Retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licenses.
Denver Revised Municipal Code § 6-218
in effectSec. 6-218. - Retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licenses.
(a) Licensing requirements. Beginning July 1, 2021, a local retail marijuana hospitality and sales business license may be issued to allow for the sale and on-premises consumption of regulated marijuana at a fixed location, subject to the provisions of this article V and the Colorado Marijuana Code. In addition to the provisions applicable to all licenses, all retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensees shall comply with the following provisions:
(1) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall not permit the sale, transfer, distribution, use, or consumption of regulated marijuana between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily.
(2) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall not engage in or allow any activity that would require an additional license under this article, including, but not limited to, planting, growing, harvesting, drying, trimming, processing or manufacturing marijuana, marijuana concentrate, or marijuana product on the licensed premises.
(3) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall not allow any person to consume or display marijuana, marijuana concentrate, or marijuana product outside of a consumption area or any place that is visible from outside of the consumption area.
(4) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee may allow smoking of regulated marijuana in indoor and outdoor portions of the licensed premises. Marijuana smoking indoors and outdoors must occur in compliance with an odor control plan filed pursuant to section 4-10 of this Code and approved by the department of public health and environment.
(5) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall ensure that all areas of ingress and egress to the consumption areas are clearly identified and posted with signs and warnings required by state law.
(6) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall not allow on-duty employees of the business to consume any marijuana, marijuana concentrate, or marijuana product within the licensed premises of the business.
(7) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall not allow the consumption of alcohol or smoking of tobacco or tobacco products on the licensed premises.
(8) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall not allow any person under the age of twenty-one (21) into the licensed premises. Government-issued identification must be required from all patrons before the patron is allowed access into the licensed premises.
(9) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall not permit the use or consumption of marijuana, marijuana product, or marijuana concentrate by a patron who displays any visible signs of intoxication.
(10) A retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall not transfer, sell, or otherwise distribute more regulated marijuana in a single transaction to a consumer than the lawful amounts related to possession and sale set forth in state law. A single transaction includes multiple transfers, sales, or distributions to the same consumer during the same business day where the medical or retail marijuana store employee knows or reasonably should know that such transfer, sale, or distribution would result in that consumer possessing or being sold more than the amounts set forth in state law.
(11) If an emergency requires law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical service providers, or other public safety personnel to enter a retail marijuana hospitality and sales business, a retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensee shall ensure that all employees and patrons of the business cease all consumption and other activities until such personnel have completed their investigation or services and have left the licensed premises.
(12) Beginning January 1, 2022, retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensees shall install and use a safe in a limited access area, which shall be incorporated into the building structure or securely attached thereto, for overnight storage of all processed cannabis and cash. For marijuana-infused products that must be kept refrigerated or frozen, the establishment may lock the refrigerated container or freezer, so long as the appliance is affixed to the building structure. Alternatively, a business may utilize security devices such as vaults, strong rooms or other security features that are functionally equivalent to a safe as determined by department rule.
(b) Proximity restrictions. No retail marijuana hospitality and sales business license shall be issued if the proposed location is within one thousand (1,000) feet of one (1) of more of the following locations:
(1) Any school, with the distance computed by direct measurement in a straight line from the nearest legal parcel line of the land used for the school to the nearest external portion of the building in which the retail marijuana hospitality and sales business is proposed to be located.
(2) Any child care establishment, with the distance computed by direct measurement in a straight line from the nearest legal parcel line of the land used for the child care establishment to the nearest external portion of the building in which the retail marijuana hospitality and sales business is proposed to be located.
(3) Any other retail marijuana hospitality and sales business licensed pursuant to this article V, with the distance computed by direct measurement in a straight line from the nearest external portion of the building within which one (1) retail marijuana hospitality and sales business is located to the nearest external portion of the building in which the other retail marijuana hospitality and sales business is proposed to be located. In the event that the department receives two (2) or more applications for a retail marijuana hospitality and sales business with proposed locations within one thousand (1,000) feet of each other, the manager shall act upon only the first complete application received and shall not issue a license to all subsequent applications.
(4) Any alcohol or drug treatment facility, with the distance computed by direct measurement in a straight line from the nearest external portion of the building in which the alcohol or drug treatment facility is located to the nearest external portion of the building in which the retail marijuana hospitality and sales business is proposed to be located.
(5) Any city-owned recreation center, with the distance computed by direct measurement in a straight line from the nearest external portion of the building in which the recreation center is located to the nearest external potion of the building in which the retail marijuana hospitality and sales business is proposed to be located.
(6) Any city-owned outdoor pool, with the distance computed by direct measurement in a straight line from the fence or barrier of the outdoor pool to the nearest external potion of the building in which the retail marijuana hospitality and sales business is located.
(c) Location restrictions. No retail marijuana hospitality and sales business license shall be issued at one (1) or more of the following locations:
(1) Any location containing a medical or retail marijuana store license.
(2) The licensed premises of another medical or retail marijuana business license. The marijuana hospitality business and other marijuana business shall provide separate ingress and egress to each licensed premises.
(3) The licensed premises of any business containing a business licensed pursuant to Articles 3, 4, or 5 of Title 44 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. The marijuana hospitality business and other marijuana business shall provide a separate ingress and egress to each licensed premises and shall comply with all state laws.
(4) Any location deemed public property and owned by the city.
(5) Any location that is situated in a residential zone district as defined by the Denver Zoning Code or former chapter 59.
(d) Public hearing—Required. A public hearing in compliance with section 6-209 may be required prior to the issuance of a retail marijuana hospitality and sales business license. A public hearing shall be required upon the receipt of relevant substantial requests from parties in interest in the neighborhood under consideration. The requirements for public notice, posting, publication, conduct, results of investigation, and decision of the manager shall be the same as those for medical and retail marijuana stores.
(Ord. No. 217-21, § 1, 4-19-21; Ord. No. 500-25, § 1, 5-5-25; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 3, 7-28-25)
Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH6ALCANAME_ARTVDEMACO_S6-218REMAHOSABULIFetched: 10/27/2026