Last updated on March 19th, 2024 at 02:48 pm

This article was updated on July 11, 2023.

Recreational cannabis has been legal in Nevada since July 2017. Customers waited for hours in long lines circling around dispensaries, eager to purchase legal cannabis at the first opportunity. In Las Vegas, not only were local residents taking advantage of the new cannabis freedoms, but tourists from around the world flocked to the city to enjoy the benefits of recreational sales as well. 

But with so many people from all walks of life patronizing Nevada cannabis dispensaries, the task of validating IDs to comply with age restrictions can be a real challenge. The Nevada cannabis industry is still growing too, reaching more than $1 billion in total sales between 2020 – 2021. The diversity of consumers shopping at Nevada cannabis dispensaries results in a variety of personal IDs and passports, and cannabis establishments must be prepared to verify their authenticity at the point of sale. 

From driver’s licenses, state issued ID cards, U.S. Military IDs, Merchant Marine ID cards, passports, and tribal IDs, Nevada cannabis dispensaries are required by law to have systems in place to verify a large number of identity documents.

Mandatory dispensary ID scanning technology in Nevada

The Cannabis Control Board (formerly the Nevada Department of Taxation) requires that all dispensaries and cannabis consumption lounges utilize ID scanning technology.

ID scanners help eliminate human error, significantly decreasing the risk of employees unknowingly accepting fake identification cards, or inadvertently allowing customers to exceed daily purchase limits. These tools are optimized to validate all acceptable forms of identification, verifying ages, capturing images, and reading ID barcodes. Nevada does not allow for manual/visual ID checking at the door. 

The Cannabis Compliance Board of the State of Nevada has approved the following ID scanner features and functions:

• Capable of reading state-issued identifications
• 400 DPI high resolution imaging
• Scanning window large enough for passports
• Multiple wavelength illumination – visible and IR
• Data and images capture
• Offers a subscription service
• ICAO compliant documents in near infrared
• Reads 1D barcodes
• Reads 2D barcodes from paper documents and most mobile devices
• Reads Magnetic strips
• USB 2.0 high speed compatible
• The ability to verify and authenticate the identification cards of foreign nationals
• Age verification.

Nevada METRC integration

State approved ID scanning technology integrates with approved point-of-sale systems, automatically interacting with METRC software used by Nevada regulators. This helps guarantee adherence with state regulations, giving dispensary owners the power to protect their businesses from costly fines, license revocations, and possible criminal consequences due to non-compliance. Dispensaries that harmonize operations with METRC systems also foster growth in the cannabis industry by demonstrating the sophistication and accuracy of ‘seed to sale’ cannabis tracking processes, ensuring the delivery of safe products (fully taxed) for consumers. 

With the right ID scanning tools incorporated into all customer transactions, Nevada dispensaries can maintain compliance with state regulations, preventing the sale of cannabis products to minors and ensuring the integrity of seed to sale tracking methods.

The right tools

Just like operators in Nevada, dispensary owners across the U.S. have a variety of options for ID scanning resources, making the process of securing the right one to meet the needs of cannabis establishments a little overwhelming. By partnering with experts in ID scanning solutions, cannabis dispensaries everywhere can trust that their systems meet the standard of excellence demonstrated by Nevada while ensuring compliance with their own state specific regulations. 

That’s why companies like IDScan.net work to offer customizable dispensary ID scanning packages that can meet the needs of individual and enterprise dispensaries alike. With the strength of IDScan’s IDWare Age solution, dispensaries can simultaneously protect their investments and enhance customer experiences by reducing in-store wait times, recording customer product preferences, and improving marketing through data-driven brand activations. 

IDScan’s scanner technology and software applications seamlessly merge with POS systems, enhancing the efficiency of transactions while automatically updating vital information into dispensary records, ensuring the accuracy of data required for METRC reporting. In addition to in-store scanning solutions, IDScan provides dispensaries with the ability to conduct curbside and contactless transactions with offline ID scanning options, keeping customers and employees safe without risking regulatory compliance violations. 

By partnering with excellence in dispensary ID verification at IDScan.net, dispensary owners across the U.S. can worry less about checking IDs and focus more on what they do best – growing their business.