A dispensary checks your age online in two steps. The ordering platform confirms your date of birth during signup or checkout. A staff member checks your physical ID at pickup or delivery. Most states require the second check even when the first one passes.
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Step 1: Account signup and checkout
You enter a date of birth. The platform compares it to the state minimum, which is 21 for adult-use sales and 18 for medical patients in many states.
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You upload a photo of your driver license, state ID, or passport. Some platforms scan the barcode on the back of the card. Others read the front with optical character recognition.
A third-party identity service checks the document. These services look at document format, expiry date, and data fields. Some add a selfie with a liveness test to match the face to the ID photo.
Some platforms use knowledge-based questions from public records. This method is weaker. The FTC has noted limits in knowledge-based questions as an age gate.
Step 2: Barcode data
US driver licenses and state ID cards carry a PDF417 barcode on the back. The AAMVA standard defines the fields. The barcode holds name, date of birth, expiration date, ID number, and address. A scanner decodes the string and compares the date of birth to the state minimum.
Step 3: The check at handoff
For delivery, the driver scans your ID at the door. Most states do not allow unattended drop-off for cannabis orders. Your signature may be required, and some states require a signature match against the ID. Expired IDs fail. Vertical IDs, issued to people under 21, get extra review.
For pickup, you show the same ID used online. A mismatch between the account name and the ID can stop the sale.
Data the platform keeps
Common stored fields: name, date of birth, ID number, scan timestamp, and order number. Retention rules differ by state. Some states require logs for audits. Others limit how long a shop can keep ID data. Ask the dispensary what it stores and when it deletes.
Rules that shape the check
Recreational cannabis sales require buyers to be 21 or older in states with legal adult-use markets. Medical programs in many states allow patients 18 and older with a valid state card. State agencies publish rules for delivery, ID scanning, and records. NCSL tracks these laws by state.
What makes a check fail
- Blurred or cropped ID photo
- Expired ID
- Name on the account does not match the ID
- Delivery address outside the shop's zone
- Out-of-state ID, which some states reject for cannabis sales
If the online check fails, in-store purchase with a valid ID remains an option at most shops.