Average Market Rate for Unprocessed Retail Marijuana
Period: January 1 through March 31, 2026
Average Market Rate (Median Market Prices) - Current & Prior Rates
The Average Market Rates (AMRs) are the median market prices per pound or count of each category of unprocessed retail marijuana that is sold or transferred from retail marijuana cultivation facilities to retail marijuana product manufacturing facilities or retail marijuana stores. The median is the middle value when the values are ordered from least to greatest. The Colorado Department of Revenue (Department) calculates AMRs quarterly for use in levying the excise tax as required by section 39-28.8-101(1.5), C.R.S. Retail marijuana is subject to a 15% excise tax on either the AMR or the contract price. The AMR is generally used if the sale or transfer of marijuana is between a cultivation facility and an affiliated retail marijuana store or manufacturing facility.
The Department calculates the AMR for each category (see Rules 1 CCR 201-18 and 1 CCR 212-3 for definitions) using data from the Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance system (METRC). The AMRs are calculated the month before they are in effect using data from the prior three months. For example, the AMRs for the first quarter of the year (January through March) are calculated in December using data from September through November.
The AMR dataset includes transfers that meet the following criteria:
1) transfers that originated at a retail cultivator
2) transfers to retail stores or retail infused product manufacturers (retail MIPs)
3) transfers of unprocessed marijuana
4) transfers between unaffiliated businesses
5) transfers with a receiver price greater than a penny
For each item transferred, prices per pound (for bud, trim, bud allocated for extraction, trim allocated for extraction, and wet whole plant) and prices each (for immature plants and seeds) were calculated using the price and weight or count data recorded in METRC. If you have questions about the AMR calculations, please contact the Office of Research and Analysis at dor_ora@state.co.us.