Get Your New Jersey Medical Marijuana Card

Next steps after approval

Congratulations on getting approved for your medical certification.

Per state regulations, you must complete the state side of yourapplication within 60 days.

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

Before you start, have these supporting documents ready:

• Attending Healthcare Practitioner’s Statement – which includes your reference number
• Recent Photograph (within 60 days, plain background, no hats/glasses, neutral expression)
• Government Issued photo ID, e.g.:
  • Current NJ Driver’s License
  • Current NJ Non-Driver’s ID issued by NJ Motor Vehicle Commission
  • NJ County ID Showing patient name and address*Note: If your current government-issued photo ID is expired or does not reflect your current physical address, you will have to supply (2) proofs of New Jersey Residency.
• Proof of residence e.g.:
  • Utility bill (dated within 90 days)
  • Correspondence from IRS or New Jersey Division of Taxation (dated within 1 year)
  • Federal, State, or local government correspondence (dated within 90 days)
  • 3 x Bank statements (for each of the previous 3 months)

Getting Your New Jersey Medical Marijuana Card

1. Create a NJ Medical Cannabis Patient user account for either an adult or minor.
2. Once created, log in on the state website to complete your registration.
3. Verify, complete, and upload required patient information.
4. Enter the Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) of your choice. This can be changed at any time.
5. For patients with caregivers: 
   1. If you wish to register a caregiver who is not an immediate family member, they must get a criminal background check via fingerprints. A printable form is at the bottom of the page where you upload your documents.
   2. Complete the required caregiver information and upload ID documents.
6. The state will review your application, typically within 14 days. If any corrections are required, you will be notified.
7. Once your application is approved, your digital medical card will be available to download within 48 hours.
8. Legally purchase cannabis from an approved dispensary. Always take your medical card and photo ID when shopping at a dispensary.

Please note: You have 60 days from the date on your doctor’s certificate to complete the state side of the application process! Failure to do so may result in a reactivation fee and lost time.

New Jersey out-of-state patient process

Now that you’ve been approved by a Leafwell physician, you must apply to the state within 60 days. Here’s a guide on what to do next:

Before you start, have these supporting documents ready:

• Attending Healthcare Practitioner’s Statement – which includes your reference number
• Recent Photograph (within 60 days, plain background, no hats/glasses, neutral expression)
• Your medical card/certification from your home state
• Proof of residence in the same state as your medical card:
  • Utility bill (dated within 90 days)
  • Correspondence from IRS similar (dated within 1 year)
  • Federal, State, or local government correspondence (dated within 90 days)
  • 3 x Bank statements (for each of the previous 3 months)

Getting Your Out-of-State New Jersey Medical Marijuana Card

1. Register or login here: https://njmcp.crc.nj.gov/
2. Enter all required information on the Attending Healthcare Practitioner’s Statement.
3. Complete the required patient information (as noted by the red asterisk).
   1. Upload the copy of your certification/card from your home state in place of the NJ county ID and submit your proof of residency.
4. Enter the Alternative Treatment Center of choice. This can be changed at any time.
5. For patients with caregivers:
   1. If you wish to register a caregiver who is not an immediate family member, they must get a criminal background check via fingerprints. A printable form is at the bottom of the page where you upload your documents.
   2. Complete the required caregiver information and upload ID documents.
6. The state will review your application, typically within 14 days. If any corrections are required, you will be notified.
7. Once your application is approved, your digital medical card will be available to download within 48 hours. The card is valid for 6 months.
8. Legally purchase cannabis from an approved dispensary. Always take your medical card and photo ID when shopping at a dispensary.

How to renew your New Jersey medical marijuana card

A medical marijuana card must be renewed every two years in New Jersey. You’ll want to start the renewal process before your card expires to make the renewal process as easy as possible.

What you can expect:

1. Sign in to Leafwell or register as a renewal patient here if you’re new to Leafwell.
2. Speak to a New Jersey-licensed healthcare provider online.
3. Get approved and you may or may not need to submit a new application with the state

See our New Jersey renewal page for more detailed information about renewing New Jersey medicinal marijuana cards.

*Please be advised that the New Jersey Medical Cannabis Program switched to a NEW Patient Registry platform on 9/13/2022. All existing patients must create a user account to be able to access the registry. You will need the Registry ID number and Reference number found on your Attending Healthcare Practitioner’s Statement. You will not need to create a user account for subsequent renewals.

Next steps after renewal

Now that you’ve been approved by a Leafwell physician, here’s what to do next:

If your state card is still valid, your physician will submit your renewal certification to the state and nothing further is required. You can continue using your card until it expires!

If your state card is expiring or has expired, you will need to submit a renewal application online within 60 days.

