Public consumption in Amsterdam — what are the rules?

Restricted. Smoking cannabis on the street is banned in Amsterdam's old city centre (including the Red Light District) and fines apply; outside designated ban zones, general public-nuisance rules still apply.

🇳🇱 Netherlands

Coffeeshops in Amsterdam

140 venues · City

Coffeeshops in Amsterdam: 140 listed on 420.camp, 136 with opening hours and 66 with a phone number. Who may buy, how much and where you may smoke is below.

Coffeeshops (tolerated)Tourist access: Allowed with conditions · Medical access: Medical use only

Before visiting a club

Find a club nearby and open its listing for the address and contact.
Ask the club whether you can join, what its minimum age is, and whether an introduction or appointment is needed.
Confirm the ID to bring, membership fee and opening hours before setting off.
Ask what is available to members and whether on-site use is permitted. The club decides whether to admit you.

Find clubs on the map

The Netherlands uses a coffeeshop model: selling cannabis remains formally illegal but is officially tolerated when the rules are followed, and ten municipalities run a controlled-supply experiment. You must be 18+ with ID, and can buy up to 5 g per purchase/day. Tourist access depends on the municipality — Breda, Heerlen and Maastricht apply a residence criterion.

This overview describes Netherlands; it does not confirm access at every location. Read the guidance for Netherlands

Source: government.nl

Last reviewed2026-08-30

Full law guide for Amsterdam

Is cannabis legal in Amsterdam?

Buying cannabisToleratedGuidance from Netherlands

Buying cannabis from a licensed coffeeshop is formally still an offense, but under the Dutch 'gedoogbeleid' toleration policy it is not prosecuted when the rules are met (18+, valid ID, maximum 5g per purchase/day). Ten municipalities run a controlled-supply experiment.

Minimum age 18+

Tolerated is not the same as legal: the sale remains a formal offense that is simply not enforced when conditions are met.

There is no national THC cap; coffeeshops are not a fully legalized retail market.

Netherlands legal reference

Verified 2026-08-30 · Sources and references

Tourist accessAllowed with conditionsGuidance from Amsterdam

Amsterdam coffeeshop operators report admitting visitors aged 18 or over with original valid identification. Check the venue’s entry rules; coffeeshop sales operate under a toleration policy, not unrestricted retail legality.

Minimum age 18+

Verified 2026-09-17 · Sources and references

Medical accessMedical use onlyGuidance from Netherlands

Medicinal cannabis is supplied by pharmacies on prescription. Coffeeshop purchases are a separate system and do not replace prescribed, pharmaceutical-quality cannabis.

Prescription or medical card required

Check the product-specific medical conditions and dispensing requirements. Travel and import permissions must be checked separately.

Netherlands — medical access — official guidance

Verified 2026-09-17 · Sources and references

Can tourists buy cannabis in Amsterdam?

Minimum age: 18+ with photo ID.
Possession: Tolerated
Consuming in public: Restricted.

Answer verified on 2026-08-30.

Cannabis venues in Amsterdam at a glance

How many cannabis venues are listed in Amsterdam?

420.camp lists 140 cannabis venues in Amsterdam: 119 coffeeshops, 11 private clubs, 10 medical dispensaries.

What do the listings in Amsterdam include?

Opening hours: 136. Phone number: 66. Photos: 122. Confirmed by the owner or a licence check: 0.

Do venues in Amsterdam admit members only?

12 admit members only.

Netherlands overview

Read the guidance for Netherlands ›

Coffeeshops in Amsterdam: choose the right kind of venue

Plan a Amsterdam visit using the correct local retail or medical source, the exact address, current access conditions and opening hours.

Start with the right local source

Amsterdam’s municipal guidance distinguishes coffeeshops with a toleration declaration from souvenir shops selling cannabis. Choose a coffeeshop listing and verify the address and operator rather than treating every cannabis-themed shop as the same service. [1]

Open the Amsterdam catalogue to compare addresses. Use the map or nearest-venues option for the journey, then check the current information for the premises you selected.

Before setting off

Ask about current ID and visitor requirements before your first visit. National residence-criterion enforcement varies by municipality; the national rule alone does not confirm a particular Amsterdam shop’s admission decision. [2]

Match the exact address, not only the business name.
Check the opening hours for the day of the visit.
Contact the venue if an access condition or the listed service is unclear.

Does a souvenir shop count as a coffeeshop?

Use the municipality’s distinction, then check the specific venue. Product-themed signage is not a substitute for a coffeeshop’s actual authorization.

If the information does not match

Save the official source and the venue’s reply. Use the listing’s correction option for an incorrect address or hours. Read the local purchase and consumption dimensions separately; this visit guide helps you choose and verify a next step, while the linked rules explain its conditions.

Updated Oct 7, 2026

Read article · Sources

Sources and references

420.camp editorial review process

Last reviewed: 2026-08-30
Other rules on this page updated: 2026-09-17
Next scheduled review: 2026-10-28

This is a plain-language informational summary, not legal advice. Rules can change and may differ by municipality or venue. Check the linked official sources before acting.

Answer verified on 2026-08-30.

Show 140 venues on map