Visitors and residents get the same answer at the counter
Put a resident and a visitor from another state side by side at the register, and the state asks the same two things of both: are you 21 or older, and can you prove it. State law defines a consumer as an individual who is twenty-one years of age or older, and nothing in that definition mentions where the person lives.
The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) gives the same answer in its guidance for out-of-state buyers. Any adult 21 or older with a valid government-issued photo ID may buy from licensed adult-use retailers regardless of state of residence. Here is how the two shoppers compare, rule by rule:
| What the rule covers | Connecticut resident | Visitor from another state |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 21 | 21 |
| What to show | A valid government-issued photo ID | A valid government-issued photo ID |
| Residency or registration | Not required | Not required |
| State and local taxes | Standard state and local taxes | The same taxes as a resident |
| Possession limit | 1.5 oz | 1.5 oz |
| Most a retailer may sell you per day | One ounce or the equivalent in products | One ounce or the equivalent in products |
A valid photo ID is the one thing every visitor needs
A valid government-issued photo ID is what DCP asks a visitor 21 or older to bring.
The ID has to be yours. Under chapter 420h of the General Statutes, a person who misrepresents their age or uses another person's license to get cannabis faces a fine of up to $250 for a first offense.
If you have never been inside a cannabis store before, in any state, start with the first-timer's guide to a Connecticut cannabis store in our shopping guides, which covers what to expect on that first visit.
Limits and taxes do not change with your zip code
Two limits apply to everyone 21 and older, resident or not, and they measure different things.
- What you can possess. The possession limit is 1.5 oz, whether you live here or not.
- What a store can sell you. State law says a retailer shall not knowingly sell a consumer more than one ounce of cannabis or the equivalent in products per day.
The daily figure can also move down. The state's consumer protection commissioner may set temporary lower per-transaction limits to address a supply shortage or a public health concern.
Non-residents are charged the same state and local taxes as residents for adult-use cannabis, so a visitor's receipt carries the same tax lines as a resident's. Our breakdown of how cannabis tax adds up here shows those lines on a sale.
These rules apply inside Connecticut. Other states and federal law set their own.
Cash and debit at both stores, no credit cards
Sort out payment before you head over. We take cash and debit at both stores, not credit cards.
The Derby store has an on-site ATM if you arrive without enough cash.
Reading the menu and the label when the strains are new to you
We prioritize products from licensed Connecticut cultivators and processors, so some brand names on our menu may be new to you.
When a brand name tells you nothing yet, compare the measurements. Our Derby and Hartford live menus list a THC value for each flower product, and terpene values for most of them.
That gives you two readings to compare across our flower aisle instead of one. A higher THC number is a measurement, not a grade of quality.
On the package in your hand, cannabis labels must carry a DCP-issued symbol showing the package contains THC and a symbol showing it is not safe or legal for people under twenty-one. Our guide to reading a Connecticut cannabis label goes through the rest of the label.
If the names still mean nothing, tell us what you usually buy at home when you call us at 860-420-BUDS (2837), and ask for a recommendation from what is on the menu that day.
Ordering ahead and picking up in Derby or Hartford
Our online ordering is open 24/7, so you can place an order before you arrive and pick it up in store at our Derby store or our Hartford store. Both stores are open 7 days a week.
Pickup is still a purchase, so bring the same valid government-issued photo ID you would show at the register.
Questions shoppers ask about buying as a visitor
How long can a store keep the information from my ID?
No longer than 24 hours without your express written consent. Effective October 1, 2026, no retailer shall retain personal data obtained from a consumer for age verification for longer than 24 hours without the consumer's express written consent, under Section 66(g) of Public Act 26-8, as DCP's summary of the 2026 legislative updates lists.