Iowa has 5 licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in 5 cities, all licensed by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Iowa is a medical-only state, and there are no adult-use stores. To buy, you need an Iowa medical cannabidiol registration card, as a patient or as a patient's primary caregiver. A dispensary may sell a patient and caregiver no more than 4.5 grams of total THC combined in any 90-day period, unless a practitioner certifies a higher cap. Iowa stores do not sell flower, and smoking medical cannabis is against the law.
Below is every dispensary on the state's list, the two companies that run them, where they are and what to expect at the counter. For possession penalties and the rest of the law, read our guide to Iowa marijuana laws. To compare other states, start at the national dispensary directory.
Every Medical Cannabis Dispensary in Iowa
The whole market is 5 storefronts, so it fits in one short table. Each city on the list has one store, and the stores sit in 5 of Iowa's 99 counties. The table runs from west to east.
| Store | Address | City | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud & Mary's Sioux City | 5700 Sunnybrook Drive | Sioux City | Woodbury |
| Iowa Cannabis Company Council Bluffs | 3615 9th Ave | Council Bluffs | Pottawattamie |
| Bud & Mary's Windsor Heights | 7239 Apple Valley Drive | Windsor Heights | Polk |
| Iowa Cannabis Company Waterloo | 1955 La Porte Road | Waterloo | Black Hawk |
| Iowa Cannabis Company Iowa City | 322 Highway 1 W | Iowa City | Johnson |
Iowa does not have separate city pages in our directory. Open any listing for its map, and check the store's own site for current hours and stock.
Why Iowa Has So Few Stores
Iowa's program runs under the Medical Cannabidiol Act of 2017, Iowa Code chapter 124E. For years, section 124E.8 let the state license no more than five dispensaries. House File 990, signed on June 2, 2026, and in effect since July 1, 2026, lets HHS license up to ten. When we last checked, the state's list still showed five.
The law also shapes where stores can go. Under section 124E.9, dispensaries are placed based on geographical need to improve patient access. A store may not open within 1,000 feet of a public or private school that was there before it was licensed, and it may not share a site with a manufacturer.
Who Runs Iowa's Dispensaries
The 5 stores belong to just two companies.
- Iowa Cannabis Company (three stores): locations in Council Bluffs, Waterloo and Iowa City. The state list calls the Iowa City store Iowa Cannabis Company East and the Council Bluffs store Iowa Cannabis Company West. We list each one by its city.
- Bud & Mary's (two stores): locations in Sioux City and Windsor Heights. HHS also names Bud & Mary's as one of the state's two medical cannabis manufacturers.
The 4.5-gram limit follows the patient, not the store. Buying from a second company does not reset it.
Iowa Dispensaries by Region
Western Iowa: Sioux City and Council Bluffs
Bud & Mary's Sioux City is on Sunnybrook Drive in Sioux City, in Woodbury County, where Iowa meets Nebraska and South Dakota. Iowa Cannabis Company Council Bluffs is on 9th Avenue in Council Bluffs, in Pottawattamie County, across the Missouri River from Omaha. These are the only two stores on the western side of the state.
Central Iowa: Windsor Heights
Bud & Mary's Windsor Heights is on Apple Valley Drive in Windsor Heights, a suburb on the west side of Des Moines in Polk County. It is the only store in the Des Moines area.
Eastern Iowa: Waterloo and Iowa City
Iowa Cannabis Company Waterloo is on La Porte Road in Waterloo, in Black Hawk County. Iowa Cannabis Company Iowa City is on Highway 1 West in Iowa City, in Johnson County. Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Dubuque and Ames have no store of their own, so patients there drive to one of these two or to Windsor Heights.
With no store in 94 counties, many patients face a long drive. A caregiver can make the trip for a patient, and Iowa lets caregivers live in a bordering state.
Store Hours
The HHS dispensary pages list hours for each store, all in Central Time. When we last checked, all three Iowa Cannabis Company stores were open seven days a week, and both Bud & Mary's stores were closed on Sunday. Hours change, so call or check the store's site before a long drive.
Who Can Buy at an Iowa Dispensary
- Registered patients: adults 18 or older whose health care practitioner certifies a qualifying condition, with a card from HHS.
- Primary caregivers: adults 18 or older with their own card, buying for a patient. Patients under 18 need a caregiver. Under section 124E.2, a caregiver may live in Iowa or a bordering state. HHS accepts a caregiver's driver's license from Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota or South Dakota.
