The Missouri Medical Marijuana Card Application Process

Reviewed by Dr. Shatha Atiya, PsyD. Updated October 10, 2024

How To Apply   |   Other Applications   |   Medical Marijuana Program   |   Rules   |   Key Takeaways   |   FAQs    Resources

Welcome to the best guide on applying for a medical marijuana card in Missouri!

By the end of this page, you will have the answers to these questions:

  • How do I complete the Missouri medical marijuana application?
  • What should I know about the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program?
  • What are the Missouri medical marijuana card rules?

All the information on this page comes from the official Missouri Department of Health & Social Services website. So, you can trust you are reading an accurate and up-to-date resource. Let’s begin.

How to Apply for a Missouri Medical Marijuana Card

You can complete your Missouri medical marijuana card application in two steps:

1. Get a physician certification form from a medical marijuana doctor in the state.

2. Register as a patient with the Missouri medical marijuana program.

* It is worth noting that Missouri only accepts online applications for medical cards.

Step 1: Get a Written Physician Certification From a Medical Marijuana Doctor in Missouri.

Getting certified for medical marijuana in Missouri is easy, especially with Quick Med Cards. You can get your physician certification form in less than 15 minutes. And the best part? You can do it from wherever you are! 

Here’s how to get your physician certification:

1. Create your account with Quick Med Cards.

2. Pick a time that is convenient for you.

3. Attend your appointment via video call.

That’s all!  If you’re approved, you’ll receive the physician certification form.

Step 2: Complete Your Medical Card Application on the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) Portal

You can now begin the medical marijuana application.

To make this step easier to navigate, we broke it down into two sections:

1.  Create your patient account on the MMMP portal.

2. Submit your Missouri medical marijuana card application.

Step-by-step instructions:

1.  Log in to your MMMP patient account.

2.  Create an adult patient application and fill out the ‘General Information’ tab.

3.  Enter your contact details.

4.  Submit your certification form.

5.  Proceed to the ‘Questions’ tab and answer the queries concerning your application.

6.  Next, upload the required documents.

7.  Finally, pay for your new MMMP card.

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Documents You'll Need for Your Missouri Medical Card Application

The Missouri Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) often rejects applications because applicants failed to submit all the required documents. Or because applicants submitted incomplete applications.

To avoid potential hurdles with your Missouri medical marijuana card application, we have listed all the documents you will need during the process. Ensure that you have digital copies of the following documents:

    1. Proof of Missouri residency. Either:

    • Missouri driver’s license,
    • MO state ID,
    • recent utility bill,
    • Missouri motor vehicle registration.

      2. A physician certification form (Your marijuana certification.) The certifying physician will also submit the form electronically to the MMMP.

      3. Federal or state-issued photo ID.

      4. Parental or legal guardian consent form for qualifying minors (patients under 18 years of age.)

      5. A clear, colored photo of your face that’s not more than three months old.

      6. Proof of receiving assistance from Missouri programs for low-income individuals. (If applicable)

      All set? Great! Let’s move on to the next step.

      How Do I Download My Missouri Medical Card?

      Once the MMMP approves your application, you can download your Missouri medical card. Navigate to the registry portal at mo-public.mycomplia.com and log in to your account. Next, click the ‘License Dashboard’ on the left-hand side of your screen to access your medical card. Afterward, click the button with the three horizontal bars below the ‘Actions’ column and select ‘Download License’ to download your Missouri medical card.

      How to Renew Your Missouri Medical Card

      Your Missouri MMMP card is valid for three years. And if you wish to keep using MMJ in the state, you should renew it.

      You can renew your Missouri medical card 60 days before it expires. That should give you enough time to get recertified for marijuana and submit a renewal application. And allow the MMMP to process your submission before your current card expires (the MMMP has 30 days to process patient applications.)

      Will I need to mark my calendar to track when to renew my Missouri medical card?

      Thankfully, no. The MMMP will remind you via email that you need to renew your med card. Expect reminder emails 60, 45, 30, and 15 days before your card expires.

      Renewing the Missouri medical card isn’t so different from the first-time registration. The only difference this time is that you won’t have to create a new patient account on the MMMP portal.

