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Arizona criminal charge

Violations in Arizona

Current through 2026 Arizona legislative session

Violations is a criminal offense under Arizona law, defined by A.R.S. § 36-2816. Its classification is not fixed: Arizona assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by A.R.S. § 36-2816.

What is the penalty for violations in Arizona?

Penalties for Violations
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison4 years to 10 years (Unlawful acquisition of marijuana by dispensary — A registered nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary knowingly acquires usable marijuana or mature marijuana plants from a person other than another registered dispensary, a registered qualifying patient, or a registered designated caregiver.; presumptive 5 years; mitigated 3 / aggravated 12.5 years available only on at least two mitigating/aggravating circumstances (13-701, 13-702(B)-(D)); repetitive (13-703) or dangerous (13-704) offenses use different ranges)presumptiveA.R.S. § 13-702
Fineup to $150,000 (Unlawful acquisition of marijuana by dispensary — A registered nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary knowingly acquires usable marijuana or mature marijuana plants from a person other than another registered dispensary, a registered qualifying patient, or a registered designated caregiver.; fine cap for an individual (13-801); drug and other offenses may set higher statute-specific amounts)discretionaryA.R.S. § 13-702
Jail / prisonup to 6 months (Breach of confidentiality — Any person, including an employee or official of the department, another state agency, or local government, breaches the confidentiality of information obtained pursuant to this chapter.; definite term served outside state prison (13-707(A)(1)); prior same offense within 2 years elevates to the next higher class (13-707(B)))discretionaryA.R.S. § 13-707
Fineup to $2,500 (Breach of confidentiality — Any person, including an employee or official of the department, another state agency, or local government, breaches the confidentiality of information obtained pursuant to this chapter.; 13-802(A))discretionaryA.R.S. § 13-707

Applies to first felony offense, non-dangerous; presumptive term 5 years.

How is violations classified in Arizona?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Violations
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Unlawful acquisition of marijuana by dispensaryClass 2 FelonyA registered nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary knowingly acquires usable marijuana or mature marijuana plants from a person other than another registered dispensary, a registered qualifying patient, or a registered designated caregiver.A.R.S. § 36-2816C
Breach of confidentialityClass 1 MisdemeanorAny person, including an employee or official of the department, another state agency, or local government, breaches the confidentiality of information obtained pursuant to this chapter.A.R.S. § 36-2816D

Common questions about violations in Arizona

Is violations a felony or a misdemeanor in Arizona?

It depends on the circumstances: violations ranges from a Class 1 Misdemeanor to a Class 2 Felony in Arizona under A.R.S. § 36-2816.

Unlawful acquisition of marijuana by dispensary: Class 2 Felony (A.R.S. § 36-2816C) · Breach of confidentiality: Class 1 Misdemeanor (A.R.S. § 36-2816D)

What are the penalties for violations in Arizona?

Penalties for violations in Arizona depend on how it is classified — from a Class 1 Misdemeanor up to a Class 2 Felony — with the ranges set by A.R.S. § 13-702 and A.R.S. § 13-707; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Arizona statute covers violations?

Violations is governed by A.R.S. § 36-2816 (Violations; classification; civil penalties).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.