How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Minnesota
Get Certified Online
Before you can enroll in the Minnesota MMJ program, a Minnesota-licensed physician, physician assistant, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse registered with the Medical Cannabis Registry must certify your medical condition online. MMJCardOnline can help you get in touch with a medical provider quickly, making this process easier for you.
Be sure to disclose any current medications during your online consultation.
Enroll Online
Before you begin your online enrollment, make sure that you have the following:
- A government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport. Make sure your ID shows your current address.
- If you are applying for the lower annual registration fee, please bring your government medical assistance plan document.
- Take a photo of your ID and, if applicable, a medical assistance plan document with a digital camera or mobile phone.
- If applying on behalf of a minor, an ID from a parent/legal guardian
- If appropriate, a birth certificate/marriage certificate
- To pay the annual enrollment fee, enter your checking/savings account routing information or credit/debit card details.
After paying the enrollment fee, you will receive an email with a payment confirmation. Your completed enrollment application will then be reviewed by staff from the Office of Medical Cannabis. This could take up to 30 days, and you will be notified by email after your application has been processed. If the Office of Medical Cannabis requires additional information, they may contact you by email.
Please note patients enrolled in Minnesota’s Medical Cannabis Program must re-enroll each year if they wish to continue participating in the program.
Visit a Dispensary and Start Buying Meds!
After your enrollment is accepted, you can access your Medical Cannabis Registry account
and collect medical marijuana from your local Medical Cannabis Dispensary.
Before you visit a dispensary, you or your caregiver must complete and submit the Patient Self-Evaluation online (accessible in your Medical Cannabis Registry account). Every time you require medical cannabis, you must complete a new Patient Self-Evaluation. Then make your appointment to schedule a time to collect your medical marijuana.
Please be aware that The Office of Medical Cannabis does not approve or administer medical cannabis. Staff at the Medical Cannabis Dispensary will review and approve your Patient Self-Evaluation prior to or at the time of pick up.
You will need to bring the following items with you.
- Your government-issued ID (your caregiver must bring their ID while picking up medication for you).
- A list of your current medications (for the first session or if your meds change).
- The visit summary from your healthcare provider who certified your condition (during the initial appointment).
Payment for your medicine. Please note that payment options vary depending on the location of the dispensary.
How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Minnesota
- A Step-by-Step Guide
- Check your eligibility
- Schedule an appointment with a licensed healthcare provider
- Attend your appointment and be certified as a qualifying patient
- Submit your application within 90 days of being certified
- Receive your unique online registration link for the Medical Cannabis Registry
- Enroll online and pay your enrollment fee
- Be approved
- Complete and submit the Patient Self Evaluation online and visit a dispensary
Minnesota Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
You must have been diagnosed with one or more of the following qualifying medical conditions to enroll with the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program:
Patient Qualifying Conditions
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Autism spectrum disorder (must meet DSM-5)
- Chronic motor or vocal tic disorder
- Cancer*
- Chronic pain
- HIV/AIDS
- Glaucoma
- Intractable pain
- Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome (effective Aug. 1, 2023)
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (effective Aug. 1, 2023)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those associated with multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Sickle cell disease
- Terminal illness, with a probable life expectancy of less than one year*
- Tourette syndrome
*If your illness or its treatment produces one or more of the following: severe or chronic pain; nausea or severe vomiting; or cachexia or severe wasting.
General Guidelines
In the next sections, we will outline how to re-enroll with the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program and provide you with important information regarding caregiver rules.
Medical Marijuana Card Renewal in Minnesota
Your enrollment in the Minnesota MMJ Program is valid for one year. Re-enrolling for the following year entails paying the $200 fee and having a licensed healthcare provider re-certify your condition.
The Minnesota Department of Health will send you email reminders 60 and 30 days before your current enrollment in the program expires. You must fill out the re-enrollment application and pay through the certification link that is supplied to you once a healthcare provider has approved you.
Caregiver Rules
Caregivers, legal guardians, spouses, and parents are permitted to assist patients with registration with the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program. They can also pick up MMJ on the patient’s behalf. A separate caregiver application process is in place, which includes a criminal history background check.
