How Do I Get a Missouri Medical Marijuana Card?
Book An Online Appointment
One of the great things about the Missouri medical marijuana program is that you can do your evaluation 100% online. In most instances, approvals with MMJ Card Online are fast, and can be completed with our network of doctors in as little as 10 minutes. To get started, simply fill out the form at the top of this page and click the “Get Started” button.
Our consultations typically last 10 to 15 minutes, and involve one of our physicians reviewing your medical records with you. The doctor will ask a variety of questions to determine your candidacy for medical marijuana in Missouri. After the telemedicine call, we will be able to tell you immediately whether you’re eligible for a medical cannabis card.
Get Your Official MMJ Patient ID Number with the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program
Most Missouri residents qualify for a ‘Standard Physician Certification Form.’ However, if you’re looking for a higher monthly dosage, you may request and complete an ‘Alternative Physician Certification Form,’ which allows you to purchase higher potency cannabis in state-licensed dispensaries. In Missouri, you must complete two of these forms signed by two medical marijuana doctors. This sounds a little confusing, but don’t worry – your application will be reviewed by two doctors when you do an online consultation with MMJ Card Online. If one of the doctors recommends a limit different from what the form states, you will only be able to use the smaller of the two dosages.
Once approved, your status will be active with the online Missouri Medical Marijuana (MMMP) Portal. Luckily, in Missouri you don’t have to wait to receive a physical card in the mail before you can start purchasing cannabis. If approved after your telemedicine call, we will send you your Missouri MMJ ID number via email, which you can use to start purchasing cannabis immediately at most dispensaries.
Visit a Missouri Cannabis Dispensary and Purchase Your Meds!
The Missouri medical marijuana card application really is that simple. In many instances, applicants are able to start purchasing medical cannabis at Missouri dispensaries just a couple of hours after completing their online telemedicine call with MMJ Card Online. In rare instances, the DHSS may take up to 30 days to evaluate an application (which our team of doctors will submit on your behalf). Once approved, you will receive an email and a patient ID (which you can print if you want to have a physical card). Since Missouri doesn’t issue physical cards, however, your ID number is all you need to buy medical cannabis from a licensed Missouri dispensary.
How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Missouri: A Step-by-Step Summary
- Fill out the MMJ card form at the top of this page
- Schedule an online consultation with our team of MMJ Card Online doctors
- Register online with the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) Portal (don’t worry.. we take care of this step for you)
- Receive your Missouri Medical Cannabis Patient ID Number
- Visit a licensed Missouri Medical Marijuana dispensary
- Start buying meds!
Quick Checklist: How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Missouri
- Review the list of qualifying medical conditions (see below) to check your qualification for an MMJ card in Missouri
- During your consultation, be sure to discuss with the doctor why you believe medical marijuana will help you and your condition(s)
- Don’t forget to request the Missouri Alternative Physician Certification Form if you think you’ll want a higher dosage of cannabis meds
- If you’re approved, don’t forget to visit the DHSS website to complete your online registration within 30 days (we’ll send you reminder emails about this)
- Print your patient ID number so you always have it on hand (this isn’t mandatory, but we recommend it so you always have proof that you’re a legal MO medical marijuana patient)
- If you’re new to medical cannabis, be sure to speak with the budtenders at the dispensary, as they’ll be able to offer additional guidance on the best medical cannabis products for you
Missouri Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
You must meet the following criteria in order to qualify for a Missouri medical marijuana card:
- Missouri resident
- Age 18 or older
- Have at least one of the state’s qualifying medical conditions (listed below)
Medical Cannabis in Missouri: Patient Qualifying Conditions
The list of qualifying medical conditions that make you eligible for a medical card in Missouri is quite long. They include, but are not limited to:
- HIV/AIDS
- Glaucoma
- Cancer
- Any terminal illness
- Epilepsy
- Neuropathies
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Cachexia/wasting syndrome
- Autism
- Alzheimer’s disease agitation
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Sickle cell anemia
- Huntingdon’s disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Psychiatric disorders
- Severe/persistent pain/muscle spasms
- Intractable migraines that don’t respond to other treatments
- According to a physician’s professional judgment, any chronic, debilitating, or other medical condition
Additional Guidelines
Caregiver Rules
In Missouri, all medical cannabis caregivers must complete a Patient Authorization Form, which includes the patient ID number of the person they’ll be an active caregiver for. Caregivers must meet the following criteria:
- Missouri resident
- Age 21 or older
- Pay the $27.76 caregiver registration fee
- Pay the $110.99 caregiver cultivation fee (only if you plan on growing marijuana on behalf of your patient)
*Missouri medical cannabis caregivers are permitted to help up to three medical marijuana patients. A medical marijuana patient is allowed to choose up to two caregivers.
*All minors who apply for a medical marijuana card in Missouri must have a caregiver unless they are emancipated.
Medical Marijuana Card Renewal in Missouri
In Missouri, medical cannabis cards are valid for a year. Ideally, you’ll begin the medical marijuana card renewal process 60 days before it expires. Fortunately, the renewal process is quick and easy as long as you complete your initial registration with MMJ Card Online. Approximately 60 days before your MO MMJ card is set to expire, we will automatically begin the online renewal process for you. (You will however need to complete a specific section in the MMMP Registry Portal).
