How many cannabis associations are licensed in Hesse?

Status: September 2026. In Hesse, according to the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt, 23 cannabis associations have received a licence. 36 applications have been received. The Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt is responsible for licences for cultivation and passing on under the Consumer Cannabis Act (KCanG). The figures apply to the status of 29 September 2026, that is, to that day and not to today.

The figures from September 2026

The Regierungspräsidium publishes a table with the applications and licences by town and district. The authority writes that it updates the table at regular intervals, at the latest when a new application is received. The overall figures are:

• 36 applications for a licence received,
• 23 licences granted,
• status of the table: 29 September 2026.

According to its website, the authority does not count rejected or withdrawn applications in the number of applications. The difference of 13 applications therefore concerns, on this information, applications without a decision so far. The application is submitted online through the KCanG service portal. The authority is to decide within three months after receipt of all documents and processes applications in chronological order.

Why the table is not a directory

The figure of 23 shows how many decisions have been granted. It does not show whether a particular association is taking on members, how many places are free, or how cultivation is organised. Anyone looking for a particular association therefore needs more than the overall figure. Details on individual locations are in the table of the Regierungspräsidium.

The figures can only be compared to a limited extent with other states, because the reference dates differ. The status from Lower Saxony is shown in the article on Lower Saxony.

What a licence requires in Hesse

Under § 11(1) KCanG, shared cultivation and passing cannabis on to members require a licence from the competent authority. The application must be made in writing or electronically. It must contain the information and evidence required under § 11(4) KCanG, in German. The list is set out in the law. Anyone planning to found an association should read it before applying.

A licence obliges the association to appoint a prevention officer, whom the board appoints (§ 23(4) KCanG). A health and youth protection concept is also required (§ 23(6) KCanG).

What applies to members in Hesse

Only people who are at least 18 years old and have a residence or habitual abode in Germany can become members (§ 16(1) and (4) KCanG). A person may be a member of only one cannabis association (§ 16(2), second sentence, KCanG). An association may have at most 500 members (§ 16(2), first sentence, KCanG). Only members may grow cannabis together (§ 17(1) KCanG).

For members over 21, there are upper limits on passing cannabis on: at most 25 grams per day and at most 50 grams per calendar month (§ 19(3) KCanG). For young adults between 18 and 21, the amounts are lower.

What applies outside an association

The number of associations does not change the rules for private possession. From the age of 18, possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis is permitted (§ 3(1) KCanG). At the place of residence or habitual abode, up to 50 grams of flowers is permitted (§ 3(2) No. 1 KCanG). Home cultivation is limited to a maximum of three cannabis plants at the same time (§ 9(1) KCanG).

Prevention in Hesse

The law protects young people with fixed rules. On the enclosed premises of an association, people under 18 have no access (§ 23(1) KCanG). Consumption is prohibited in schools, on children’s playgrounds and in children’s and youth facilities, including within sight of them (§ 5(2) KCanG).

According to the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG), the young brain is in an important stage of development. Consumption can affect this development, and memory can suffer. Anyone who knows this is better placed to protect young people around them.

Where to find the original source

The table is on the website of the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt under the heading Cannabisgesetz. The text of the law is on gesetze-im-internet.de. For questions about a particular application, the Regierungspräsidium is the right contact.

What the licence requires in everyday life

The licence entitles the association to shared cultivation and to passing cannabis on to members. In everyday life, however, the duties remain. The board appoints a prevention officer, and the association implements its health and youth protection concept (§ 23(4) and (6) KCanG).

The status of an individual procedure is requested from the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt. The overall figures in the table are not enough for that.

Prevention is part of every club’s operation. A consumption ban applies in the immediate presence of persons under 18 (§ 5(1) KCanG). For young people, the topic remains central, because according to the BIÖG the young brain is in an important stage of development.

Home cultivation in Hesse

Anyone who wants to grow their own remains limited to a maximum of three plants at the same time (§ 9(1) KCanG). Cannabis from home cultivation may not be passed on to third parties (§ 9(2) KCanG). A larger operation does not fall under this rule.

What you can do now

• Check the table with the status of 29 September 2026, and request the latest version if needed.
• For a particular association, ask the Regierungspräsidium about the processing status.
• For questions about your own use, call the Sucht und Drogen Hotline: 01806 313031.

For individual questions about possession, penalties or driving licences, a specialist lawyer can help. Current developments around cannabis are summarised in the section on current affairs and legal developments. For the nationwide figure, see the article on nationwide licences.