How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Utah in 2023

In 2018, Utah passed the Utah Medical Cannabis Act, allowing residents with certain qualifying conditions to obtain a medical marijuana card.

To get a medical marijuana card in Utah, you must first obtain a recommendation from a licensed physician stating that you have a qualifying condition that would benefit from medical marijuana.

New patients must meet in person with a state-approved physician who can legally recommend medical cannabis. Existing patients can renew their cards via telehealth, but they can only use telehealth to see the doctor that originally approved them for medical cannabis, so Leafwell is currently unable to offer medical marijuana card renewals in Utah.

The Medical Cannabis Act permits adults and, in some instances, minors to apply for consideration online.

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Benefits of Having a Medical Card in Utah

Adult-use cannabis in Utah is illegal. A medical marijuana card in Utah is the only legal way to access this healing plant. Additionally, medical card possession provides unique economic and patient accessibility benefits.

Tax-free products: Medical marijuana patients are exempt from sales tax on cannabis purchases.
Legal possession: Medical marijuana patients can possess up to 113 grams of marijuana. Conversely, non-cardholders face Class B misdemeanor charges, up to $1,000 in fines, and six months in jail for the same practice.
Minor accessibility: Utah minors may access medical marijuana with a physician’s approval from a registered healthcare provider.

Eligibility Requirements

Utah law requires patients to be state residents diagnosed with a qualifying condition by a licensed physician to meet the medical marijuana card requirements. The practitioner may be a physician, osteopath, chiropractor, or nurse practitioner. The physician must also issue a written recommendation stating that the patient’s condition requires medical cannabis care. Patients with non-qualifying conditions may also apply for consideration with a physician referral.

Patients must also pay the required medical cannabis card fees and apply through the state’s online portal.

Can Minors Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Utah?

Yes, minors may access a provisional Utah medical marijuana card if their parent or guardian applies and meets all state requirements.

Parents or legal guardians can simultaneously apply for medical cannabis guardian cards and provisional patient cards for children under 18. Parents must complete the standard application process and pass a background check. Additionally, the minor’s qualifying medical provider must upload all medical records to Utah’s Compassionate Use Board Petition online. The review process can take up to 90 days.

If the parent and physician’s application meets all requirements, Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will issue the medical cannabis guardian card and provisional patient card via email.

Qualifying Conditions

The qualifying conditions for medical cannabis patients in Utah include the following:

AIDS/HIV
Alzheimer’s disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Autism
Cachexia
Cancer
Chronic pain
Crohn’s disease
Debilitating seizures
Epilepsy
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Persistent, debilitating muscle spasms, such as those caused by Parkinson’s disease (PD)
Persistent, severe nausea
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Ulcerative colitis

Those with terminal illnesses and conditions requiring hospice care may also qualify for a medical marijuana card. Patients with non-qualifying conditions may also petition Utah’s Compassionate Use Board for consideration.

How to Apply

To apply for a medical marijuana card in Utah, patients must first schedule an in-person appointment with a licensed physician to receive a written recommendation for medical cannabis.

Once the registered physician issues a recommendation, the patient can create an online account and submit their application to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Patients must also pay the associated fees.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services will process the application and issue a medical marijuana card to approved patients via email. This card will be valid for one year; the patient can renew it annually.

Documents You Will Need

Valid ID
- State ID card or driver’s license (in-state only)
- Passport
Proof of residency
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Lease or mortgage agreement
The signed certificate from a qualified medical provider

Steps to Apply

Patients can apply for a Utah medical marijuana card by following the steps below.

Meet with a qualified medical provider registered with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
Create a Utah ID Account.
Review the Electronic Verification System (EVS) user guide and apply for a card online.
Request that qualified medical providers enters the certification and recommendation in the portal.
Pay related fees online.
Wait for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services to review the application. This takes 15 days or less for adult patients.
Receive the Utah medical cannabis cards through email.
Purchase products from a licensed medical cannabis pharmacy.

What to Expect During Your Leafwell Appointment

Leafwell is currently unable to provide medical marijuana card certification services via telehealth.

Costs

The state of Utah charges a $15 fee for the initial card and $15 for each renewal, which medical patients must do yearly.

Leafwell charges $125 for each renewal service, including a physician appointment and recommendation. The first renewal applies for six months. The second and subsequent renewals last for one year.

Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

Utah offers medical marijuana reciprocity in the state. Non-Utah visitors who are medical cannabis cardholders in their home state can apply for temporary cards, allowing access to medical cannabis pharmacies during their Utah visit.

Some states also accept out-of-state medical marijuana cards:

Arizona
Arkansas *
California ^
Colorado ^
Connecticut ^
Hawaii *
Illinois ^
Maine
Maryland ^ (as of July 2023)
Massachusetts
Michigan (qualifying state must also have reciprocity with Michigan)
Missouri ^
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey *
New Mexico * (recreational cannabis is legal in NM)
New York ^
Oklahoma *
Oregon ^
Pennsylvania (minors only)
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
U.S. Virgin Islands *
Vermont ^
Virginia ^
Washington ^
Washington, D.C.

States marked with * require visitors to complete a visiting patient application for their stay.

States marked with ^ have adult use programs but do not accept out-of-state cards.

Applying as a Caregiver

In Utah, the Medical Cannabis Program (MCP) enables patients to have a designated caregiver who can buy and possess medical marijuana. Only one primary caregiver is allowed per patient.

Patients must be active medical cannabis cardholders to request a caregiver. Once the patient receives their card, they may designate a caregiver online and add the person’s information to the EVS. Once the patient pays the $68.25 caregiver card fee, their designated caretaker must submit background check forms to complete the process.

The Utah DHHS then reviews all information and issues their determination within 15 days. Approved caregivers receive their Utah medical cannabis caregiver card through email.

Where to Buy Medical Marijuana

Medical marijuana is legal in Utah, but patients can only purchase it from a medical cannabis pharmacy. Currently, 14 medical cannabis pharmacies exist throughout the state.

Cultivation

It’s currently illegal to cultivate marijuana in Utah.

The Utah Medical Cannabis Laws to Know

Utah law incorporates several regulations governing the use of medical marijuana in the state.

Patients with a qualifying medical condition and a doctor’s referral may apply for a Utah medical marijuana card through the state’s online portal.
Patients without a qualifying condition can also apply for consideration through the Compassionate Use Board.
Utah minors can access a provisional medical marijuana card if their guardian applies on their behalf.
Patients can possess up to two ounces of cannabis flower.
The state offers reciprocity for medical marijuana patients visiting from other U.S. states.
Utah has licensed 14 medical cannabis pharmacies in the state. Selling marijuana outside of authorized medical marijuana dispensaries is a felony offense under federal law.
Marijuana possession is a misdemeanor offense for those who do not hold a Utah medical card.

For more information, visit the Utah Department of Health website.

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