ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois made recreational marijuana legal in 2020, but many residents may be wondering: can you grow your own cannabis plants?

Growing marijuana plants for personal use in Illinois is not legal in Illinois.

However, with the passage of the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, residents over 21 years old who qualify for the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act can grow up to five plants for personal use.

However, if a recreational user is not a registered patient and is found to have up to five plants, it will result in a fine of up to $200. However, the penalties become steeper the more plants a person has.

Growing five to 20 plants is considered a felony, and the grower could face up to three years in prison if found guilty. They would also have to pay up to $25,000 in fines. Twenty to 50 plants could send a person to prison for five years, while 50-100 plants can include a five-year sentence plus $100,000 in fines.

If that number goes up to 200 plants, the penalty is raised to seven years. Having over 200 plants could land a grower in prison for up to 15 years.

Illinois is one of 21 states to regulate and legalize recreational marijuana, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.