Hemp Laws & Licensing · WA
Washington hemp laws & licensing
At a glance
- Retail license / registration required?
- No — processors may register voluntarily and there is no state license or registration for selling hemp/CBD products at…
- Minimum age
- 21+
- State THC caps (hemp products)
- 0 mg THC per serving · 0 mg per package
- Hemp-derived THC products · online sales
- Cannabis system only / banned · online: Prohibited
- Key law
- WA SB 5367 (2023), RCW 69.50.575 — effective July 23, 2023
The law today
Washington licenses only hemp growers (WSDA producer license, $1,200/yr); processors may register voluntarily and there is no state license or registration for selling hemp/CBD products at retail or online. Since SB 5367 took effect on 2023-07-23, any consumable product containing more than 0.3% THC or more than 0.5 mg THC per serving / 2 mg per package is a cannabis product that can be made and sold only within the LCB-licensed cannabis system (21+), which shuts hemp-derived delta-8, THCa and other intoxicating hemp products out of general retail; synthetic cannabinoids are banned.
WSDA and FDA rules do not allow CBD to be added to food, beverages or dietary supplements, though CBD topicals and non-smokable hemp products within the THC limits may be sold without a state license.
Who regulates it
Washington State Department of Agriculture – Hemp Programagr.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Hemp producer licensing (RCW 15.140, WAC 16-306) and voluntary hemp processor registration; WSDA Food Safety licenses food processors using hemp
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Boardlcb.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Regulates any product containing THC above the hemp thresholds (SB 5367, 2023) – such products may be sold only by LCB-licensed cannabis retailers
Cannabis regulator
Hemp-derived THC products here run through the cannabis system: Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Boardlcb.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Licenses & registrations
WSDA Hemp Producer License – online application portalfortress.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Who needs it
- Anyone growing hemp in Washington
- Fee
- $1,200/yr license (WAC 16-306-050) plus sampling/inspection fees ($200 per inspection + $40/hr)
- Who needs it
- Growers and processors
- Fee
- Not stated on the official page
- Who needs it
- Hemp processors who want a WSDA registration certificate
- Fee
- Not stated on the official page
- Who needs it
- Food processors using hemp ingredients (CBD may not be added to food)
- Fee
- Not stated on the official page
The law
- RCW Chapter 15.140 – Hemp Productionapp.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
- WAC Chapter 16-306 – Hemp Program rulesapps.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
- SB 5367 (2023, Chapter 365) – regulation of products containing THC (effective 2023-07-23)app.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
- RCW 69.50.101 – definitions (cannabis product / THC thresholds)app.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Testing & COAs
WSDA Hemp FAQ – pre-harvest sampling/testing requirements and feesagr.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Need a lab? COA analysis partners
Steps to a compliant hemp business in Washington
- 1
Register the business with the Washington Secretary of State and Department of Revenue (UBI / business license)
- 2
Growers: apply for the WSDA Hemp Producer License ($1,200/yr) through the online portal, get an FSA farm number, and schedule pre-harvest sampling ($200 per inspection)
- 3
Processors: optionally register with WSDA; food processors must hold a WSDA food processor license and may not add CBD to food/beverages
- 4
Retail/online sellers of hemp products: no state hemp license, but keep every product at or below 0.3% THC, 0.5 mg THC per serving and 2 mg per package with COAs on file; anything above those levels requires an LCB cannabis license
- 5
Do not sell synthetic or converted cannabinoids, and prepare for the federal 0.4 mg total THC per-container limit (eff. 2026-12-11)
On Good Hemp Distro
Recreational (21+) market in Washington
Closed on GHDThe Recreational (21+) market isn't available in Washington: state law only allows these hemp products through its licensed cannabis system, if at all.
State law: cannabis system only.
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
- WSDA FAQ content is rendered in-page (fetched and verified). No 2025–2026 Washington legislative changes to hemp product rules were found; SB 5367 (2023) remains the controlling THC-product law. LCB's hemp FAQ page focuses on cannabis licensees and CHABA products.
- Good Hemp Distro market notes
- Only LCB-licensed cannabis retailers may sell products with detectable THC; products sold outside licensed channels must contain zero detectable THC; the LCB says products sold online from other states are still illegal. (Recreational (21+) state dataset, version 2026-09-28)
Cited sources
- Hemp Laws in Washington — Delta-8, CBD & THCA Legal Status 2026 (Is Hemp Legal?)ishemplegal.com (opens in a new tab) · 2026-07-18
“Washington channels all intoxicating cannabinoid sales through its licensed system via SB 5367; products sold outside licensed channels must contain zero detectable THC; shipping into Washington is banned.”
Washington hemp law FAQ
Short answers drawn from the official Washington sources above (verified September 29, 2026). Not legal advice.
- Do I need a license to sell hemp products in Washington?
- Washington does not issue a hemp retail license: processors may register voluntarily and there is no state license or registration for selling hemp/CBD products at retail or online. Official link: WSDA Hemp Producer License – online application portal (fortress.wa.gov) — fee: $1,200/yr license (WAC 16-306-050) plus sampling/inspection fees ($200 per inspection + $40/hr). Federal rules (USDA grower licensing, FDA labeling, carrier policies) still apply.
- Who regulates hemp in Washington?
- Washington State Department of Agriculture – Hemp Program — Hemp producer licensing (RCW 15.140, WAC 16-306) and voluntary hemp processor registration; WSDA Food Safety licenses food processors using hemp. Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board — Regulates any product containing THC above the hemp thresholds (SB 5367, 2023) – such products may be sold only by LCB-licensed cannabis retailers. Hemp-derived THC products run through the cannabis regulator: Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.
- What are Washington's hemp laws in 2026?
- Washington licenses only hemp growers (WSDA producer license, $1,200/yr); processors may register voluntarily and there is no state license or registration for selling hemp/CBD products at retail or online. Since SB 5367 took effect on 2023-07-23, any consumable product containing more than 0.3% THC or more than 0.5 mg THC per serving / 2 mg per package is a cannabis product that can be made and sold only within the LCB-licensed cannabis system (21+), which shuts hemp-derived delta-8, THCa and other intoxicating hemp products out of general retail; synthetic cannabinoids are banned. Key law: WA SB 5367 (2023), RCW 69.50.575 (effective July 23, 2023).
- What is the minimum age to buy hemp products in Washington?
- 21+ under Washington law (WA SB 5367 (2023), RCW 69.50.575). Good Hemp Distro is 21+ everywhere regardless.
- Does Washington cap THC in hemp products?
- Yes — 0 mg THC per serving · 0 mg per package under WA SB 5367 (2023), RCW 69.50.575. Federally, hemp must test at or below 0.3% total THC.
- Does Washington require lab testing (a COA) for hemp products?
- WSDA Hemp FAQ – pre-harvest sampling/testing requirements and fees. Official page: agr.wa.gov
- How do I start a compliant hemp business in Washington?
- 1. Register the business with the Washington Secretary of State and Department of Revenue (UBI / business license). 2. Growers: apply for the WSDA Hemp Producer License ($1,200/yr) through the online portal, get an FSA farm number, and schedule pre-harvest sampling ($200 per inspection). 3. Processors: optionally register with WSDA; food processors must hold a WSDA food processor license and may not add CBD to food/beverages. 4. Retail/online sellers of hemp products: no state hemp license, but keep every product at or below 0.3% THC, 0.5 mg THC per serving and 2 mg per package with COAs on file; anything above those levels requires an LCB cannabis license. 5. Do not sell synthetic or converted cannabinoids, and prepare for the federal 0.4 mg total THC per-container limit (eff. 2026-12-11).
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.