Yes, you can sell CBD on Shopify in 2025, but it’s not as simple as listing products and hitting publish. Because CBD is considered a high-risk product due to regulatory complexity, Shopify requires merchants to meet specific compliance and operational guidelines. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to sell CBD legally and successfully on Shopify — from laws and policies to store setup, payments, and shipping strategies.
Understanding Shopify’s CBD Policy
Compliance with State and Federal Laws
While the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill federally legalized hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC, it left enforcement and interpretation to individual states. This means that even if federal law says CBD is allowed, your ability to sell it (especially online) depends heavily on your state’s laws and your customers’ locations.
For example, some states only allow topical CBD products, while others may require additional licensing or prohibit CBD edibles. It’s also common to find restrictions around marketing, labeling, and third-party testing. Merchants need to keep track of any state-level rule changes to avoid penalties or account shutdowns. To learn more, reach out to your state’s regulatory agency for information.
Eligibility and Restrictions for Selling CBD on Shopify
While you may be able to sell CBD on Shopify, there are applicable laws that your products must be compliant with for eligibility. Shopify restricts CBD sales to U.S.-based merchants selling hemp-derived products with ≤ 0.3% THC. Shopify Payments cannot be used to process these transactions, so merchants must work with third-party payment providers who support CBD sales.
In Canada, only merchants authorized by Health Canada can sell CBD on Shopify, and those sales must be conducted through Shopify’s approved gateway infrastructure. International sales are even more complex, requiring local legal review in each country or region.
Your products also must not make unverified health claims, such as curing anxiety or treating chronic pain. These types of statements can trigger enforcement from the FDA or FTC, putting your business at legal risk. To remain compliant, you should only market your products using legally approved language and always have third-party lab testing available.
Setting Up Your Shopify Store for CBD Sales
Attestation for the Sale of Hemp and Hemp-Derived Products
Before your Shopify CBD store can go live, you must complete Shopify’s CBD attestation form. This confirms that your products meet legal requirements and that you understand the limitations involved in selling CBD via the platform.
Shopify may also request documentation to support your claims, including Certificates of Analysis (COAs), supplier agreements, and licensing details. Keeping this documentation updated ensures your store avoids future account holds or removals.
Customizing Shipping Zones for CBD Sales
Since CBD is not legal everywhere, one of the most critical setup steps is restricting where you ship. You’ll need to configure Shopify’s shipping zones to exclude states or countries that prohibit CBD product delivery.
Failure to set appropriate shipping zones could result in chargebacks, legal violations, or merchant account suspensions. It’s best to work with a legal advisor or fulfillment partner familiar with CBD shipping regulations. In some cases, offering local pickup or delivery-only options for sensitive products can help mitigate compliance risks.
Payment Processing Solutions for CBD on Shopify
Selecting CBD-Friendly Payment Processors
Because Shopify Payments prohibits CBD transactions, having a third-party merchant account provider is essential. High Risk Pay is a proven solution that specializes in CBD merchant accounts and high-risk payment processing. Our approval rate is among the highest in the industry, and we help merchants minimize chargeback risk while maintaining compliance.
CBD-friendly processors often look at several factors during underwriting: product type, business history, sales projections, and whether your business has had chargebacks or disputes in the past. Merchants must also supply detailed product descriptions, lab testing results, and potentially even personal credit history.
One of the advantages of working with High Risk Pay is our deep experience with high-risk industries like CBD. We offer tailored solutions with transparent pricing, dedicated support, and tools like fraud monitoring, which help protect your business long term.
It’s important to choose a payment processor that not only accepts CBD, but also understands the regulatory landscape. That way, if regulations shift or if you expand into new states or countries, your processor can adapt with you rather than shutting you down.
Understanding Visa VAMP and High-Risk Merchant Accounts
Selling CBD flags your business as high-risk, which triggers increased scrutiny from payment networks like Visa. High Risk Pay helps you navigate the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP), which monitors chargebacks, refund rates, and risk levels — all critical factors for sustaining CBD eCommerce success.
Being on Visa’s VAMP list doesn’t mean your store is at risk of closure, but it does mean your business activity will be more closely reviewed. High-risk processors like High Risk Pay help mitigate risks by providing fraud protection, PCI compliance, and advanced reporting so you stay within allowable thresholds.
Shipping and Delivery Considerations for CBD
Ensuring Compliance with Legal Counsel
When thinking about whether you can sell CBD on Shopify, many overlook legal counsel. But working with a qualified attorney is one of the smartest things you can do to ensure your labels, claims, and shipping practices meet federal, state, and local laws.
This includes verifying the legality of marketing phrases, ensuring your product packaging doesn’t violate FDA labeling laws, and confirming your suppliers are licensed and compliant. An experienced CBD attorney can also help you respond if you ever receive cease and desist letters or merchant account warnings.
Understanding Carrier Policies
Shipping carriers like UPS, FedEx, and USPS all have policies regarding hemp-derived products. Some may require lab documentation; others may restrict product types like CBD vapes. Knowing these nuances protects your business from costly mistakes.
For example, USPS allows shipping of hemp-derived CBD under specific conditions, including THC content certification and proper licensing. FedEx, on the other hand, prohibits CBD products in food or beverage form. DHL allows hemp-derived CBD shipments in the U.S., but not all international routes. Understanding these details ensures your shipments aren’t delayed or confiscated.
Exploring CBD Product Types Permissible on Shopify
Allowed CBD Products and Their Variants
Shopify permits a wide range of CBD products — tinctures, gummies, pet products, lotions, and balms — as long as they meet THC limits and local laws. However, you must avoid unsubstantiated medical claims or untested formulations.
Gummies and edibles are often the most closely watched due to FDA rules around ingestibles. If you sell these, you’ll need accurate dosage labeling and third-party lab tests on each batch. Topicals are generally less regulated but still require clear labeling and should avoid language like “pain relief” unless supported by legal standards.
Special Category Considerations
Products like CBD for pets or CBD vape pens come with unique challenges. Pet-related products may need additional disclosures, and vaping items are banned in some states entirely. Review Shopify’s guidelines and your payment provider’s risk appetite before adding these to your catalog.
Keep in mind that pet CBD products cannot be marketed as veterinary treatments unless approved by the FDA, which most are not. This means your marketing must be extra cautious to avoid enforcement.
Conclusion
So, can you sell CBD on Shopify? The answer is a qualified yes. But success hinges on how well you navigate legal regulations, payment restrictions, and shipping rules.
To recap:
- Your CBD products must be hemp-derived and contain ≤ 0.3% THC.
- You’ll need a CBD-friendly payment processor like High Risk Pay.
- You must set shipping zones and comply with state laws.
- Legal counsel is highly recommended for product labeling and store policy development.
By taking the right steps — including using High Risk Pay for your payment processing needs — you can build a compliant, scalable, and successful CBD Shopify store. From rapid approvals to chargeback protection and expert support, High Risk Pay offers everything you need to operate with confidence.