History of Cannabis in Minnesota
On May 29, 2014, the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Act became law. On that day, Governor Mark Dayton signed legislation allowing medical marijuana for individuals who meet one of nine criteria. Registration for the program began in June 2015, with participants gaining access to medical marijuana the following month.
It was regarded as the most stringent MMJ program in the country at the time. More qualifying conditions were later added, making more patients to be eligible to apply for medical marijuana than before.
In May 2023, Governor Walz signed House File 100 into law, which legalized recreational marijuana in Minnesota. The law comes into effect in August 2023, but legal sales may not begin until late 2024 or early 2025. Therefore, the only way to legally BUY marijuana in Minnesota is to get an MMJ card.
Minnesota Medical Marijuana Laws and Rules
Minnesota essentially decriminalized the possession of up to 42.5 grams of marijuana in 1976, reducing the punishment to a minor misdemeanor punishable by a $200 fine. If you were caught with more than this quantity, the offense was elevated to a felony. This might have resulted in a 5-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine.
However, the legalization of recreational marijuana has changed things. From August 2023, adults aged 21+ can use, possess, and cultivate marijuana, although there is nowhere to legally buy it. The law allows for a generous possession limit of up to two ounces.
The possession of over two ounces may result in you receiving a fine of $300. A potential prison term of up to 90 days awaits if you’re found in the possession of over four ounces of marijuana.
Illegally selling small quantities of marijuana could result in a small fine. A 90-day jail term is a possibility of you’re convicted of illegally selling more than two ounces. Incidentally, under the recreational law, it is legal for adults to grow up to eight plants in a private residence, four of which can be mature.
Surprisingly, it appears that Minnesota unintentionally legalized hemp-derived THC food and beverages. There is a widespread belief that Republican lawmakers either did not read Statute 151.72, which was passed into law in July 2022 or did not comprehend its ramifications. It allows for a maximum of 5mg of THC per serving and a maximum of 50mg of THC per product.
For the most up-to-date marijuana-related rules and laws in Minnesota, which are changing quickly, visit the official site regularly.
What Types of Cannabis Can I Purchase in Minnesota?
Previously, approved patients could only purchase marijuana in particular forms. Liquids, tablets, creams, oil concentrates, and lozenges were among them. Eventually, state lawmakers allowed patients to inhale dry marijuana flower. This came into effect in 2022. As a result, patients enrolled in the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program can now buy almost any form of marijuana.
How Much Cannabis Can I Buy and Possess?
MMJ patients in Minnesota are limited to a 90-day supply. As a result, there is no set limit on how much you can buy or possess because it varies from patient to patient.
When your CPC medical cannabis supply runs out, you must log in to your Patient Account and fill out another Patient Self Evaluation Form. Once completed, you may return to the CPC to obtain your next supply of medication.
Where can I Legally Purchase MMJ in Minnesota?
Minnesota has 15 cannabis patient centers at the time of writing. Green Goods and RISE are the only two providers at the moment. Unfortunately, MMJ patients in some areas of Minnesota must travel significant distances to obtain their prescription. For some, a four-hour round trip is not uncommon.
Can I Take my MMJ to a Different State?
No. Marijuana remains federally illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. It is thus unlawful to travel across state lines with marijuana in your possession.
FAQ About Getting an MMJ Card in Minnesota
Enrollments are processed in the order the Minnesota MMJ program receives them. As a result, being approved to enroll could take up to 30 days.
Users of MMJCardOnline have an extremely high approval rate. To increase your chances of success, please read the information in this guide before applying. In the unlikely event, you're not approved, you will receive a full refund.
It costs $200 to register with the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program, and the patient must also pay a consultation fee to the certifying healthcare provider of around $200. However, patients receiving Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability, Medicaid, MNCare, IHS, or CHAMPVA are eligible for reduced application/renewal fees. A valid ID is required. Those who can provide these documents may be eligible for a $50 fee reduction.