Columbia Penalty ordinance (§ 13-452)
Chapter 13: Licenses, Permits and Miscellaneous Business Regulations · Article XIII. Marijuana Business Licensing
In short: Violating this article is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine of $500 to $1,000 for individuals or $5,000 to $10,000 for corporations and partnerships, or both. The city may also seek civil penalties up to $50,000, and each day counts as a separate violation.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) In addition to the powers granted to the business services administrator, any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of this article shall be deemed guilty of a Class B misdemeanor unless otherwise provided herein. Each offense is punishable by confinement not to exceed thirty (30) days, or payment of the following fines, or by both such fines and confinement:
(1) An individual violating the provisions of this article shall pay a fine not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
(2) Any corporation or partnership violating the provisions of this article shall pay a fine not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00).
(b) The city is authorized to seek civil penalties in a court of competent jurisdiction up to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.000) against any person that violates the provisions of this article.
(c) Each day that a violation of this article continues shall be deemed a separate violation.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 13-452
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.