Hawaii Cannabis Possession Limits

What patients can legally possess, dispensary purchase tracking, and what happens if you are caught without a 329 card.

Last verified: March 2026

Patient Possession Limits

Registered 329 cardholders may possess the following amounts of cannabis at any time:

Category Limit
Usable cannabis possession 4 ounces
Dispensary purchase (per 15 days) 4 ounces
Home cultivation (plants) 10 plants (no mature/immature distinction)
Grow sites per patient 1 registered site
Caregiver patients Up to 5 (Act 046, 2025)

The 4-ounce limit applies to total usable cannabis across all product types. Whether you purchase flower, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, topicals, or vape cartridges — it all counts toward the same 4-ounce cap.

Dispensary Purchase Tracking

Hawaii electronically tracks every dispensary purchase. Patients are limited to 4 ounces per 15-day rolling period. The tracking system prevents exceeding this limit across all dispensary locations statewide.

Limit Type Amount Details
Possession limit 4 oz usable cannabis At any given time, all product types combined
Purchase limit 4 oz per 15 days Rolling window, tracked electronically across all dispensaries
Plant limit 10 plants At a registered grow site only; no mature/immature distinction
All Products Count Toward 4 Ounces

Flower, pre-rolls, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, topicals, and vape cartridges all count toward the 4-ounce possession limit. The dispensary system converts each product type to an equivalent weight. Ask your dispensary how specific products translate to ounces.

Available Product Types

Hawaii dispensaries sell the following product categories, all of which count toward the 4-ounce limit:

  • Flower — dried cannabis bud
  • Pre-rolls — authorized since March 2024
  • Concentrates — wax, shatter, oil
  • Edibles — gummies, chocolates, baked goods
  • Tinctures — liquid extracts taken sublingually
  • Topicals — creams, balms, lotions
  • Vape cartridges — prefilled cartridges for vaporizer batteries

For more on product types, see our consumption methods guide.

Without a Medical Card

If you do not have a 329 card, any cannabis possession is illegal in Hawaii. The only exception is the decriminalization threshold:

Amount Classification Penalty
3 grams or less Decriminalized (civil violation) $130 fine, no criminal record
Over 3 grams to 1 oz Misdemeanor Up to 30 days jail, $1,000 fine
Over 1 oz to 1 lb Misdemeanor Up to 1 year jail, $2,000 fine
Over 1 lb Felony Up to 5 years prison, $10,000 fine

For full penalty details, see our penalties page. For more on the 3-gram threshold, see decriminalization.

Concentrates: A Harsher Standard

Cannabis concentrates carry stiffer penalties than flower for non-patients. Possession of less than 1/8 ounce of concentrate without a 329 card is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a $2,000 fine — significantly harsher than the equivalent amount of flower.

Paraphernalia

Possession of drug paraphernalia under HRS §329-43.5 carries a $500 fine. This applies to pipes, bongs, rolling papers, and other items intended for cannabis use by non-patients.

Visitors: Know the Limits

If you have a 329V visitor card, you follow the same 4 oz / 10 plant limits as resident patients — except you cannot cultivate. Without any medical card, even small amounts can result in criminal charges. The 3-gram decriminalization threshold is extremely small (about one pre-roll).

Patient Compliance Tips

  • Carry your 329 card at all times when transporting cannabis
  • Keep cannabis in its original dispensary packaging with labels intact
  • Track your purchases — the dispensary system enforces the 15-day window, but personal awareness helps
  • Home-grown cannabis must stay at your registered grow site or be part of your 4-ounce possession
  • Never share your cannabis with non-patients — this constitutes distribution