      So, confirm that you have the following documents:

      • A renewed physician certification form
      • A digital photo
      • Proof of Missouri residency
      • And government-issued photo ID

      Also important, ensure that you update any information change. For example, if there are any changes to your contact and cultivation information.

      How do you renew your Missouri medical marijuana card?

      1. Log into your registry account at mo-public.mycomplia.com.

      2. Click +Create Application.

      3. From the pop-up, select Patient Renewal, then click Create Application.

      4. Select your license number from the License Number drop-down and click Save.

      5. Proceed to edit each page within the renewal application.

      6. Move through each tab as you did during your initial registration to completion.

      Other Types of Medical Marijuana Applications in Missouri

      We’ve covered how to complete the Missouri medical marijuana application as an adult patient. But other groups can also apply for access to medical cannabis, such as minors and caregivers.

      Besides a medical card, you can also apply for a home cultivation license, which lets you grow cannabis at home.

      Missouri Medical Marijuana for Minors

      A patient under 18 years old may qualify for medical marijuana in Missouri. However, their parent or legal guardian must complete the application for them.

      As the parent or legal guardian of a qualifying minor, you must consent to cannabis treatment for their condition.

      Moreover, you must serve as their caregiver and apply for medical marijuana on their behalf. You can meet this prerequisite by filling out the Parent/Legal Guardian Consent Form.

      Also, it is worth mentioning that you must complete two applications when applying for medical marijuana in place of a minor.

      1. You will register the minor as a patient.

      2. Then, you will register as their primary caregiver.

      Once you complete the consent form, you can create an MMMP account using your credentials. When you log in, you will use the minor’s details to create an additional account.

      The rest of the registration process is similar to the adult patient application. So, enter all the required information and upload the necessary documents.

      The Missouri Caregiver Application

      A patient with a Missouri medical marijuana card can designate up to two individuals to assist them with cannabis treatment. The designated individuals will serve as primary caregivers.

      Caregivers can lawfully buy and possess medical marijuana on behalf of their patients. In addition, they can grow cannabis for their patients if they hold a patient cultivation card.

      To become a caregiver in Missouri:

      • You must be at least 21 years old.
      • A qualifying patient must designate you as their caregiver during their medical card application.

      Most importantly, when you become a caregiver, you are responsible for your patient’s well-being.

      To get started on your Missouri caregiver application, your patient must complete the Patient Authorization Form first. Then, you can proceed with the registration on the MMMP portal.

      Follow the directions below to apply as a caregiver in Missouri:

      1. Create your account at mo-public.mycomplia.com.

      2. Sign in to your MMMP account with your username and password.

      3. Click +Create New Application on the left-hand side of your screen.

      4. Select Caregiver on the drop-down that pops up.

      5. Select New Caregiver Registration, then click Create Application.

      6. Enter all the required information in every tab and ensure that you complete everything marked with an asterisk.

      7. Pay the $27.40 caregiver application fee.

      8. Download your caregiver card.

      Missouri Caregiver Rules

      As a caregiver, you can legally buy, possess, and, if you have a patient cultivation card, grow medical marijuana. However, you may jeopardize your status as a caregiver if you do not follow the Missouri caregiver rules.

      Pay attention to these rules that govern the Missouri caregiver program:

      • Caregivers are limited to serving six (6) qualifying patients.
      • A caregiver cannot serve a patient with two primary caregivers.
      • Inform the state program within ten (10) days if you are no longer entitled to serve as a primary caregiver or you no longer wish to hold a caregiver card.
      • Alert the MMMP within two (2) days if the medical marijuana you possess is stolen or lost.

      Missouri Home Cultivation License Application

      As a cannabis patient in Missouri, you can grow marijuana for your own medical consumption. But only if you apply for and receive a patient/caregiver cultivation license which costs an extra $54.80 on top of your medical marijuana card.

      Note! It is illegal to grow marijuana in Missouri if you do not have a patient/caregiver cultivation license–even if you have a valid medical card. 

      The patient cultivation card lets you grow a limited number of marijuana plants in an enclosed, locked facility. So, how do you apply for one?

      You can complete your Missouri home cultivation license application as you register for your med card. During the application process, indicate your intention to cultivate medical marijuana. And provide specific details of your home cultivation setup.

      Missouri Cultivation License Rules

      The Missouri home cultivation rules are straightforward. And it is necessary to comply with them to avoid any legal issues.