Visiting patients cannot buy here. A medical card from another state has the same force as an Iowa card for possession, but section 124E.18 bars out-of-state patients from buying at an Iowa dispensary. Adults without a card cannot buy anywhere in Iowa.
How to Get an Iowa Medical Cannabis Card
- See your practitioner. An MD or DO, an ARNP, a PA or a podiatrist must sign the HHS certification form for your qualifying condition. The full list of conditions is in our Iowa marijuana law guide.
- Apply to HHS. Apply through the HHS Medical Cannabis Program with the signed form and a valid Iowa driver's license or non-operator ID card.
- Pay the fee. The card costs $100, or $25 with proof of Social Security disability, SSI, Medicaid or Hawk-I. A caregiver card costs $25.
- Renew every year. A card expires one year after it is issued. HHS sends a notice about 60 days before it runs out, and you need a new certification to renew.
What Iowa Dispensaries Sell
Iowa sells only the forms HHS allows. Under section 124E.9, a dispensary may not sell any other form or quantity. HHS lists these allowable forms:
- Oral: tablets, capsules, liquids, tinctures and sublingual forms.
- Topical: gels, ointments, creams, lotions and transdermal patches.
- Inhaled: nebulizable forms and vaporization.
- Suppositories.
Flower is not on the list. Smoking medical cannabis is banned under section 124E.17, and Iowa manufacturers may not make edible products.
At the Counter
- Card check: Before any sale, staff must verify a valid registration card, assign a tracking number and use child-resistant packaging labeled with every active ingredient.
- A pharmacist on staff: Each store must employ a licensed pharmacist or pharmacy technician to make dosing recommendations.
- The 90-day cap: 4.5 grams of total THC for a patient and caregiver combined. Iowa counts THCA toward total THC. A higher cap must come from the practitioner who first certified you, for a terminal illness or after you have been in the program for a while.
- No use on site: Nobody may consume medical cannabis on a dispensary's property.
Crossing the State Line
Minnesota, Illinois and Missouri all border Iowa, and all three have licensed stores that sell to adults 21 and older. Buying there is legal under those states' laws. Bringing it home is not. Possession in Iowa is charged under Iowa Code 124.401(5) no matter where you bought it, and a first offense carries up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Carrying cannabis across a state line also breaks federal law. Our federal marijuana law guide explains that side.
To compare stores next door, see our Minnesota dispensaries, Illinois dispensaries and Missouri dispensaries. For the other neighbors, read our guides to Wisconsin, Nebraska and South Dakota marijuana laws. This page is general information, not medical or legal advice.
Before You Visit an Iowa Dispensary
- Bring your card and ID: Staff check your registration card before every sale.
- Track your 90 days: Keep a note of how much THC you have bought and when, so a sale is not declined at the counter.
- Check the day: The Bud & Mary's stores close on Sunday.
- Use it at home: Employers and landlords may still ban use on their property, and you may not use it at the store.
Iowa Dispensary FAQ
How many dispensaries are in Iowa?
Our directory lists 5 licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in 5 Iowa cities, run by two companies. Each city on the list has one store.
Can you buy recreational weed in Iowa?
No. Iowa has no adult-use stores. Only registered patients and their primary caregivers may buy, and only at a licensed dispensary.
Can you buy flower at an Iowa dispensary?
No. Iowa allows oral, topical, inhaled and suppository forms only, and smoking medical cannabis is banned.
How much can a patient buy in Iowa?
No more than 4.5 grams of total THC in any 90-day period, for a patient and caregiver combined, unless the certifying practitioner approves a higher cap.
Can out-of-state patients buy in Iowa?
No. A card from another state protects possession in Iowa, but visiting patients may not buy from an Iowa dispensary.
Will Iowa get more dispensaries?
It can. Since July 1, 2026, state law lets HHS license up to ten dispensaries. We add new stores when they appear on the state's list.
Do Iowa listings show license numbers?
No. The state's dispensary list does not include license numbers, so we list each store by name and address only.
Does your dispensary need more visibility? Iowa patients use The Weed Street Journal to compare stores, read strain guides and check the law before they buy. Advertise with us · Spotted a wrong address, phone number or hours? Tell us and we will fix it free.
How we build this directory: Store names and addresses come from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services list of medical cannabis dispensary locations, which we last pulled in October 2026. That list does not include license numbers or store phone numbers, so our Iowa listings do not show license numbers, and any phone number on a listing comes from map data. We assign each store to a county by its city, check it against map data and refresh the list as stores open and close. For the rules in every state, see our state-by-state cannabis law guides.