Legal cannabis and marijuana states with no statewide bond
Most states that license cannabis, or marijuana as many of their statutes still call it, do it without a surety bond. They rely on license fees, capitalization tests, insurance mandates and seed to sale tracking. That can change in a single session, and local governments often fill the gap.
Where we have not identified a statewide cannabis or marijuana license bond
As of September 2026 we have not identified a statewide surety bond requirement for cannabis or marijuana licensees in the following jurisdictions. This list is a research aid, not legal advice. Check the current application checklist with your regulator.
- Arizona
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- District of Columbia
Three states that appear in our directory belong in the same conversation because their cannabis bond exposure is local, not statewide: Alaska, Michigan and Nevada. Colorado repealed its marijuana license bond but does require a statewide bond from hemp operators licensed as commodity handlers and commodity dealers. Maine is a special case with a legislative history worth reading.
Bonds that arise anyway
- Municipal and county permits. A local cannabis or marijuana ordinance can require a permit bond, a tax bond or an indemnity bond. Send us the ordinance and the form.
- Facility build outs. Owners and lenders ask for performance and payment bonds on cultivation and processing construction.
- Hemp. State agriculture departments bond processors, handlers and dealers. See hemp and CBD bonds.
- Your own protection. A fidelity bond is never mandated by a cannabis regulator and is one of the most useful coverages an operator can buy.
Questions
My state is on this list. Could I still need a bond?
Yes. Cities and counties often regulate cannabis under their own ordinances and may require a permit, tax or indemnity bond. Landlords, lenders and project owners also ask for financial guarantees and performance bonds. Hemp processors and commodity dealers may be bonded by the state department of agriculture.
Why did Colorado and Washington never adopt a lasting marijuana bond requirement?
Colorado had a $5,000 tax bond and repealed it in 2016 when surety capacity for the class dried up. Washington built its program around licensing fees and traceability. Neither state has added a marijuana license bond since. Colorado does bond hemp operators that act as commodity handlers or commodity dealers.
Written and reviewed by C. Constantin Poindexter, MA, JD, CPCU, AFSB, ASLI, ARe, AINS, AIS, CPLP, CICS. Founder of Surety One, Inc., Cannabis Insurance Coverage Specialist, attorney and surety underwriter for more than thirty years. Author of The Contractor's Guide to Surety Bonds. View his cannabis insurance credentials. Last reviewed .
Asked for a bond we have not listed?
Send us the ordinance, contract or bond form. If the business is lawful where you operate, we will review it.