      The cultivation regulations cover everything, from plant limits to security requirements. So, familiarizing yourself with the rules is the best way to ensure that your home cultivation operation conforms to state law.

      Pay attention to the following Missouri home cultivation license rules:

      1. Only cultivate marijuana in an enclosed, locked facility.

      2. Do not grow more than six clones, six flowering, and six non-flowering marijuana plants in your enclosed growing space.

      3. Label all the flowering plants in your possession with your name. And if your caregiver grows marijuana for you, they must label the plants with your name.

      4. You cannot grow marijuana in a facility where state law or private contracts restrict cannabis cultivation.

      5. Conspicuously display your cultivation authorization within the cultivation area and close to the marijuana plants.

      6. Only one person in a patient-caregiver relationship can grow medical marijuana. So, only one of you gets to cultivate cannabis, not both.

      7. Minor patients are ineligible for the patient cultivation card (home cultivation license.)

      About The Missouri Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP)

      Missouri legalized medical marijuana in 2018 after voters approved Article XIV by a 65% majority. The constitutional amendment became effective a month after the voters’ decision. And as a result, it granted the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) the authority to license and regulate medical marijuana in Missouri.

      The DHSS coordinates the state’s medicinal cannabis program through the Missouri Medical Marijuana Regulatory Program (MMMP) in various ways. For instance,

      • The MMMP issues licenses to growers and dispensaries. 
      • Sets standards for the cultivation, transportation, and sale of medical marijuana. 
      • The program also tracks the sale of medical marijuana from seed to sale. 
      • Imposes fines or administrative penalties on licensees who violate the program’s rules. 
      • The Missouri medical marijuana program also develops forms, certificates, licenses, identification cards, and applications for patients and caregivers.

      From the get-go, the Missouri DHSS took a patient-centric approach to regulating therapeutic cannabis in the state. That is evident from the extensive public participation exercises it undertook even before the program’s launch.

      The result was one of the fastest implementations of a medical marijuana program in the United States. It took one year and eleven months since Missouri legalized medical cannabis to the date of the first sale. For context, West Virginia took four years and seven months. Delaware took four years and one month.

      To date, MO still keeps its patients first on matters concerning medical marijuana. For instance, on July 13, 2020, two months before the first-ever medical cannabis sale in MO, Governor Parson signed HB 1896 into law. As a result, patients could get certified via telemedicine. So, you can get approved for medical marijuana from home, wherever you are in MO. Give it a try! Book an appointment with one of our medical marijuana doctors in Missouri. It takes less than 15 minutes!

      In conclusion, the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) is a well-regulated program that benefits 117,199 qualified patients. In September 2024 alone, the department issued 962 new patient licenses.

      Missouri Medical Marijuana Card Rules

      The Missouri medical marijuana card comes with a lot of privileges. But it also comes with responsibilities in equal measure. As a cardholder, you should abide by all the Missouri medical marijuana rules. For example:

      • Get a new physician certification at least once a year to keep using medical marijuana.
      • You can only buy a maximum of six (6) ounces of dried, unprocessed marijuana every 30 days.
      • Do not possess more than a 60-day supply of medical marijuana if you do not grow or have cannabis grown on your behalf.
      • You can have a 90-day supply of cannabis in a property under your control if you or your primary caregiver cultivate it.
      • Store the medical marijuana you buy from Missouri dispensaries in its original packaging.
      • Do not consume medical marijuana in public unless stated otherwise by law.
      • Notify the state program within ten days if you are no longer entitled to medicinal cannabis or do not wish to hold an MMMP card.
      • Alert the MMMP if your medical marijuana gets stolen or lost.
      • You cannot be the primary caregiver to another patient if you have a caregiver.

      Key Takeaways

      • Missouri legalized medical marijuana in 2008. As a result, the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program came to be.
      • A Missouri cannabis doctor must certify you for MMJ, and you must complete an application on the Complia portal to get your medical marijuana card.
      • Eligible patients under 18 years old may get a medical marijuana card in Missouri if their parent/ legal guardian consents and acts as their caregiver.
      • Caregivers in Missouri must be at least 21.
      • The state fee for the Missouri medical marijuana card is $27.40.
      • Your Missouri medical card lets you buy up to 6 ounces of cannabis every 30 days.

