How long does it take to get your medical marijuana card? If you’re just starting the medical card process, this is a question that many people find themselves asking.
The wait can vary significantly depending on a variety of factors including your state of residence, the efficiency of the approval process, and even your own preparedness.
Below, we’ll delve into the typical timelines you can expect and offer tips on how to expedite the process, ensuring you can access the relief you seek sooner rather than later.
Does Getting Your Medical Card Take a While?
Getting a recommendation for your medical card is easy and fast, and depending on the service provider, very affordable –- as with Elevate Holistics.
The answer to the question “How long does it take to get a medical marijuana card?” varies from state to state. And, in some states, you have to be a little more patient than others.
Suppose you ask, “How long does it take to get a medical card in Missouri?” The correct answer will inform you that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services will take no more than 30 days to process your medical marijuana card application.
This response means you‘ll receive your approved medical marijuana card in less than 30 days, depending on the number of persons in the queue. The department insists they attend to applicants based on their number in the queue.
So, if you are the only person or there are very few persons in the queue, you’ll most likely receive your medical card within three business days.
So, in a state like Missouri and other states with long timeframes, getting your card may take a while, but that doesn’t mean that you must wait 30 days to get your card.
Besides actually getting the medical card, how long does it take to get approved for a medical card?
With Elevate Holistics, you can get approved for your medical card in 15 minutes! And in some states, such as Michigan, you can use your approval email to purchase your medical marijuana right away!
The Medical Marijuana Card Process
Getting your medical marijuana card involves a three-step process that can be done online without visiting a doctor or going to a physical office to file your application.
Across all weed-legal states, a typical medical marijuana card process for first-time registration involves three steps:
1. Booking an appointment for your medical marijuana evaluation
Here, a state-licensed physician will examine and confirm that you have a qualifying medical condition. Upon confirmation, they’ll approve or certify you for medical marijuana.
2. Completing your state registration and paying the state fees
The state-licensed physician or your MMJ card service provider will arrange your documents, including the certification, and submit them online to your state’s medical marijuana registry. You can choose to complete the registration by yourself.
3. Receiving your MMJ card
Once the state approves your registration, they’ll send your MMJ card to your email. You can then download and use it to purchase medical marijuana at any state-authorized dispensary.
Some states, such as Massachusetts, offer a temporary MMJ card, which you can use to purchase medical marijuana until the state sends your plastic ID.
Note that in some states, such as Pennsylvania and Illinois, you can first register with the state’s medical marijuana program before booking an appointment for your medical marijuana evaluation.
Usually, the documents you need to complete your MMJ card process include a state ID, health record, and MMJ evaluation certificate. Some states require more or less documentation; talk to your telehealth provider to confirm what you’ll need.
Renewals
In most states, the medical marijuana card process for renewals is slightly similar to first-time registrations.
The major difference is that the MMJ program will notify you 60 days prior to your card’s expiration and would usually request you complete your application 30 days before the expiration.
This does not mean that you won’t be able to renew your card after the 30-day window. Also, fees for renewal are less than what you pay for new registrations.
In all these, how long does it take to get a medical card in Missouri, Illinois, or Oklahoma? Well, now you understand that the process varies; also, first-time registrations and renewals are not the only things to consider.
Minor, VA, Caregiver, and Other Forms of MMJ Card Applications
Other types of MMJ card applications vastly differ across the weed-legal states. The processes include:
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- Minor application: This is an MMJ application for patients younger than the authorized age for medical marijuana access in the given state. This type of application is usually completed with the assistance and supervision of a caregiver, usually the parent of the child.
- Terminal patient application: An MMJ application for patients with terminal illness.
- Veteran application: Some states provide a special portal for veterans to complete their applications while enjoying some added benefits.
- Patient-caregiver application: States provide options for patients to assign or include a caregiver during their application process. This option applies to patients who need a caregiver.
The rules guiding how you complete any of these types of applications greatly differ across states. Feel free to ask us all questions you may have about any of these applications in your state.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Medical Marijuana Card?
As stated earlier, the length of time you’ll have to wait to get your card is dependent on how fast your state processes your application.
The Doctor’s Appointment
This is the first process to getting your medical marijuana card. It is also the step that many patients are most anxious about. Interestingly, if you go through the right channel, it is the easiest and fastest process.
So, how long does it take to get approved for a medical card? You can get approved for medical marijuana immediately after your appointment.
With most service providers and office visits, you may find yourself carving out a few hours of the day to get your MMJ card.
However, with Elevate Holistics, you can skip all the unnecessary delays. Elevate Holistics helps you complete your doctor’s appointment and get your medical marijuana approval in just 15 minutes, guaranteed.
It really is that easy.
The State’s Approval Process
As stated earlier, it’s at this step that you are likely to experience a long wait. Delaware and West Virginia are currently the states with the longest waiting periods, with up to 45 days and 60 days waiting periods, respectively.
California follows the 35-day waiting period, but you can access medical marijuana as soon as you get approval from your physician.
States that offer 15-30 days processing period include:
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- Minnesot
- Iowa
- Connecticut
- Illinois (You can use your provisional letter to purchase MMJ until you get your card)
- Massachusetts (offers a temporary card to use after doctor’s approval)
- Maryland (more than 30 days sometimes)
- Montana
- New Jersey
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
States that have 10–15 days processing period include:
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- New York
- Georgia
- Michigan
- Virginia
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
In Louisiana and Maine, you don’t need a medical card, but you have to visit a licensed physician to get approval.
How about Missouri? How long does it take to get a medical card in Missouri?
Missouri is one of the states where it takes up to 30 days to get a medical marijuana card.
How Long Does it Take to Get Approved for a Medical Card With Elevate?
In case you missed it earlier, it takes only 15 minutes to get approved for a medical marijuana card when you book your appointment with us.
By opting for our full-service option during check-out, we can help you handle your application from start to finish.
Our team ensures that all your documents and responses are in perfect order in the state’s registry so the state administrators have no issues reviewing and processing your file for MMJ card approval.
The full-service option significantly increases your chances of getting your card within a few days, rather than torturously waiting weeks for state approval.
Get Your MMJ Card in 15 Minutes Elevate Holistics
Our process is simple, quick, affordable, and hassle-free, so you never have to think it’s hard to get a medical card.
We’ve been breaking that misconception one patient at a time for the past two years. And today, we have more than 100,000 MMJ patients across the U.S. who testify to our reliability and efficiency.
Click here to check out the services we offer in your state and here to book an appointment with us and get approved for your MMJ card in 15 minutes!
