Is It Legal to Grow Cannabis at Home in New York? (2026 Rules)

Jurisdiction: New York State  |  Last verified: September 4, 2026

Quick answer: Yes. Since June 26, 2024, New York adults age 21 or older may grow cannabis at home for personal use. One adult may have up to three mature and three immature plants. One private residence may have no more than six mature and six immature plants, even when more than two eligible adults live there.

New York home-grow rules in plain language

• Minimum age: 21 for adult-use home cultivation.
• Per-person limit: three mature and three immature plants.
• Residence cap: six mature and six immature plants.
• Purpose: personal use; homegrown cannabis cannot be sold, traded or bartered.
• Security: plants must be kept secure and inaccessible to anyone under 21.
• Odor: growers must take reasonable steps to keep odor from becoming a nuisance to neighbors.
• Extraction safety: New York prohibits flammable materials in connection with home cultivation; do not assume a home-grow allowance permits solvent extraction.

The old “adult home cultivation is not allowed yet” language is no longer current. Adult-use home cultivation became legal on June 26, 2024 after New York adopted its rules.

Where can you grow?

New York’s official guidance describes home cultivation in a private residence. That can include a residence you own or rent, but a landlord or housing program can still matter. The Office of Cannabis Management says landlords generally may prohibit adult-use growing on their property, with different protections applying to medical patients and federal-benefit situations.

Because housing details can change the answer, renters should check their lease and the current New York OCM landlord guidance before setting up a grow.

Before you start

1. Count mature and immature plants separately. The law does not treat every plant as the same category.
2. Apply the residence cap. More eligible adults do not raise the maximum beyond six mature and six immature plants at one residence.
3. Secure the plants. Keep people under 21 from accessing the grow.
4. Control odor and visibility. Use reasonable measures that fit the site and do not create a neighborhood nuisance.
5. Keep it personal. Do not sell, trade or barter homegrown cannabis.

Official New York sources

• New York OCM: Adult-Use Information and Home Cultivation
• New York OCM: Medical and Adult-Use Home Cultivation FAQ
• New York OCM: Landlord and tenant guidance

Ready to learn the cultivation side?

After confirming that your residence and housing rules allow the grow, use the HWGrow complete beginner guide for the seed-to-harvest workflow.

For the nationwide comparison and links to every current state guide, see the HWGrow U.S. cannabis home-grow law guide.

New York home-grow FAQ

Can one adult grow 12 plants in New York?

No. One adult may have up to three mature and three immature plants. The larger six-mature and six-immature limit is the cap for an entire private residence.

When did adult-use home cultivation become legal in New York?

June 26, 2024. Older warnings that adult-use cultivation had not started are obsolete.

Can New York homegrown cannabis be sold?

No. The Office of Cannabis Management says homegrown cannabis is for personal use and cannot be sold, traded or bartered.