To find a legal dispensary in Denver, use the state and city license lists first. Commercial maps are faster to read, but they can list stores that closed and miss stores that opened last month.
Quick answer
The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) publishes a licensee lookup that covers every licensed retail store in the state, with a license number, address, and status. Denver's Department of Excise and Licenses publishes its own list of local cannabis licenses. Check both. Then use a commercial map for directions. A store on a commercial map with no matching state license is not a legal seller.
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What the license data shows
- License number, business name, and street address.
- License type: retail store, medical center, or both.
- Effective date and expiration date.
- Status changes such as expired, suspended, or revoked.
Where Denver rules shape the map
State law requires retail stores to sit at least 1,000 feet from K-12 schools. Denver adds local limits. A store must be in a zone that allows retail sales. The city issues a limited number of licenses each year, so the map moves less than a directory page suggests. State law allows retail sales from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Local rules can shorten that window.
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Why two maps show two different stores
- Update cycles. Directories refresh on their own schedule. State and city records change first.
- Delivery. A licensed delivery service may reach your address with no storefront near you.
- Medical and retail differ. Medical centers serve patients with a registry card. Retail stores serve anyone 21 and older with valid ID.
- Closed stores. A location that loses its license can stay on a map for months.
Convenience factors that decide the trip
Distance is the first filter. Then hours, parking, wait time, and product stock. Delivery removes the trip for addresses inside a licensed service area. Menus differ from store to store, and an online menu can sit a day behind the shelf. A store 1 mile away with a 30-minute line is slower than a store 3 miles away with no line.
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Checks before you drive
- Note the license number on the store's own listing.
- Search that number in the state licensee lookup.
- Confirm the address matches the listing.
- Call to confirm hours and stock.
- Bring a government ID. Bring a medical card if you use a medical center.
Cash is common at dispensaries. Some stores accept debit cards. Denver does not allow cannabis use at a dispensary or in public places.