      Common Questions About the Missouri Medical Marijuana Application

      Do you still have questions about the Missouri medical marijuana card application? Find the answers below.

      How do I get a med card in Missouri?

      If you want to get a med card in Missouri you need a physician certification from a medical marijuana doctor first.

      To get started:

      1. Schedule an appointment with our medical marijuana doctor in Missouri.

      2. Attend your marijuana evaluation via video call and get certified.

      3. Finally, complete your Missouri medical marijuana application on the MMMP portal.

      How much is a medical card in Missouri?

      It costs $27.40 for the Missouri medical card. And this price is valid till 30th June 2025.

      The Missouri Department of Health Services increases or decreases the $25 medical card fee annually, depending on the Consumer Price Index published by the U.S. Department of Labor.

      How much does it cost to renew your medical card in Missouri?

      Renewing your medical card in Missouri costs $27.40. And this rate is valid until 30th June 2025.

      The renewal cost of the Missouri medical marijuana card changes annually, owing to adjustments done by the MMMP. Besides the cost of the med card, you also need to get recertified annually. You can get recertified in minutes with Quick Med Cards for $45 to $149.

      How long does Missouri medical card last?

      Your Missouri medical card is valid for three (3) years.

      After it expires, you should renew it to keep using medical marijuana. The renewal process involves getting recertified by a medical marijuana doctor in MO. Also important, ensure you complete your renewal application within 30 days of receiving your physician certification.

      How long does the MMMP take to approve medical marijuana applications?

      By law, the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program has 30 days to process your application once you submit it.

      But, in most cases, it takes much less time. Often, the Department will approve your application within a few days or weeks. Usually, approval times vary because the MMMP processes applications in the order they are received.

      Can you get a medical card online in Missouri?

      Yes, you can get your medical card online in Missouri. In fact, the state only accepts online applications for the Missouri medical marijuana card.

      To get started, you will need to get a physician certification. Get yours today by booking an online appointment with one of our cannabis doctors in MO. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes. With your marijuana certification on hand, you can submit your medical card application on the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program Portal.

      Can you grow with a medical card in Missouri?

      You can grow marijuana in Missouri if you have a patient cultivation card in addition to your medical card.

      The patient cultivation card lets you grow six flowering marijuana plants, six non-flowering plants, plus six clones in an enclosed facility. It is worth noting that the patient cultivation card costs $54.80. And it is essential if you want to grow cannabis in MO–the Missouri medical marijuana card is not enough.

      Do I have to print my Missouri medical card?

      No. You don’t have to print your Missouri medical card and you won’t be issued a physical card either.

      Instead, you can download your medical marijuana card and use the digital copy in Missouri dispensaries. You can still print your medical card if you prefer a physical version.

      Does Missouri accept out-of-state medical cards?

      No. Missouri doesn’t have a reciprocity program with other states.

      As a result, Missouri does not accept out-of-state MMJ cards. So, unfortunately, visiting patients can’t use their out-of-state medical cards to buy MMJ from MO dispensaries.

      Can I use my MO medical card in another state?

      It depends on the state you visit. 

      Some states require visiting patients to register for temporary medical cards. For instance, you can use your MO medical card to register for the Hawaii out-of-state medical card. After approval, you can lawfully buy and use medicinal cannabis in Hawaii. Still, you must understand the MMJ laws of the state you intend to visit to avoid run-ins with law enforcement. Because, like Missouri, some territories do not recognize out-of-state medical marijuana cards.

      Can you own a gun with a medical card in Missouri?

      The relationship between the Missouri medical card and guns is a controversial topic.

      MO marijuana laws do not prohibit gun ownership. However, federal law restricts cannabis users from purchasing or owning firearms regardless of the legality of medical marijuana in the state. So, it is likely that a Missouri medical card could hinder your chances of gun ownership.

      Patient Resources and Forms

      How to Contact the Missouri Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation

      State Agency: Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS)

      Phone: 866-219-0165

      (Agents are available every Tuesday – Thursday from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM CST)

      Medical Cannabis Program Email: medicalmarijuanainfo@health.mo.gov

      Address:

      Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation

      PO Box 570

      Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570

      Website: https://health.mo.gov/safety/medical-marijuana/