Want to Learn More? (A Brief History of Cannabis in Missouri)
In November 2018, approximately two-thirds of voters said “yes” to Amendment 2, legalizing medical marijuana in Missouri. It spelled the end of a remarkable journey in a state that fiercely fought against medical cannabis for many years. Legal sales didn’t begin until 2020, but the Missouri medical marijuana program is thriving.
Marijuana advocates in Missouri received even better news in November 2022. Voters approved Amendment 3, which legalizes recreational marijuana within the state. The new Missouri law took effect in December 2022, and sales began in February 2023.
Missouri Medical Marijuana: Laws and Rules
Until 2014, Missouri residents could go to prison for possessing any marijuana. However, thanks to Senate Bill 491, individuals no longer went to jail for possessing up to 10 grams of the substance.
SB 491 came into effect in January 2017. While it removed the threat of imprisonment, it didn’t change the fact that marijuana possession without a medical marijuana card was a misdemeanor offense. If caught, you could receive a fine of up to $500. A second offense could see you spend a year in prison.
For the record, possessing 35+ grams was a felony until voters approved Amendment 3. If convicted, you could have spent up to seven years in jail.
Now, the legalization of recreational marijuana means that adults aged 21+ can possess up to three ounces. However, anyone caught selling marijuana without the correct license could spend up to four years in prison if convicted, as it is a felony offense.
Amendment 3 also made it legal for adults to grow marijuana without an MMJ card. The penalties for this offense were severe before recreational cannabis became legal. Cultivating any amount was a felony, and you could spend up to four years in jail!
What Kind of Medical Cannabis Products Can I Purchase in MO?
There are no noteworthy restrictions on holders of a Missouri medical marijuana card. You’ll find that dispensaries sell a wide range of products, including:
- Pre-rolls
- Vaporizers
- Marijuana flower
- Concentrates
- Edibles
How Much Medical Cannabis Can I Buy & Possess?
Missouri has kind of a weird system when it comes to how much cannabis MMJ cardholders are allowed to purchase. They use a system called Missouri Marijuana Equivalency (MME) units, with MMJ patients alotted 32 MMEs per month (every 30 days). One MME is defined as the following:
- 3.5 grams of flower
- 1 gram of THC concentrate
- 100mg of a THC-infused product
So for example, if you went into the dispensary and purchased 3.5 grams of flower and 1 gram of concentrate, you would use up 2 of your 32 MMEs for the month.
Where Can I Legally Purchase MMJ in Missouri?
As a Missouri medical marijuana patient, you must purchase your meds in a state-licensed Missouri Medical Cannabis Dispensary. There are a maximum 192 active dispensary licenses with the DHSS; eight congressional MO districts, each containing 24 dispensaries. The state’s medical marijuana laws allow for additional Missouri dispensaries, as long as there is enough demand.
Can I Take My MMJ to a Different State?
No. Marijuana remains a federally prohibited substance. Therefore, traveling across state lines with it in your possession is illegal.
According to Missouri’s medical marijuana program, there is no reciprocity between MO and other states. As a result, visitors with valid cards from other states are not entitled to purchase medical marijuana in Missouri.
Also, it is important to remember that you’re only allowed to consume medical marijuana in a private residence. (Public consumption is not permitted, for active Missouri Medical Marijuana patients).
Can I Grow Marijuana in Missouri with an MMJ Card?
Yes. However, you must fill in a different application form and pay an additional fee. When completing the form, include the address where you intend to grow the marijuana. Furthermore, completing the form gives the DHSS permission to inspect your garden at any time.
Missouri medical marijuana cardholders can grow a maximum of 18 plants. However, only six can be flowering at any one time. The maximum number of non-flowering plants is also six, and the definition relates to plants less than 14 inches tall. Patients can also grow a maximum of six clones.
Two medical marijuana patients can combine their allowances and cultivate a maximum of 12 mature plants, 12 non-mature plants, and 12 clones in a single, locked location. This allowance increases to 18 of each plant if one of the medical marijuana patients happens to be a caregiver for another patient.
FAQ: Applying for an MMJ Card in Missouri
With MMJ Card Online, you can get approved online in as little as 10 minutes with a brief telemedicine consultation with one of our friendly physicians (simply fill out the form at the top of this page to get started). If you decide to submit an application yourself, the DHSS may take up to 30 days to process your application.
MMJ Card Online has a historically high approval rate for Missouri applicants. (To increase your chances of success, please read our 100% free eBook: 'How to Pass Your Medical Cannabis Evaluation'). In the unlikely event that you’re not approved, you will receive a full refund.
Applicants must pay a patient registry fee of $27.76. (The renewal fee is the same). If you want to cultivate marijuana, you must pay an additional $110.99. If you go to a medical marijuana doctor consultation in Missouri, fees can range anywhere from $200-$300. With MMJ Card Online's fast telemedicine consultations, however, the cost is just $49.
Yes. If you are 17 or under, you can apply for medical marijuana in Missouri. However, you need a parent or legal guardian as a caregiver. Alternatively, emancipated minors can apply without the need for a caregiver.