FAQs - Washington DC Medical Marijuana Card

Residents of any age who suffer from a debilitating medical condition will be eligible to apply for the program in DC. Adults above the age of 21 don’t need a doctor’s recommendation as they can self-certify. People aged 18-20 will have to get a face-to-face certification from a physician. Even minors can qualify for the program, provided that a parent/guardian applies for them.

DC has stopped maintaining the list of qualifying conditions. Any debilitating condition determined by a qualified medical practitioner who believes that medical cannabis will help the patient is now considered a qualifying condition. People above the age of 21 can become eligible without a doctor at all due to the self-certification process.

Yes, because there is no list of conditions that qualify for DC, anxiety may qualify based on the judgment of a physician, or if adults aged 21 years and above self-attest their condition. DC is one of the jurisdictions in which anxiety, depression, and other psychological conditions can easily qualify through the broad criteria of the program.

In 2025, residents of DC can have their registration fees fully waived – the electronic card is free. But if you need a physical card, a $10 fee applies. The registration fees for non-residents of DC will be between $10 and $100 for three days and one year, respectively.

Yes. Adult DC residents can apply entirely online through the ABCA portal, including the self-certification option for those 21 and older. Upon submission, you’ll receive a temporary digital registration valid for 90 days while your application is reviewed. Applications for minor patients must be submitted in person, by mail, or by email.

Valid photo identification showing that the applicant is a resident of DC (e.g., a DC driver’s license or state ID) is required by the DC residents. Additionally, applicants who fall under the age range of 18–20 years have to show the recommendation number from their healthcare providers.

As soon as your application gets processed, you’ll receive an immediate temporary digital registration card valid for 90 days. You can use the temporary registration card for shopping at dispensaries straight away. The approval process itself takes 90 days. If any other information is required, ABCA will contact you via email.

For all new DC resident patient registrations beginning on March 2, 2025, registrations will be issued for two years. All registrations that have been issued before that date for six years remain valid until the expiration date listed on the registration. Non-resident temporary registrations may be issued for 3, 30, 90, 180, or 365 days.

The process of renewing is similar to the process of applying. You should log in to the ABCA portal, update your information, and fill out the renewal application. Individuals who are 21 or older can recertify themselves online. Individuals who are between 18 and 20 years old must obtain a new recommendation from a healthcare provider. There is no fee required for renewals for DC residents at the moment. Only the $10 cost of the card applies.

Yes. Renewals for DC residents are made through the ABCA portal online. In contrast to initial applications for individuals who are 18-20 years old, telemedicine is acceptable in the case of renewals.

Once your registration expires, you lose authorization to purchase medical cannabis from licensed DC retailers. You must reapply through the ABCA portal, and you’ll receive a new 90-day temporary digital registration upon submission to cover you during processing. It’s best to renew before expiration to avoid any interruption.

Yes. Non-residents aged 21 and older can apply for a temporary patient registration, valid from 3 days to 365 days. Alternatively, visitors from any of the 40+ U.S. states and territories that DC recognizes through reciprocity can simply present their valid home-state medical card and a government-issued ID at any licensed DC dispensary.

Yes. A qualifying patient can designate one caregiver who is authorized to purchase, possess, transport, and administer medical cannabis on their behalf. Caregivers must apply separately with the ABCA – there is no fee for caregiver registration. Caregivers must not currently serve as a caregiver for another patient and must have no prior drug-related felony convictions.

From the perspective of law, Initiative 71 permits individuals who are above 21 years old to carry up to two ounces of marijuana and plant them; however, the sale of marijuana for recreational purposes is prohibited until the ban under the Harris Rider is lifted. This makes the medical card necessary since this is the only way one can legally purchase cannabis in a dispensary.

As a cardholder, one can legally buy up to 8 ounces of cannabis in a month from the dispensary, enjoy stronger strains of marijuana, benefit from lower tax rates than the recreational ones, and buy the marijuana legally at 18 years old rather than 21 years old. The purchases will be recorded only using your patient number and not your name.

Medical marijuana patients in DC can purchase up to 8 ounces of cannabis per 30-day period from licensed retailers. A wide variety of product forms are available, including flower, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, topicals, vapes, and transdermal patches, as well as seeds and seedlings for home cultivation.

It depends on the destination state’s reciprocity laws. States that may accept a DC card include New Jersey, Maine, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, though requirements vary. Always verify the current rules of your destination state before traveling, as carrying cannabis across state lines – including into or out of DC – is federally illegal.

Yes. According to Initiative 71, adults above 21 years old, including medical patients in Washington DC, can grow up to six plants in their residences, with only three plants being mature and flowering at once. In case several adults reside in one house, the limit will be increased to 12 plants with six mature ones.

Yes. An application can be rejected in case an applicant provides incomplete or wrong information, is not a Washington DC resident, or does not satisfy age requirements. In case the applicant has provided an incomplete application, he/she will be notified within 60 days of receiving a notice about the missing information. Providing incorrect information will be considered illegal under DC laws.