1. Click here to go to the New Jersey government website.
2. Log in using your existing account information*.
   *Please be advised that effective 9/13/2022 all existing patients must create a user account to be able to access the registry. You will need the Registry ID number and Reference number found on your Attending Healthcare Practitioner’s Statement. You will not need to do this for subsequent renewals.””.
3. Select Patient → ID Card Renewal. The instructions will appear, once reviewed, select the ‘Continue’ button at the bottom of the page.
4. Review your address on file.
5. Select the ‘Save & Confirm Address’ button.
6. Attach the required documents in the ‘Documents’ Section.
   1. If your NJ government-issued ID does not reflect your current address, select the option ‘I don’t have a current ID’ and you will be prompted to attach 2 proofs of residency.
7. Select the ‘Upload Documents’ button once you have selected your documents.
   1. If you are not registering a caregiver, you may select the button ‘Submit Renewal Request.’
8. If you wish to add/renew a caregiver, select the ‘Caregiver’ tab before submitting your renewal request.*Note: Once you submit your renewal to the program, you will not be able to make any changes to your renewal. You may check your status by logging into your portal.
9. Once your application is approved, your digital medical card will be available to download within 48 hours.

Legal limitations for NJ cardholders

Here are a few need-to-know medical marijuana laws in New Jersey.

• Patients may not operate, navigate, or control any vehicle, aircraft, railroad train, or stationary heavy equipment vessel while under the influence of marijuana.
• Public Consumption Not Allowed: Patients cannot smoke medical marijuana:
• • On a school bus or public transportation.
  • In a private vehicle, unless the vehicle is not in operation.
  • In any correctional facility.
  • On school grounds.
  • In any public park, beach, or recreation center.
• Employee Protections for Cardholders: There are also protections for MMJ cardholders in the workplace.

In May 2020, the Supreme Court of New Jersey ruled that medical cannabis patients could not be fired for failing a drug test.

However, being a medical cannabis patient doesn’t mean you do not have to comply with your employer’s drug testing policies.

Questions about your company’s rules about medical marijuana use should be directed to your human resources department.

• Recreational Use is Legal: Recreational marijuana is legal for adults over 21 in New Jersey. If you do not qualify for the New Jersey medical cannabis program but are over 21, you can get recreational marijuana from a licensed dispensary.
• Cultivation is Not Allowed for Recreational Users: New Jersey medical marijuana patients age 21 or older, or caregivers on behalf of the qualifying patient, may grow or possess up to 10 cannabis plants for personal medical use, with a maximum of 12 plants per household. Cultivation is not allowed for recreational users at this time.
• Product Limitations for NJ Consumers: While pills, capsules, and other consumable forms of cannabis are permitted, products that resemble food can not be sold to medical patients or adult consumers.

How to become a caregiver in New Jersey

Patients under 18 or those unable to manage medical cannabis themselves may select a designated caregiver to assist with their use of medical marijuana.

• A primary caregiver is a person at least 18 who has agreed to assist with a registered qualifying patient’s medical use of marijuana.
• The primary caregiver must have proof of New Jersey residency and have no convictions for drug offenses. A doctor cannot serve as a caregiver.
• Caregivers may provide for more than one patient at a time, and a minor can have up to two caregivers.

Can you use a New Jersey medical card in other states?

New Jersey offers medical marijuana reciprocity to cardholders from other states with medical programs.

Medical cardholders from other states can be considered to be qualifying patients under New Jersey’s medical marijuana program for up to six months while they are visiting the state.

Anyone over 21 can also use recreational cannabis in the state.

Other states that will recognize the medical card of New Jersey 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 New Jersey medicinal cannabis program.

Minor NJ medical cannabis patient information

A registered healthcare practitioner in the Medicinal Cannabis Program can authorize cannabis use by a registered minor patient.

Minor patients require a parent/legal guardian as the primary caregiver (can have up to two caregivers) and only have to be seen by one (1) doctor.

Minors do not require an ID, only a photo. The caregiver however will need to provide a valid form of ID.

If the registered healthcare practitioner is not trained in the care of pediatric patients, they must obtain written confirmation that the patient is likely to receive therapeutic or palliative benefits from the medical use of cannabis to treat or alleviate symptoms associated with their medical condition.

The written confirmation is due at the time the Attending Health Care Provider Authorization is executed in order for the application to be reviewed.
The authorizing healthcare provider must also explain the risks and benefits of the medicinal use of cannabis to the minor patient and to the minor patient’s parent or legal custodian.

The pediatric healthcare provider does not need to be registered with the New Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Program in order to provide that written confirmation.

Minor Patient Registration (Leafwell/State):

• Minors need to provide medical records when registering with Leafwell.
• The patient and caregiver will consult with a Leafwell provider, who will add the caregiver information when submitting the patient’s recommendation.
• Minor patients will need to provide a photo during state registration, however, they will not receive an identification card.
• Minor patients will NOT receive an ID card, but the caregiver will. In the event a minor turns the age eighteen (18), they will receive a new ID as an adult patient along with new IDs for their caregiver(s) free of charge.