Get Your Montana Medical Marijuana Card Online

3 documents needed to apply for a Montana medical marijuana card

1. Medical Marijuana Recommendation
   Once approved, you must download your physician’s statement and complete the state application on the Montana TransAction Portal (TAP) within 60 days.
2. Proof of Identity
   You will need a government-issued photo ID. Accepted forms of identification are a Montana driver’s license, state ID card, or Montana Tribal ID.
3. Medical Records (Minor Patients Only)

During your onboarding with Leafwell, you may upload medical records supporting your qualifying condition(s). Minor patients must provide medical records to be eligible, according to the Montana Medical Marijuana Act.

Next steps after approval

Congratulations on getting approved for your medical certification.

Per state regulations, you must complete the state side of the application process within 60 days of receiving your physician statement!

Here’s a guide to what you need to do next.

Before you start, have the following ready:

• Photo of applicant
  • The style should be similar to a driver’s license or passport photo
  • Clear, in color, neutral background
  • From shoulders up, facing the camera
  • No hats, face masks, sunglasses
  • Taken within the last six months
• Proof of Montana Residency
  • Montana driver’s license, Montana state or tribal identification card, voter registration form, Montana hunting or fishing license, etc.
• Your Physician statement from Leafwell (Dated within 60 days.  All four pages are required.)
  • Minors need the approval of two physicians

Getting Your Montana Medical Marijuana Card

1. Access the TransAction Portal (TAP).
2. Scroll down to the Cannabis Control Card section and click “Apply for or Manage a New Medical Marijuana Card.”
3. In the Medical Marijuana Registry section, click “”Apply for a New Medical Marijuana Card.””
4. You should now be on the application type screen. Select either Adult Application or Minor Application. Click the “Next” button.
5. Complete the Cardholder Application. It contains required data fields, question responses, and document uploads.
   1. Click “”Address needs to be verified“” to verify the location of your address and the physician’s address.
6. Pay the state application fee of $20. You can do this via credit, debit, or ACH. Applicants can also mail in a check or money order, or deliver cash, check, or money order.
   1. Pay online:
      1. Log in to TAP, locate your Cannabis License Account, and select Make a Paymentor
      2. Visit TAP and select Make a Payment in the Quick Links section.
      3. Pay by e-check (free) or credit card (will include additional transaction fees).
   2. Pay by telephone:
      1. Call the state at (406) 444-6900.
      2. You will need your Montana Account ID and bank or credit card information.
      3. Pay by e-check (free) or credit card (will include additional transaction fees).
   3. Pay by check:
      1. Make check payable to the DPHHS.
      2. Write your Montana Account ID on the memo line of your check. Please remember to sign the check.
      3. Mail your payment to:
         DPHHS
         P.O. Box 6309
         Helena, MT 59604-6309
7. Once submitted, you will gain access to a temporary card that can be printed out directly from the submission confirmation screen – it is not valid in digital form.
   1. The temporary card expiration date is initially set to a maximum of 60 days. Once a Cardholder Application is approved, that expiration date changes to ten (10) business days from the date of approval to allow time for your cardholder registry identification card to arrive in the mail.
   2. If you need to download and print your temporary card at a later time, you can retrieve your application at Search for an Existing Submission. You will need your email address and retrieval code.
8. You will receive an email notification from the state when you are fully approved or if there is a problem with your application. Rejected applications can be corrected and resubmitted.
9. Approved patients receive a physical medical card, from the state, via mail.

Additional Resources:

• TAP Application Guide

How to renew your card

Looking to make a medical marijuana card renewal? Here’s what you can expect:

1. Sign in to Leafwell or register as a renewal patient if you’re new to Leafwell.
2. Speak to one of our Montana-licensed medical marijuana doctors online.
3. Get approved and download your doctor’s renewal certificate.
4. Renew your card through the TransAction Portal (TAP). Under the “Cannabis Control” section, select “Apply for or Manage a Medical Marijuana Card” and then “Renew an Existing Card.”
5. Complete the renewal application and pay the state’s $20 fee.
6. Download and print your temporary card to use immediately. Your new physical card will arrive in the mail once your application is approved.

Next steps after renewal

Here’s a guide on how to complete your renewal application with the Montana Cannabis Control Division.

The state recommends that renewal applications be submitted at least 30 days prior to expiration to allow for sufficient review and processing time.

Per state regulations, you must complete the state application within 60 days of your physician’s approval for renewal.

