DC Weed Delivery - How to Order Weed Online in DC 2023

When it comes to cannabis delivery in the District, you’ve got options.

Washington DC is home to 7 medical marijuana dispensaries and dozens of I71 gifting stores, all of which offer DC weed delivery in 2023. In this article we go over the legal nuances of delivery, how to order online, and who the best vendors are for delivery in DC.

Can I order Weed Online in DC legally?

Yes, as of 2023 you can order weed online in DC by delivery. If you have a DC medical marijuana card, you can order from a medical dispensary. If you do not have a medical card, you can order delivery through any of the I71 stores. The only requirement is you are at least 21 years old.

Ordering delivery through the gifting market is faster and more affordable. The gifting market makes sales through the Initiative 71 loophole, so I recommend you read our article on how to buy weed in DC to learn how to make delivery orders legally.

Initiative 81 also decriminalized entheogenic plants such as shrooms, so not only can you get cannabis delivered, you can also order magic mushrooms in 2023 alongside your cannabis order.

Where to order weed delivery in DC

DC literally has dozens of cannabis delivery options, from recreational vendors to medical marijuana dispensaries. Deciding between recreational (gifting) and medical is important as both have different legal requirements, delivery speeds, procedures, prices, and even quality.

Below, we will look at the differences with ordering delivery with both recreational gifting and medical dispensaries, as both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Ordering recreational cannabis delivery in DC

Initiative 71 legalized small amounts of marijuana consumption, possession, growing, and gifting in 2015. Due to the Harris Rider bill, which blocks DC from creating a legal recreational cannabis market, DC residents began using the “gifting” loophole to create what is now the dominant cannabis retail market in DC (learn what is gifting in DC).

I71 gifting stores offer delivery just like a medical dispensary would, the only difference is you do not need a medical marijuana card, only an ID proving you are at least 21 years of age. There are over 100 gifting stores, and we recommend you only buy from trusted retailers, such as the vendors we tested and reviewed below.

Best recreational cannabis deliveries in DC:

The benefits of ordering delivery through the gifting marketplace are cheaper prices, better bulk savings, and faster delivery times. Gifting delivery services usually take about 1–2 hours, whereas medical deliveries can take up to 2–4 hours.

Gifting delivery also offers tons of cannabis products that are not offered in the medical dispensaries. You can check out some of the hottest gifting products from THC carts, concentrates, and edibles in DC that you can get delivered to your door today.

Ordering medical marijuana delivery in DC

DC is home to 7 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries that also offer delivery services for medical patients. If you are an out-of-state patient, DC reciprocity is offered to over 38 states, so it’s most likely your out-of-state card will be accepted in DC for marijuana delivery.

The Medical Cannabis Amendment Act of 2022, signed by Mayor Muriel Bowser, will offer new retail licenses for online cannabis delivery retailers by early 2024. These medical online dispensaries will not be brick-and-mortar, but instead 100% online delivery services, which will offer much faster delivery times than what is currently offered.

The Amendment Act also allows any applicant in DC or non DC resident to “self-certify” their need for a medical marijuana card, which means you do not need a doctor's recommendations and can qualify yourself simply by filling out a form online.

The benefits of ordering cannabis delivery through a medical dispensary is you get regulated cannabis which is free of pesticides and other contaminants. The downside is the delivery speeds. Medical dispensaries have a 2-4 hour delivery time if you are within a 6-mile radius, which is much slower than the I71 gifting market's 1-hour delivery time.

How to order weed delivery online in DC

The process for ordering weed online for delivery is the same for both medical dispensaries and recreational gifting stores. The only difference is the medical dispensaries allow you to upload your medical card number (located on your self-certify patient card) and recreational dispensaries focus more on verifying your ID by having you take a picture of your ID and also a selfie of you holding your ID.

How to order delivery through a medical dispensary

Visit your medical dispensary website (must be a DC dispensary)
Load your cart with the products you want
Select the delivery option (the delivery fee will be added to the total price)
Select your payment option
Upload your state issue medical card number
Place your order
When the order arrives, your driver will verify your patient card before giving you your order
Don’t forget to tip your driver

How to order delivery through a recreational gifting store

Visit the gifting store’s website (must be located in DC)
Load your cart with the products you want
Check out your cart (payment is usually taken in person, not online)
You will be required to take a photo of your ID, proving you are 21 years or older.
You will be required to take a selfie of you and your ID simultaneously.
When the order arrives, your driver will verify your ID one more time, take payment, and you will receive your order.
Don’t forget to tip your driver

How long does delivery take?

Delivery speeds are a factor when deciding whether to order through a medical dispensary or a recreational I71 vendor in DC.

Medical dispensaries offer a 2-4 hour delivery window for patients within a 6-mile radius, and longer delivery times (sometimes the next day) for patients that live further away.

Gifting discrepancies offer a 1-2 hour delivery window for adults over 21, anywhere within the District of Columbia.

Keep in mind also the times in which you order will ultimately impact the delivery speeds. DC, like any major city, is prone to rush hour traffic, tourist traffic, and even expensive parking which can impede delivery drivers.

DC is the 9th worst city in America to drive in, and you will want to avoid ordering cannabis during morning rush hour (6:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m) and evening rush hour (3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m).

Do DC dispensaries deliver to hotels?

Yes, you can enter a hotel address for both medical and gifting dispensaries to get cannabis delivered in DC. However, many hotels in DC do not allow for the consumption of marijuana, so you want to find a weed friendly hotel in DC that would allow you to smoke.

This is also a case-by case scenario as some dispensaries may not want to deliver to hotels, and this is where the “meet up” option come in handy. Choosing “meet up” is a versatile delivery options offered by I71 recreational dispensaries that would tell your driver to meet you outside the hotel rather than inside the hotel.

Meet up Vs Direct Delivery

For those of you that want to get weed delivered to you but don’t necessarily want it delivered directly to your door, you can opt for the meet up option. This service still requires a delivery driver, the only difference is you are just customizing the location in which you meet your driver.

Most medical dispensaries do not offer meet up options, and it’s more widely accepted within the I71 gifting community.

Meet up delivery: if you select for the meet up option, your delivery driver will meet you up in designated “Safe” locations near you. This form of delivery actually came about during the social distancing years of 2020 and 2021 during the height of the pandemic.

For example, you live in Georgetown, the driver may want to meet you at the water front of the Georgetown shopping district. The goal here is to meet in a safe public space, so neighborhoods and alleys will not be viable options.

Final Thoughts

Shopping for medical or recreational marijuana can be an amazing experience, but it’s always nice to skip the traffic, gas fill up, and the noisy lines. DC weed delivery is an option that almost all dispensaries offer in the District, which can save you a ton of time and headache. In this article, we focus on the two different delivery models available in DC from the medical dispensaries and the I71 gifting. Medical dispensaries require a medical card, while gifting stores do not, and medical delivery usually takes longer than gifting delivery.