Get a Maryland Medical Marijuana Card

Before you see a physician in Maryland, you need to obtain a patient number from the Maryland Cannabis Administration. Here’s a step-by-step guide.

Have the following documents ready:

• US-issued government ID – such as a state-issued driver’s license, state-issued ID card, passport, or military ID.
• Proof of address, all documents must be dated within the past 90 days. Select one from the list below:
  • MVA registration card or title
  • Utility, telephone or cable/satellite TV bill
  • Bank account statement
  • Property tax bill
  • Mortgage statement or proof of home ownership (Deed, Title, Bill of Sale)
  • Major credit card bill (Visa, MasterCard, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.)
  • Residential rental contract (lease or rental contract between landlord and tenant which ​includes all signatures).
  • Selective Service Card
  • Federal, state or local government mail issued by the state of Maryland (ie. Social Security, social services)
  • Car insurance policy
  • All documents must be dated within the past 90 days.
• An electronic, hi-res copy of a clear, recent photo of yourself

Once you’re ready, follow these steps

1. Go to www.onestop.md.gov.
2. Search for the Maryland Cannabis Administration. Here you will find 7 different applications that you can register for.
3. Click on “Adult Patient Registration“. Every patient needs to register here and receive a patient number before seeing a certified provider.
4. Click Apply Now to begin the process.
5. Complete the form as required and pay the $25 registration fee.
6. Wait for the approval – this can take 2-3 weeks.
7. Once you receive approval via email from the MCA, you’re ready to see a Leafwell physician.

Congratulations on getting approved for your medical certification. Here’s a guide to what you need to do next.

Getting Your Maryland Medical Marijuana Card

1. Once you have been approved by Leafwell physician and provided them with your Maryland patient number, our physician will submit your medical marijuana certification – you do not need to do anything – our physician will provide all supporting documentation on your behalf to the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA).
2. MCA will review your application and the certification provided by Leafwell. They will email you once you have been approved.
3. Log back into your existing state account at https://onestop.md.gov/users/sign_in.
4. Within this account, you can print your temporary MCA patient ID card. If you would like a physical card, you can order one to be mailed to you.
5. You can purchase medical cannabis from a licensed Maryland dispensary using your temporary card with ID until the physical card arrives.

Notes:

• When purchasing medical cannabis at a licensed dispensary you will be required to present either your permanent or temporary MCA ID card. The dispensary agent will verify your certification in the Administration’s database before conducting any transaction.
• You may only purchase and obtain a maximum of a thirty-day supply of medical cannabis at one time.

Important note: A certification that is not used to purchase medical cannabis, at a licensed dispensary in the state of Maryland, within 120 days of issuance becomes null and void.

The process for renewing medical marijuana cards in Maryland is similar to registering for the first time.

1. Sign in to Leafwell or register as a renewal patient if you’re new to Leafwell.
2. Speak to a Maryland-licensed healthcare provider online
3. Get approved, and the Leafwell provider will update the state system with your renewal certificate.
   1. If your state card is still valid, nothing further is required.
   2. If your state card is expiring or expired, you must complete the renewal application process online.
      1. Log into your existing MCA account and open a Renewal Form. Instructions can be found here.
      2. Follow the prompts and pay the state’s $25 fee.
      3. Receive a 90-day temporary card via email that can be used to purchase medicine. You can also order a physical card from the state that will be mailed to you.

Check out our Maryland renewal page to begin the renewal process today.

Congratulations on your Maryland medical certification renewal. Although written certifications must be renewed annually, patient registrations with the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) are renewed every six years.

Renewing Your MCA Registration

The MCA has advised that a new application should not be submitted to renew registration.

