Talk about EASY!! The whole process took 15 minutes, including the call with the Doctor!!! Amazing!
Fast, easy and affordable
Get your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card in minutes.
Apply now
How to get a medical card in Pennsylvania.
1
Register on the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program website.
This registration process will provide you with a patient number. You’ll need that to make an appointment with Leafwell.
2
Register Online with Leafwell and speak to a PA doctor
You can speak to a doctor and qualify for a Pennsylvania medical marijuana card online. The cost of the online consultation is $149 or $99 for a renewal. You are only billed if approved. As soon as you are approved our doctor will submit your certification directly to the state website.
3
Log Onto the PA State Website Once Approved
You will need to finish off your application. The cost of the application is $50, payable to the state. Those participating in Medicaid, PACE/PACENET, CHIP, SNAP, or WIC may not have to pay the application fee.
4
Receive your Medical Marijuana Card in the Mail Within 2-5 Days
Your card will be valid for 1 year. The Medical Marijuana Program will send you an email 60 days before your card is due to expire with instructions on how to renew the card. Leafwell can assist with renewals if you require a new certificate. Our renewal fee is $99.
You will need a physical copy of your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card and your state ID to purchase medical cannabis.
Note: some patients have to wait for 30 days for their card.
Trusted by 300k+ patients
Shocked how easy! Kind and understanding, definitely the best way to get your med card.
Incredibly calm and easy experience, will only use Leafwell moving forward and would recommend to anyone!
Fast, easy application process.
Benefits of Getting a Pennsylvania Medical Card
Having a valid medical marijuana certificate and medical cannabis card is the only way to legally consume cannabis in PA. Should Pennsylvania legalize recreational cannabis, expect medical patients to receive benefits such as lower taxes and greater choice of products.
About Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania
Medical marijuana was legalized in 2016 by Medical Marijuana Act SB3.
Pennsylvania lifted many of the restrictions put on telemedicine since the outbreak of COVID-19. Seeing how successful it was, the state has now moved to allow telemedicine permanently for cannabis consultations. This means that it is now possible to speak to a Pennsylvania-licensed physician online for a medical cannabis consultation and certificate safely from the comfort of your own home.
How to qualify
You must be aged 18 or over in order to get a medical marijuana card for yourself in Pennsylvania.
You will need:
An ID produced by the state of Pennsylvania and a physical copy of your card to purchase your medicine in a dispensary.
Medical Conditions
In Pennsylvania, the following conditions may qualify you for a medical marijuana card:
- AIDS/HIV
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Anxiety, Panic Disorders
- Autism/Asperger Syndrome
- Benzodiazepine Use Disorder
- Cancer
- Celiac Disease
- Chronic Pain, Muscle Pain and Other Types of Pain
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
Possession and Growing
Having an MMJ Card in Pennsylvania permits a 30 day supply, to be determined upon consultation.
As initially enacted, only cannabis-infused pills, oils, topical ointments, tinctures or liquids were allowed. On April 16, 2018, the state Health Secretary approved an advisory board recommendation to permit dispensaries to also begin providing herbal cannabis. Under the rule change, patients are permitted to vaporize herbal cannabis, but are still prohibited under the law from smoking. This is not applicable to recreational use.
Dispensaries are allowed to sell up to a 30-day supply to a patient, with records kept for each amount obtained.
Patients may re-up on their 30-day supplies during the last seven days of their previous 30-day allotment.
Caregivers
Medical Marijuana patients in Pennsylvania can have a caregiver.
Some patients may be eligible for an MMJ Card but unable to apply for one themselves. For example, should the patient be a minor under the age of 18, or if the patient needs assistance accessing medical cannabis, a caregiver can be assigned to complete the process on their behalf.
Any patient may designate a caregiver if they so choose. All minors are required to have a caregiver. There are three categories of patients who do not get an ID card, and thus need not enter a dispensary. Instead, a caregiver registers on their behalf and visits the dispensary for them. These categories include:
Minors.
Adult patients who are home-bound.
Adult patients who benefit from assistance.
01
Go to the Patient and Caregiver Registry. In the "Caregivers" section, click "Adult Patient Caregiver Registration" if the patient is an adult patient who has or will have a patient ID card to visit a dispensary.
02
In the "Caregivers" section, click "Caregiver registering for an existing patient" if the patient is registered and is a minor, requires in-home support, or has a disability that requires assistance. (These patients will not get an ID card of their own or visit a dispensary).
03
Fill out all information and click "Submit" to register and create an online profile. Note: Each account in the Patient and Caregiver Registry requires a different email address. A patient and caregiver cannot share the same email address.
04
Watch for an email with instructions for completing your background check.
05
Allow four to six weeks for your application to go through the approval process.
