Get a Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Card

Renewal information

Can I renew my Pennsylvania medical marijuana card online?

Yes, Leafwell can help you renew your medical marijuana certificate and card. If you’re a returning patient, all your information is stored in our HIPAA-compliant platform, and the process is quick and easy.

Here’s the full process to renew your PA medical card:

1. Log into your account with the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program, confirm your address, and pay the $50 annual state fee.
2. Sign in to your Leafwell account or register as a renewal patient here.
3. Speak to a Pennsylvania-licensed physician online and get approved.
4. The provider will submit your certification directly to the state.
5. If your annual payment is up to date, your new card will arrive in the mail in 1-2 weeks.

Next steps after renewal

You’ll receive an email with directions on how to renew your card 60 days before your annual renewal and payment is due. This email includes a due date — usually about a week before the expiration date on the ID card. If payment is not received by that date, the ID card will automatically be deactivated. When you log in and pay the annual fee, this will reactivate your card.

Renewing process

1. Get approved for a renewal certificate with Leafwell. The physician will update your certification using your PA patient ID number.
2. Check your details.

• Log in to your patient account as a returning user: https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login
• Confirm that the address on file is correct.

3. Pay the annual fee.

• You’ll receive an email 30 days before your card expires with instructions for making the $50 payment (or $0 if you qualify for a fee reduction).

4. Receive your new card.

• Once you’re certified by a doctor and have paid the annual fee, a new card will be printed and mailed to you at the address you listed in the patient portal. The new card will have an issue date for the day after your original card expires.

How do I get a Pennsylvania patient number?

The first step to getting a medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania is to register with the state which will allow you to get a patient number.

Here is the guide:

1. Create a profile in the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Registry. Click here to go to the registry.
   1. Please note: You can navigate the to provided link by going to the Department of Health website, selecting ‘Medical Marijana’ and then ‘Apply for ID Card / Access Account’.
2. Click on ‘Adult Patient Registration’
   1. This profile includes basic information such as:
      1. your legal name
      2. current address
      3. contact information
   2. You must have a Pennsylvania driver’s license or an ID card issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
      1. Click here for more information on getting a driver’s license or ID card in Pennsylvania.
3. After creating your username and password, you will see a screen that displays your account information, including your Patient ID number.
4. Return to the Leafwell website (www.leafwell.com). Your Leafwell registration will have a line that says “”Pennsylvania Patient Number”” and you will enter it there.
   1. Note: If you are already a Pennsylvania patient or previously started the state registration process, you can obtain your patient number by logging into the state website here, and going to “Profile Settings”. The patient number is located by your User Name.

Next steps after approval

Congratulations on getting approved for your medical certification.

Per state regulations, you must complete the final steps of your state registration within 90 days of approval.

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

Before you start, have these supporting documents ready:

• A credit or debit card

Getting your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card

1. Your Leafwell physician will have passed all required details to the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Registry following your appointment – all the difficult work is done for you by our team!
2. Log back into the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Registry: https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login
3. Pay the $50 state fee.
   1. Patients who participate in assistance programs including Medicaid, PACE/PACENET, CHIP, SNAP, and WIC may be eligible for a $0 state fee.
4. Receive your card in the mail.
   1. The state will mail your medical card to your address. It normally takes 1-2 weeks to arrive after you’ve paid the fee. The card will be valid for 1 year.
5. Legally purchase cannabis from an approved dispensary.
   1. To purchase medical cannabis, you must bring your medical cannabis card and a valid form of photo identification, such as a driver’s license, with you to the pharmacy.

Please note: You have 90 days from the date of your certification to submit the annual state fee. Failure to do so may result in additional fees.

Legal limitations for PA card holders

Navigating marijuana laws in different states can be tricky, but we’re here to break it down for you. Here are some key points you should be aware of if you have a medical marijuana ID card in Pennsylvania:

Possession limits:  With a valid medical cannabis card, you can purchase and possess up to a 30-day supply of medical cannabis products. Make sure to keep your card handy!

No Recreational Use:  Just a heads-up—recreational marijuana is still a no-go in Pennsylvania. According to the state’s marijuana laws, medical use only at this time.

State taxes: 0% tax for medical patients.

Cultivation: Growing cannabis plants is illegal in Pennsylvania, even if it’s for your own medical marijuana use.

CBD and Delta-8: CBD and other minor cannabinoids manufactured from hemp-derived CBD, such as delta-8 THC and HHC, are legal per federal law and are not further regulated by the state of Pennsylvania.

How to become a caregiver

If you’re looking to become a medical marijuana caregiver for a medical marijuana patient in Pennsylvania, there are some important rules and steps to follow.

Picking Up for Patients

As a caregiver, you can pick up medical marijuana from a dispensary on behalf of a patient.

Caregiver Limitations

Medical patients can designate up to two caregivers. If the patient is a minor, having a caregiver is a must.

Application Process

Caregivers need to submit a separate application to the caregiver registry through the Pennsylvania Department of Health to get their own card.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, you must:

1. Be at least 21.
2. You need to be living in Pennsylvania and have proof of residency.
3. Have a Pennsylvania driver’s license or a state-issued ID card with your current address.
4. Background Check: You’ll need to complete a criminal history background check.
5. Clean Record: If you’ve been convicted of a criminal offense relating to drugs in the last five years, you won’t be eligible.
6. Register for an ID Card: Once you meet all the criteria, you’ll need to register and get an ID card that allows you to pick up medical marijuana products at a Pennsylvania dispensary.

Timing

It can take up to four weeks to hear back about your caregiver application status after your fingerprinting appointment.

Minor medical cannabis patient information

Minor patients are able to be certified through Leafwell.

Minor patients under the age of 18 with a serious medical condition may get medical marijuana through a caregiver. See the Caregivers section for requirements.

Minors only need to see one certifying provider and a caregiver will be required (either a parent/legal guardian or someone designated by the parent/legal guardian).

Minors will not receive a card and caregivers will shop on their behalf. The Department will issue a medical marijuana patient authorization letter to a minor patient instead of issuing an identification card to the minor.

If you are the minor’s parent, legal guardian or spouse, you can register as their caregiver by selecting the appropriate caregiver option on the registration site.

If you are not the minor’s parent, legal guardian or spouse, it is recommended that an ‘authorization to designate a third-party caregiver’ form be completed. This form can be downloaded from the caregiver’s profile. Once completed, you can upload the form in your caregiver profile.

When a minor patient turns 18 during their cycle, the certificate will transfer over, but they need to submit a new, adult patient application through their pa.gov portal. Once the patient obtains their adult patient ID number, they will need to contact the state to have them link their adult and minor accounts.

Can you use a Pennsylvania medical card in other states?

Pennsylvania does not offer medical marijuana reciprocity to cardholders from other states. That said, these states will recognize your PA medical card:

• Arizona
• Arkansas *
• 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 with the state program.