1. ​Navigate to Maryland OneStop and select “Login.”
2. Once you’re logged in, select “My Dashboard”.
3. Click on your MMCC registration ID number up for renewal under “My Licenses, Permits, and Registrations.”
4. From the License Information page, click on the green “Actions” button on the right-hand side of the Registration header.
5. Select “Renewal Form” from the drop-down menu.
6. Upon launching the Renewal form, you will see your personal information and address pre-populated from the data you submitted with your initial application.
7. After receiving a notification that your application has been approved, log in to your Maryland OneStop account, order your MCA ID card, and pay the $25 fee.

Below are a few need-to-know medical marijuana laws enforced in Maryland. Check out our Maryland law page for more in-depth coverage of the state’s laws.

• Recreational use legal: Recreational cannabis sales became legal in Maryland on July 1, 2023, for adults 21 and over,  making it the 20th state to fully legalize cannabis.
• Medical cannabis is legal: Medical cannabis became legal in 2014 when Governor Martin O’Malley signed House Bill 881 into law. The passage of this groundbreaking bill prompted the creation of the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, now known as the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA), the state’s official regulatory board. Additionally, HB 881 authorized patients to possess a 30-day supply of pre-approved medical marijuana products.
• Cultivation is legal:  In May 2023, Governor Wes Moore signed SB 516 into law, which allows the purchase, possession, and cultivation of cannabis. Recreational users can grow two plants.
• Benefits for cardholders in Maryland: Despite the legality of recreational use, there are advantages for patients with medical marijuana cards, including higher possession limits (up to 120 grams of cannabis flower) and lower state taxes (0% on medical marijuana products compared to 9% on products purchased for recreational use).

A caregiver is a person who, once registered with the Maryland Cannabis Administration and in possession of a valid MCA Caregiver ID card, can purchase medicinal cannabis from a licensed Maryland dispensary on behalf of their designated medical cannabis patients and transport the legally obtained medical cannabis to the patient(s).

Minor medical cannabis patients must have at least one caregiver at all times and may have a maximum of two caregivers at any time. See the Minor Patients section for more information.

Requirements for Caregivers Serving Adult Patients (18 + years of age):

• Be at least 21 years of age at the time of registration
• Register with the Maryland Cannabis Administration. A medical marijuana patient must appoint a caregiver before registering (unless caring for a minor).
• Receive approval from the MCA.
• During registration, the caregiver must submit a valid, US government-issued photo ID and a clear, recent color photo.
• Once approved by the MCA and designated as a caregiver for a medical cannabis patient with a valid written certification from a physician registered with the MCA, the caregiver will also be required to purchase an ID card from the MCA for a fee of $25.
• A caregiver may serve a maximum of five registered medical marijuana patients at one time. A registered patient can have a maximum of two caregivers at once.

Requirements for Caregivers Serving Minor Patients (Under 18 years of age):

• Be a parent or legal guardian of the minor patient
• Be at least 21 years of age at the time of registration
• Register with the Maryland Cannabis Administration
• Receive approval from the Administration
• In the case of a minor patient (under 18 years of age), only the minor patient’s parents or legal guardians, aged 21 years or older, are eligible to serve as caregivers. Minor patients’ caregivers must also submit valid, US government-issued photo IDs and clear, recent color photographs as part of the registration process.
• Caregivers for minor patients must purchase ID cards from the Administration for a $25 fee.
• Caregivers serving minor patients must register with the Administration before registering the minor patient.

If you are a resident of Maryland and are traveling out of the state, here is a list of states and territories that have reciprocity:

• Arizona
• Arkansas *
• Delaware
• Hawaii *
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Michigan (at the dispensary’s discretion)
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey *
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma *
• Puerto Rico
• Rhode Island
• U.S. Virgin Islands *
• Utah * (up to two 21-day periods in a calendar year)
• Washington, D.C.

*Visitors must complete a visiting patient application process with the state program.

Minors can get a medical marijuana card in Maryland. An individual under 18  must always have at least one caregiver. Only a custodial parent or legal guardian may serve as a minor patient’s caregiver, according to the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA).

Medical records are required for minor medical cannabis patients in Maryland.