CBD and hemp shops: card processors in 2026.
The mainstream payment apps are closing their doors to CBD and hemp. Here is what changed this year, who still underwrites these products, and how to connect them to WooCommerce.
The short answer
- Stripe, WooPayments and now Square are not options for most CBD and hemp sellers. WooPayments bans them outright. Stripe restricts low-THC CBD and prohibits the rest. Square told merchants to remove CBD and hemp items by October 15, 2026.
- High-risk processors still take these products, usually through an Authorize.Net or NMI gateway that has a WooCommerce plugin.
- The federal hemp definition changes on November 12, 2026 for synthetic cannabinoids and December 11, 2026 for the rest. Check which of your products still qualify before you apply.
- If your only merchant account is a card terminal, you can take card orders online and charge them there with MMJ eCommerce Card Payments.
What changed in 2026
Square is leaving CBD and hemp
Square told merchants that selling CBD and hemp-derived products, online or in person, will no longer be permitted, with items to be removed by October 15, 2026. This was reported by Marijuana Moment from Square's notice to merchants; we did not find it on a Square page. Accounts that also sell other products reportedly stay open for those products. If you take CBD payments on Square, line up a replacement now.
The federal hemp definition is changing
The appropriations law passed in November 2025 rewrote the federal definition of hemp: total THC counted on a dry weight basis including THCA, a cap on total THC per container for finished products, and synthesized cannabinoids excluded. A continuing resolution later delayed part of it. According to the Congressional Research Service, the part covering naturally occurring cannabinoids now takes effect December 11, 2026, while the ban on synthetic cannabinoids still takes effect November 12, 2026.
Processors underwrite against the law, so expect questions about which of your products still qualify after those dates.
Mainstream processors
| Processor | CBD and hemp | What they say |
|---|---|---|
| WooPayments | Not allowed | "CBD and other hemp-derived products cannot be sold using WooPayments." |
| Stripe | Restricted or prohibited | CBD with "only negligible amounts of THC" needs extra review. CBD above local limits, "including CBD edibles", is prohibited. |
| Square | Ending October 15, 2026 | Reported notice: CBD and hemp sales "will no longer be permitted on Square's platform". |
High-risk processors
High-risk processors and brokers open merchant accounts for products the mainstream apps avoid. For CBD and hemp they look at what you sell, where you ship and your lab results, then set rates, monthly fees and often a rolling reserve. Most do not publish their rates, so compare written quotes.
Two examples that state CBD and hemp support for WooCommerce on their own pages:
- Organic Payment Gateways says WooCommerce stores can use Authorize.Net or NMI to sell CBD oil, beauty and skincare products, Delta 8, Delta 10 and hemp flower, provided the merchant account is "underwritten specifically for CBD products". It does not publish fees.
- Evergreen Payments Northwest has an extension on the WooCommerce marketplace for "Hemp and High Risk Merchants". It says "No sensitive card data is stored on the website" and supports subscriptions, pre-orders, refunds and 3D Secure. Its price is not listed.
Naming them is not a recommendation. Ask any processor the questions below before you sign.
Connecting to WooCommerce
WooCommerce itself does not ban CBD. Only its own payments product does. So the usual setup is:
- Get a merchant account that is underwritten for your products.
- Get gateway credentials from the processor, often Authorize.Net or NMI.
- Install that gateway's WooCommerce plugin and enter the credentials.
- Run a live test order with a real card and refund it.
Underwriting can take a while. In the meantime, or if your processor only gives you a card-present terminal or a virtual terminal, you can still take card orders online: Card Payments encrypts the card in the customer's browser and lets you charge it on that terminal, as long as your account allows keyed (card-not-present) entry.
Before you apply
- A product list with THC levels. Current lab results (certificates of analysis) for each product, linked from your product pages.
- A finished website. Clear prices, shipping and refund policy, contact details and terms. Underwriters review the live site.
- Age checks. An age gate on the site, and an age rule at checkout for products that need it.
- Shipping rules. No shipping to states where a product is not allowed. Our Shipping Limits plugin does this per product by state, ZIP or city.
- Questions for the processor. Rate and monthly fee, reserve percentage and how long it is held, contract length and early exit fee, payout timing, chargeback fee, and which gateway plugin they support.
Have a terminal, but no online gateway?
Customers pay by card at checkout. You unlock the card with your passphrase, charge it on your terminal, and the card is deleted. $49 a year for one store. Not a payment processor.
Questions
Can I sell CBD with Stripe?
Only in limited cases. Stripe restricts CBD with negligible THC and requires extra review. CBD above local THC limits, including edibles, is prohibited.
Can I sell CBD with WooPayments?
No. WooCommerce says CBD and other hemp-derived products cannot be sold using WooPayments. WooCommerce itself allows other gateways.
Is Square still an option for CBD?
Not after October 15, 2026, according to Square's reported notice to merchants. Plan a move to a processor that underwrites CBD and hemp.
When does the new federal hemp definition take effect?
The Congressional Research Service says the synthetic cannabinoid ban takes effect November 12, 2026, and the rest of the change December 11, 2026.
Sources
- WooCommerce, WooPayments CBD policy. woocommerce.com/document/woopayments/our-policies/cbd
- Stripe, Prohibited and restricted businesses, last updated September 22, 2026. stripe.com/legal/restricted-businesses
- Marijuana Moment, "Square tells businesses to stop selling hemp and CBD products", August 7, 2026. marijuanamoment.net
- Congressional Research Service, "Changes to the Statutory Definition of Hemp and Implications for Agricultural Policy", IF13136, updated September 28, 2026. everycrsreport.com
- Akerman, "Congress approves one-month delay of federal hemp THC restrictions". akerman.com
- Organic Payment Gateways, WooCommerce CBD page. organicpaymentgateways.com
- WooCommerce Marketplace, Evergreen Payments Northwest. woocommerce.com/products/evergreen-payments-northwest
All sources checked October 12, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice.