Skip to content

Do Maryland dispensaries take credit cards?

Mostly no. Cannabis is still illegal under federal law, and the big card networks keep it off their rails, so Maryland dispensaries run on cash, debit and bank-transfer apps. Bring cash or a debit card and most shops have you covered.

Why credit cards mostly don't work

Cannabis remains illegal under federal law, and the major card networks won't process cannabis sales.

What works

Most shops take some mix of these:

  • Cash.
  • Debit card. Most shops take debit in some form.
  • Bank-transfer apps such as CanPay, Pay by Bank (also called Dutchie Pay) and Aeropay, which move money straight from your checking account.

The on-site ATM

Most dispensaries have an ATM for people who arrive without cash. Expect a fee, like any other out-of-network ATM. If you want to skip it, get cash before you go.

What a "cashless ATM" is

Some shops run your debit card as a cashless ATM transaction. Instead of charging your exact total, it rounds up to the next $5 or $10, and you get the difference back as change. A fee may be added on top.

Mastercard called cannabis cashless ATM transactions "deceptive" in July 2023 and told banks to stop them. Some shops still use them. Before you tap or swipe, ask what the total and the fee will be.

Apple Pay, Google Pay and Cash App cards

Don't count on them. Phone wallets and prepaid cards run through the same card networks, so most shops can't take them. Ask at the counter if you are not sure.

Check before you go

Each shop page on this site shows what it takes, where the shop publishes it. If it doesn't say, bring cash or a debit card.

Every shop in our directory of licensed Maryland dispensaries comes from the state’s own license list, with hours and payment details where the shop publishes them.

Keep reading

Common questions

Can I pay with a credit card at a Maryland dispensary?
Almost never. Cannabis is still illegal under federal law, and the major card networks do not allow those sales, so most shops do not take credit cards.
Can I pay with a debit card?
Usually, yes, as a normal debit payment. If the shop uses a cashless ATM, the charge is rounded up to the next $5 or $10 and a fee may apply. Ask what you will pay before you tap.
Why was I charged more than the price?
If the shop runs debit as a cashless ATM, the total is rounded up to the next $5 or $10 and the difference comes back as change, sometimes with a fee added. Ask before you pay.
What is a cashless ATM at a dispensary?
A debit charge processed like an ATM withdrawal. The total is rounded up to the next $5 or $10, the difference is returned in cash or as change, and a fee may apply.
Do dispensaries take Apple Pay or a Cash App card?
What is CanPay?
An app that pays the shop straight from your checking account. Many Maryland dispensaries accept it, alongside similar apps such as Pay by Bank and Aeropay.
Do dispensaries have ATMs?
Most do, usually with a fee.

Sources

This page is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rules change; check the sources above before acting on anything here.

Published by Weed in Maryland, an independent directory. Notice an error? Report a correction.