In November 2016, Nevada voters approved a ballot measure to regulate and tax recreational marijuana, in addition to the state’s medical-marijuana program. Possession and consumption of cannabis by adults aged 21 and older officially became legal on January 1, 2017.
In early 2018, the Nevada Department of Taxation — which oversees the state’s cannabis industry — began accepting applications for recreational marijuana retail licenses. The first round of licensing was only open to holders of medical marijuana dispensary licenses. In November 2018, the Department opened the application process to those not holding a medical dispensary license and subsequently awarded 61 new retail licenses.
Tourist-reliant Nevada may not have seen as much growth in marijuana sales in 2020 as the other US states but still appears on pace to beat its 2019 sales totals of $701 million, with more than $554 million in medical and recreational sales through September 2020. Currently, the Department of Taxation is not accepting new applications for cannabis retail stores; those interested in applying for a marijuana retail license in Nevada may sign up to receive notifications when the next licensing window opens.
Nevada’s Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana law lays out the licensing and operating procedures for retail cannabis stores in the state. On this page, we’ve summarized these rules in Q & A form. This page is informational only and should not be considered legal advice.