The Dakota County Board of Commissioners adopted County Ordinance 133 Regulating the Registration and Sale of Cannabis Products on May 20, 2025.
This ordinance was adopted due to Minnesota Statues, Chapter 342, that passed on May 30, 2023, which authorized the retail registration and sale of cannabis and hemp products. The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the public health, safety and welfare of Dakota County residents by regulating retail cannabis and hemp businesses within the legal boundaries of Dakota County where the city or township consents to Dakota County administering registration of retail cannabis businesses and lower-potency hemp businesses. Highlighted below are a few section summaries of the ordinance.
- Section 6. Registration of Cannabis or Hemp Business for Consenting Cities or Townships states that all individuals or entities operating a state-licensed cannabis or hemp retail business must obtain a retail registration from their local jurisdiction. If the retail business is located within a city or township that has consented to Dakota County to issue retail registrations, then that business must obtain a retail registration from Dakota County.
- Section 7. Lower-Potency Hemp Edible Retailers states that all individuals or entities selling lower-potency hemp edibles within a city or township that has consented to Dakota County to issue retail registrations must obtain a retail registration from Dakota County.
- Section 8: Limiting of Cannabis Retail Registrations states that within the jurisdictions consenting to Dakota County to issue retail registrations, the number of cannabis retail businesses is limited to no more than one registration for every 12,500 residents.
- Section 10. Hours and Days of Sale states that retail sale of cannabis, cannabis flower, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp edibles or hemp-derived consumer products – with the exception of lower-potency hemp edibles that are beverages – is limited to between the hours of 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday.
- Section 18. Temporary Cannabis Events states that a license that is issued and approved by the Dakota County Board is required prior to holding a temporary cannabis event in the unincorporated areas within Dakota County. No on-site consumption of cannabis products or lower-potency hemp edibles is allowed during temporary cannabis events.
- Section 19. Compliance Checks and Inspections states that compliance checks shall be completed for every cannabis and hemp business with a retail registration issued under this ordinance. Any compliance check failures will be reported to the Office of Cannabis Management.
- Section 20. Operation Without a Registration states that any state-licensed cannabis retail business that sells to a customer without a valid retail registration shall incur a civil penalty of up to $2,000 for each violation.
The full text of the updated ordinance can be reviewed online. A printed copy of the ordinance is available for inspection in the Property Taxation and Records Department.