Before you start, have these supporting documents ready:

• Photo of applicant
  • The style should be similar to a driver’s license or passport photo
  • Clear, in color, neutral background
  • From shoulders up, facing the camera
  • No hats, face masks, sunglasses
  • Taken within the last six months
• Proof of Montana Residency
  • Montana driver’s license, Montana state or tribal identification card, voter registration form, Montana hunting or fishing license, etc.
• Your Physician statement from Leafwell (dated within 60 days)
  • Minors need approval of two physicians

Renewing Your Montana Medical Marijuana Card

1. Renew through the TransAction Portal (TAP).
2. Scroll down to the Cannabis Control Card section and click “”Apply for or Manage a New Medical Marijuana Card.””
3. In the Medical Marijuana Registry section, click “”Renew an Existing Card.””
4. Select either Adult Application or Minor Application.
5. Complete the application.
6. Pay the state fee of $20.
   1. You can do this via credit, debit, or ACH.
7. Once submitted, you will gain access to a temporary card which must be printed out – it is not valid in digital form.
8. Once your application is approved, you will receive your new medical cannabis card in the mail.

Legal limitations for MT cardholders

• Public consumption is not allowed: There are restrictions on where a medical marijuana cardholder can consume marijuana products, according to the Montana Medical Marijuana Act. These restrictions also apply to recreational marijuana use. Per Montana medical marijuana law, consumption is not permitted in:
  • Healthcare facilities.
  • Schools or post-secondary schools.
  • Any property owned or leased by a school or post-secondary school.
  • School bus or public transit.
  • Public parks, beaches, and rec/youth centers.
  • Places of worship.
  • The open public.
  • Any location where children’s health could be affected.
• Employee protections: Both recreational marijuana users and medical patients benefit from employee protections regarding their use of cannabis. While employers can still have workplace drug tests, recent laws passed suggest that there may be some protections for medical marijuana patients protecting off-work use. Employers may still prohibit employees from possessing or consuming cannabis at the workplace. Employers may also take adverse action against employees if their off-duty marijuana use:

• • Affects employees’ ability to perform their jobs correctly or affects the safety or responsibilities of others in the company.
  • Conflicts with a bona fide occupational qualification that is reasonably related to the employee’s employment.
  • Violates a personal service contract with an employer.
  • Conflicts with the nature of a non-profit organization and its objectives, whose objectives include discouraging the use of marijuana.
• Higher possession limits for patients: The medical marijuana law in Montana gives medical marijuana patients the ability to purchase and possess higher amounts of usable marijuana. Specifically, registered cardholders can purchase up to 5 oz of marijuana flower for medical use monthly (and 1 oz of marijuana flower daily). Recreational cannabis users are only allowed to possess 1 oz of usable marijuana.
• Cultivation is legal: Cultivation is legal for Montana residents who are either patients with qualifying conditions and recreational users. Cardholders can grow up to four mature plants and four seedlings, whereas recreational users can grow no more than two mature plants.
• Telehealth is legal: Patients in Montana may receive evaluations and recommendations via telemedicine. This makes it legal for patients to obtain a certification through Leafwell.
• Some hemp derivatives are illegal: While marijuana and hemp-based CBD are legal in Montana, synthetic cannabinoids like delta-8, delta-10, and HHC are not.

How to become a caregiver in Montana

There technically isn’t a Montana medical marijuana program for caregivers. However, patients may designate up to two designated purchasers to acquire and deliver marijuana products from a medical marijuana dispensary when they apply for a new MMJ card or a medical marijuana card renewal.

Minor patients will require a custodial parent or legal guardian with responsibility for health care decisions to consent to the use of marijuana by the minor.

Caregiver (Designated Purchaser) Requirements:

• All designated purchasers must be 21 years of age or older.
• Designated purchasers can be patients with a qualifying medical condition themselves.
• Recreational cannabis use is not a disqualifying condition.
• Designated purchasers cannot have a felony drug conviction.
• A Consent to Fingerprint Form is only required for the legal guardian of a minor applicant who will cultivate marijuana for the minor.
• Cardholders may designate up to two individuals to make purchases of medical marijuana on their behalf. These designated purchasers may be added during the initial application or upon subsequent annual renewal applications. For designated purchasers to make purchases on behalf of registered cardholders, the designated purchasers must be in possession of the medical card.

Caregiver (Designated Purchaser) Registration:

• Patients must complete Step 6 of the online registration form with their designated purchaser(s) information. Once fully approved, they will receive a card as well.
• There is no state application fee for having a designated purchaser.
• Designated purchasers may be added during the initial application or upon subsequent annual renewal applications.

Can you use a Montana medical card in other states?

Patients from other states must register with the DPHHS and are not offered reciprocity in Montana. Legal protections for qualified patients are limited to Montana registry ID cardholders. If you are a medical marijuana patient from out-of-state, Montana’s medical marijuana laws do not protect you.

States that will recognize the medical card of Montana cannabis patients include:

• Arizona
• Arkansas *
• Delaware
• Hawaii *
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Michigan (at the dispensary’s discretion)
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• 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 with the Montana marijuana program.

Minor patient information

Minor patients need a caregiver, known in Montana as a designated purchaser. Designated purchasers for minor patients must be 21 or older and must be the patient’s parent or legal guardian.