FAQs - Kentucky Medical Marijuana Card

For one to qualify, they must be residents of Kentucky, not having any disqualifying felony conviction, have any one of the qualifying medical conditions, and finally see an authorized medical cannabis practitioner to obtain a written certification that allows them to use medical cannabis. Applicants should be at least 18 years old, but minors may participate.

The qualifying conditions include cancer in any type or form; chronic, severe, intractable, or debilitating pain; epilepsy or any intractable seizure disorder; multiple sclerosis; muscle spasms or spasticity; chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome, which has been resistant to other forms of treatment; post-traumatic stress disorder; and any other disease for which Kentucky Center for Cannabis deems medicinal cannabis to be appropriate.

Anxiety cannot be a sole qualifying condition for obtaining a Kentucky Medical Marijuana Card. If your ailment is not included on the official list of Kentucky’s qualifying conditions, you are not eligible to apply for the medical marijuana card currently. Kentucky physicians do not certify patients for any ailment not on this list, no matter how similar the symptoms might be. However, if your anxiety disorder is the result of PTSD, then you could qualify.

The Kentucky medical marijuana card state fee is $25 per year. The Kentucky physician fee is separate from the $25 state fee, where Kentucky Cannabis Docs charge $149 per physician certification. The caregiver registration fee is $25 as well.

From January 1, 2025, qualifying patients can make an application for a Kentucky Medical Marijuana Card through the online registry portal at kymedcan.ky.gov. In addition, a paper application is available. Nonetheless, it should be noted that the initial medical consultation should presently take place in-person as the telemedicine service is offered solely for the renewal application.

Your full name, residential address, telephone number, email address, date of birth, Social Security number, and driver’s license number; Written Certification by your medical cannabis practitioner; Your medical cannabis practitioner’s name, residential address, and telephone number; Notarized statement that you will not transfer medical cannabis to any individual who is not authorized to possess such cannabis.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services will confirm receipt of your application within 15 days after you submit it. It may take up to 30 days for approval by the state; thus, scheduling your medical marijuana evaluation in advance will help you get your marijuana products right away.

The card will remain valid for one year unless it is noted by the issuing medical cannabis practitioner that the date of expiration should be sooner. This implies that you have to go through the process of certification and renewal annually.

Renewal of your Kentucky medical marijuana card can be done by booking an appointment with a medical marijuana doctor in Kentucky, obtaining your written certification, applying for the medical card via the Registry Portal, paying the application fees, which cost $25, and waiting for your approval.

Yes, telehealth services can be used to renew certifications. In Kentucky, physicians can certify individuals renewing their certification for the use of medical marijuana, but the patient does not have to consult the original physician certifying them. The individual should renew their certification using the same online Patient and Caregiver Registry Portal as they used for the first time.

When your medical marijuana card expires, you no longer have any legal cover that allows you to legally possess, purchase, or use medical marijuana in Kentucky. It is important to know that recreational marijuana is still illegal in Kentucky, and therefore, you cannot legally access the drug through any other means except having a valid card.

Children below the age of 18 can apply for a medical marijuana card in Kentucky, but must have a caregiver to help them. Although children can qualify to have medical marijuana, they are not allowed by law in Kentucky to purchase or possess the drug; they will be helped by their caregiver. The minors should present documents of their diagnosis from another practitioner besides the one issuing the cannabis certification.

If you are appointed as a guardian, limited guardian, conservator, or limited conservator, you are eligible to be named a caregiver. In case of minors, the parent or legal guardian who holds the healthcare decisions of the patient is eligible to be named as a designated caregiver. A caregiver can only assist up to three registered and qualified patients at once.

Individuals who hold a valid medical marijuana card from another state are eligible for a visiting qualified patient card to access the drug in Kentucky dispensaries. Individuals eligible for this card must be at least 21 years old, not be found guilty of any disqualifying felony offenses, hold a valid medical marijuana card from another state, and have documentation of being diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition.

Medical cannabis can only be purchased through dispensaries that have been licensed by the Office of Medical Cannabis. The Office has licensed 48 dispensaries throughout Kentucky, and as more dispensaries open, the information about where they are located can be found on the Office’s official website, which is available at kymedcan.ky.gov. 

Legal cannabis products include edible forms of cannabis, oils, tinctures, vapes, and cannabis plant material. People who can buy vape products must be older than 21 years. It is against Kentucky law for people to smoke cannabis plant material; hence, all packages containing cannabis plant material in Kentucky should carry a statement that says, “Not for consumption by smoking.” 

Kentucky’s medical marijuana program has a visiting patient provision whereby individuals who have a card in another state can buy up to a 10-day supply of medical cannabis after registration. Regarding taking your Kentucky card to another state, reciprocities differ – always check the current cannabis authority policies in the destination state because carrying cannabis across state lines is still a federal crime.

By holding your Kentucky registry identification card, you will show proof to law enforcement that you have registered with the Kentucky Medical Marijuana Program’s Patient Registry, which means that you are legally allowed to possess, transport, and consume medical cannabis products. Neither qualified patients, medical practitioners, caregivers, nor dispensary workers are criminally or civilly liable for any act done in conformity with the law, and neither shall the patient be denied organ transplants and other medical services due to the use of medical cannabis.

Certainly. The application could be rejected for having a disqualifying felony conviction, failing to furnish the necessary documentation, not meeting the eligibility criteria of a qualifying health condition, or not having proof of Kentucky residency. A disqualifying felony includes those offenses that would make an individual a violent offender according to KRS 439.3401, or offenses involving any state or federal controlled substances act, which is classified as a felony, but there are exemptions when the felony offense is related to only marijuana possession or when the offense has occurred more than five years ago.