06
Once notified via email of your acceptance by the Department of Health, return to the Patient and Caregiver Registry to pay the fee to get your medical marijuana caregiver card.
Reciprocity
Pennsylvania does not have reciprocity, and does not recognize medical cards from out-of-state.
A Pennsylvania medical marijuana card is valid in some states with medical marijuana reciprocity.
The following states accept or recognize out-of-state cards:
- Arizona
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- US Virgin Islands
- Utah
- Washington, D.C.
Articles
See more posts
The Ultimate Guide to Getting a Medical Marijuana Card
Telehealth services like Leafwell make it easy to get a medical marijuana card, but meeting with a cannabis doctor is only the first part of the process.
What Is CBD?
Discover CBD, or Cannabidiol and learn more about the properties this key chemical in cannabis has for medical marijuana patients.
What Is It Like to See a Medical Marijuana Doctor?
What is it like to see a medical marijuana doctor? Learn more about the process, and what to expect during your Leafwell visit, in our guide.
Frequently asked questions in Pennsylvania
How much does a Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana certificate and card cost?
Medical marijuana certificate on its own = $149 at Leafwell
State application fee = $50. Those participating in Medicaid, PACE/ PACENET, CHIP, SNAP, or WIC may qualify to have their application fee reduced to $0.
Renewal fee = $99
Plus, now you can sign up with a friend and each save 10% on your consultation with Leafwell.
What medical conditions qualify for a Medical Marijuana Card in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, the following conditions may qualify you for a medical marijuana certificate and card:
- AIDS/HIV
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis aka Lou Gehrig’s Disease
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Cancer
- Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
- Coeliac Disease
- Colitis
- Crohn’s Disease
- Damage to the Spinal Cord
- Dyskinetic and Spastic Movement Disorders
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Huntington’s Disease
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBDs)
- Intractable Seizures
- Intractable Spasticity
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Neuropathic Pain
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Severe chronic/intractable pain
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- Terminal Illness
- Tourette’s Syndrome
How does the online evaluation process work for getting a Medical Marijuana Recommendation Letter/Medical Certificate in Pennsylvania?
There are four simple steps to seeing a Leafwell provider in Pennsylvania to obtain your medical marijuana card:
1. Register on the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program website. Receive your patient number immediately after registering.
2. Create a Leafwell account using a valid email address and choosing a password. You’ll then be asked to complete a brief questionnaire of personal and health information and to either take or upload a photograph of identification (Leafwell is required by law to verify your identity). You will need a smartphone, computer, or tablet with a reliable internet connection and a working camera to be seen by a Leafwell provider.
3. Next, you will be taken to the virtual waiting room where you’ll be connected Leafwell provider for a video chat (i.e., a virtual doctor’s visit). (You will receive a text message to your cell phone when the provider is ready to see you.) During the video chat, the provider will assess your health situation to determine if you qualify for a medical marijuana certification.
4. If you are approved for a medical marijuana card, you’ll be sent a copy of your recommendation letter via email. You can then return to the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Program website to complete your application for your card.
How old do I have to be to apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Pennsylvania?
You must be at least 18 years of age in order to apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Pennsylvania. Caregivers must be 21 years of age.
Can I be/have a caregiver for a medical marijuana patient in Pennsylvania?
Yes, medical marijuana patients in Pennsylvania can have a caregiver. An individual 21 years of age or older, unless authorized by the department, can serve as a caregiver. Caregivers must register with the Department of Health and follow the instructions to complete a criminal history background check with the commonwealth’s authorized vendor.
In order to register as a patient’s caregiver, you must have a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license or PA state-issued ID card. If the patient is already registered, you will need the patient’s name, date of birth and patient ID number.
You cannot be a caregiver if you have been convicted of a criminal offense relating to the sale or possession of drugs, narcotics or controlled substances within the last five years. Caregivers may provide care for up to five patients.
To apply as a caregiver, follow this process:
- You will need to fill out a patient and caregiver application form. If the patient is already registered, you will need their patient ID number.
- You must complete the appropriate application form. All caregivers must complete a background check.
- You will need to submit a physician’s medical marijuana certificate.
- Both the Caregiver and the patient will receive a medical marijuana identification card, except in cases where a patient will not be visiting a dispensary.
How do I apply for the state program in Pennsylvania?
Before you start, have these supporting documents ready:
- A credit or debit card
Getting Your Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Card
- 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!
- Log back into the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Registry
- Complete the application
- Pay the $50 fee
- Patients who participate in assistance programs, including Medicaid, PACE/PACENET, CHIP, SNAP, and WIC, may qualify to have their application fee reduced to $0.
- Receive your card in the mail
- The state will mail your medical card to your address. It normally takes 1-2 weeks to arrive after you’ve paid the fee
- Legally purchase cannabis from an approved dispensary
- 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.