Qualifying Conditions & Requirements for a Medical Marijuana Card in Kentucky

Patients below 18 will be able to get medical marijuana in Kentucky as long as they have a qualifying condition. However, they must receive consent from their custodial parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian must serve as the child’s caregiver.

While minors can qualify for medical cannabis, Kentucky law bars them from buying or possessing the medicine. Instead, their caregiver will assist them.

The requirements for minors to get the Kentucky medical marijuana card include:

• Kentucky residency
• Written certification from a medical cannabis practitioner
• Custodial parent or legal guardian consent
• No disqualifying felony offense convictions
• Under 18 years old
• Documentation of diagnosis of a qualifying medical condition by a practitioner other than the certifying cannabis doctor

The role of a caregiver is to assist qualified patients with buying and administering medical cannabis.

To become a caregiver, you must meet the following qualifications:

• Resident of Kentucky
• At least 21 years old
• No disqualifying felony offense convictions
• Assisting no more than 3 registered patients
• Custodial parent or legal guardian responsible for health care decisions for a minor qualified patient

As mentioned earlier, minors in Kentucky need a caregiver to access medical marijuana. This caregiver must be the child’s custodial parent or legal guardian responsible for their healthcare decisions.

Also, a registered patient can designate their guardian, limited guardian, conservator, or limited conservator as a caregiver in Kentucky.

When applying as a caregiver in Kentucky, you must provide the following information and documentation:

• Applicant’s identifiable information
• Name and registry ID card number of the qualified patient
• Designated caregiver information and attestation
• Attestation of information sharing
• Notarized signature form

The standard caregiver application and renewal fee is $25. However, caregivers approved for a medical cannabis card during calendar year 2025 qualify for a waiver of the $25 renewal application fee in 2026.

Kentucky requires residency for its medical marijuana card. Still, out-of-state patients with valid MMJ cards can also access medicinal cannabis once it becomes available.

Below are the qualifications out-of-state patients must meet to get medical cannabis:

• Be a non-resident of Kentucky or a new Kentucky resident who has resided in the state for fewer than 30 days.
• Be at least 21 years old.
• Have no disqualifying felony offense.
• Have a valid out-of-state medical marijuana card.
• Have documentation showing a diagnosis of one of the Kentucky medical marijuana conditions.

Visiting patients with a valid out-of-state medical cannabis card may apply for a Kentucky visiting qualified patient card to legally access medical cannabis in Kentucky. The visiting patient card costs $25.

To apply for a Kentucky visiting qualified patient card, out-of-state patients must provide the following information and documentation:

• Applicant’s identifying information
• Copy of a valid out-of-state registry identification card
• Proof of a qualifying medical condition
• Applicable application fee
• Notarized signature page confirming the patient will not divert medical cannabis to unauthorized individuals

Yes. Kentucky residents aged 18 and older with a valid medical marijuana card can use medical cannabis. Additionally, qualifying minors (patients below 18) can use medical cannabis as long as their parent or legal guardian consents and serves as their caregiver.

Kentucky medical marijuana laws define a disqualifying felony offense as:

• Any violent felony under KRS 439.3401
• A felony drug conviction, except for:
  • Offenses completed over 5 years ago
  • Conduct not considered a crime under current law if it happened before this law or was prosecuted outside Kentucky