2025) held delta-8/10 products have always been illegal. (Recreational (21+) state dataset, version 2026-09-28)

Cited sources

Maryland hemp law FAQ

Short answers drawn from the official Maryland sources above (verified September 29, 2026). Not legal advice.

Do I need a license to sell hemp products in Maryland?
Maryland does not issue a hemp retail license: there is no state hemp-product retail license (growers register sites with MDA), and 2026 bills to create an MDA hemp manufacturing license (HB 1631/SB 994) did not pass. Official link: MCA industry licensees and registrants (cannabis dispensary/processor licensing – the only lawful channel for over-threshold hemp-derived THC products) (cannabis.maryland.gov). Federal rules (USDA grower licensing, FDA labeling, carrier policies) still apply.
Who regulates hemp in Maryland?
Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) — Licenses cannabis dispensaries/processors; hemp-derived products above 0.5 mg THC per serving or 2.5 mg per package are cannabis and may be sold only by MCA licensees. Maryland Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission (ATCC) — Field enforcement against unlicensed intoxicating hemp/THC sales (Advisory 24-004). Maryland Department of Agriculture – Hemp Program — Registers hemp production sites (Hemp Farming Program); does not regulate processing or sales. Hemp-derived THC products run through the cannabis regulator: Maryland Cannabis Administration.
What are Maryland's hemp laws in 2026?
Since the Cannabis Reform Act took effect July 1, 2023, Maryland treats any hemp-derived product with more than 0.5 mg total THC (all isomers, including delta-8/10) per serving or 2.5 mg per package as cannabis that only Maryland Cannabis Administration-licensed dispensaries may sell to adults 21+; unlicensed sale is a misdemeanor with fines up to $5,000 (up to $10,000 for non-naturally occurring cannabinoids like THC-O), enforced by ATCC inspections and seizures. A narrow exception allows unlicensed sale of hemp tinctures with at least a 15:1 CBD-to-THC ratio and no more than 2.5 mg THC per serving/100 mg per package, and low-THC CBD products (at or under the thresholds) remain lawful general-retail items. Key law: MD SB 214/HB 12 (2025), Ch. 58/57; ABCA §36-101 thresholds (Cannabis Reform Act 2023) (effective July 1, 2025).
What is the minimum age to buy hemp products in Maryland?
21+ under Maryland law (MD SB 214/HB 12 (2025), Ch. 58/57; ABCA §36-101 thresholds (Cannabis Reform Act 2023)). Good Hemp Distro is 21+ everywhere regardless.
Does Maryland cap THC in hemp products?
Yes — 0.5 mg THC per serving · 2.5 mg per package under MD SB 214/HB 12 (2025), Ch. 58/57; ABCA §36-101 thresholds (Cannabis Reform Act 2023). Federally, hemp must test at or below 0.3% total THC.
Does Maryland require lab testing (a COA) for hemp products?
MCA dispensary/processor guidance – over-threshold hemp-derived products must be manufactured, processed and tested under MCA regulations. Official page: cannabis.maryland.gov.pdf
How do I start a compliant hemp business in Maryland?
1. Register the business with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation and obtain a Maryland sales and use tax license. 2. Growers: submit the Hemp Production Application on Maryland OneStop to register each growing site with MDA (USDA-approved state plan). 3. General retailers (no cannabis license): sell only hemp products at or under 0.5 mg THC per serving and 2.5 mg per package (or qualifying 15:1 CBD tinctures up to 2.5 mg/serving, 100 mg/package with lab testing), and verify customers are 21+. 4. Remove all delta-8/delta-10/THC-O and other intoxicating hemp products from unlicensed premises; products above the thresholds require an MCA dispensary license and MCA-compliant manufacturing/testing. 5. Keep third-party COAs on file for every SKU showing per-serving and per-package THC. 6. To enter the intoxicating market, apply in an MCA cannabis licensing round (dispensary/processor) and comply with COMAR 14.17 testing and packaging rules.

Related

Not legal advice. Links and summaries verified September 29, 2026; laws change — always confirm with the official links and a licensed attorney before you sell.