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WASHINGTON DC

NON-RESIDENT

MARYLAND

VIRGINIA

WEST VIRGINIA

Get a medical card with Herbal Alternatives in Washington, DC

DC RESIDENT REGISTRATION PROCESS

Getting your DC cannabis card is both quick and easy and, as an added bonus, your card is free and will be good for six (6) years instead of one (1) if you enroll (or renew) prior to December, 2024. Simply follow the steps outlined below.

If you are 21 and over you may self-certify, meaning you do not need a health care practitioner’s recommendation. If you want to self-certify, skip down to the Patient Application section.

If you want high dosage edibles, you will need a recommendation from a health care provider. The quickest option is to use Leafwell—between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (Monday through Saturday) it takes approximately 15 minutes to obtain your health care recommendation. The cost for a Leafwell practitioner in DC is $100. Use code HERBALALT to receive a $10 discount. In DC, certified practitioners may recommend medical cannabis for any medical condition or symptom.

 

If you prefer to use your personal health care provider and they have not yet enrolled with the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA), they may register by clicking the following link:

DC Health Care Practitioner Registration

Once you have obtained your practitioner recommendation number (or you are eligible to self-certify), you must submit a Medical Cannabis Patient Application to ABCA.

Here is the link to ABCA’s online application:

DC 21 Plus Adult Patient Application

Once you have submitted your application online, you will receive a temporary registration email within approximately 5 minutes. Your temporary registration email may be used immediately and is valid for 30 days (during which time ABCA will process and issue your final approval).

If you prefer to submit the application by mail (or in-person and get your approval while you wait) download and complete the application.

ABRA is open for walk-ins Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. at ABCA’s Medical Cannabis Program Office inside the Reeves Center located at 2000 14th Street NW, Suite 102A (First Floor), Washington, DC 20009.

  • You will need to provide proof of residency and proof of identity. A copy of your unexpired DC REAL ID with your current DC address does both. A DC license (or ID card) is a real ID if it has a star on the upper right-hand side.
  • If you do not have a DC DMV REAL ID, or the address is not current, you must submit a copy of a government-issued photo ID as proof of identity and one (1) of the following as proof of residency:
    • Most recent DC income tax return
    • DC property deed showing applicant as owner or co-owner
    • Valid unexpired lease or rental agreement in applicant’s name
    • Paystub issued less than forty-five days prior to the application date showing withholding of DC income tax
    • Voter registration card with current DC address
    • Official documentation of financial assistance received from the District Government, including, but not limited to: TANF, Medicaid, SCHIP, SSI and housing assistance
    • Current DC motor vehicle registration
    • Bank statement dated within sixty (60) days prior to the application date
    • Utility bill dated within sixty (60) days prior to the application date
    • Cell phone bill dated within sixty (60) days prior to the application date
    • Any other reasonable form of verification deemed by ABCA to demonstrate proof of residency
    • Sliding Scale applicants only must also submit proof of income, including:
      • Proof of being a current Medicaid or DC Alliance recipient, or
      • Documentation that all sources of current income are equal or less than 200% of the federal poverty level
    • One full face color photo (2”x2”) with no hat or sunglasses.

 

If you are submitting your application online, you will need to upload your documents.

If you are mailing your application, or applying in person, you will need copies of your documents to submit with the application.

Registration fees are waived through November, 2024.

Normally, registration fees are $100 for applicants who do not qualify for the sliding scale program and $25 for sliding scale applicants.

After November, 2024: If you are submitting your application online, you will be sent a payment link. If you are mailing the application, you will need to submit your payment with the application. If you are applying in person you will need to be prepared to pay your registration fee.

The documentation and process for caretaker applications and applications for minors vary from those outlined above. We recommend contacting our application specialist at [email protected] to help you navigate these processes.

Medical Cannabis Caregiver Application

Minor Medical Cannabis Patient Application

When you receive your temporary email approval (or your actual card) you are ready to begin your journey into cannabis wellness with Herbal Alternatives.

NOTE: DC is no longer automatically issuing actual cards. If you prefer to have a card, DC will issue you one for $10.

Non-Residents 21 Plus

Visitors to DC who have a current medical cannabis card from a US state or territory may probably use their existing card to make purchases at a licensed dispensary in DC. Click here to see if your card is from a program DC currently recognizes.

Any visitor 21 plus (both international and domestic) may self-certify and submit an online application for a short-term non-resident DC medical cannabis card. The non-resident registration process normally takes less than 10 minutes.

Below is the link to the non-resident 21 plus temporary card application

Non- Resident 21 Plus Application

  1. One (1) copy of a government-issued photo ID,
  2. One (1) full face photo
  3. Method to pay registration fee online

Non-residents may choose from 5 time period when registering for their temporary DC medical cannabis card.

Days        Fee
3                $10
30             $20
90             $50
180           $75
365           $100

Upon receipt of your email approval you are immediately eligible to shop at Herbal Alternatives.

Get a medical card with Herbal Alternatives in Washington, DC

MARYLAND PATIENT REGISTRATION PROCESS

To become a certified medical patient in Maryland you must first register with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC). In Maryland you register in the program prior to obtaining your health care practitioner recommendation. Qualifying medical conditions include cachexia, anorexia, wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, severe or persistent muscle spasms, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or another chronic medical condition which is severe and for which other treatments have been ineffective.
After receiving the MMCC approval, you must get the health care practitioner’s certification. The practitioner will upload their certification to MMCC. Obtaining your certification from leafwell is quick and easy. Leafwell practitioners charge $149 for Maryland certifications. Use code HERBALALT to get a $15 discount off the cost of your Maryland certification through leafwell.

Below are the links to the MMCC applications.

Adult Patient Registration with MMCC

Minor Patient Registration with MMCC

Hospice Patient Registration with MMCC

Caregiver Registration for Caregivers Serving Adult Patients with MMCC

Caregiver Registration for Caregivers Serving Minor Patients with MMCC

Applications in Maryland must be submitted online. It is essential that you have the required information and documents in an electronic format ready for upload before starting the application process. The online application form must be completed and submitted in one session.

To register in Maryland, you will need the following information/documentation (in an electronic format for upload):

  1. A valid, accessible email account.
  2. Social Security Number
  3. An electronic copy of a valid government-issued photo ID, such as:
    1. Driver’s license
    2. State issued photo Identification card
    3. Military ID (both front and back)
    4. US Passport
  4. If the identification you provide is not a Maryland driver’s license or MVA ID Card OR does not identify your current address, you must also provide two of the following documents as proof of your current Maryland address:
    (Note: Documents must include the applicant’s name and address and they may not be from the same agency. (i.e., two documents issued by MVA). 
    1. MVA registration card or title
    2. MVA change of address card​​​
    3. Utility, telephone or cable/satellite TV bill – dated within 90 days
    4. Bank account statement – dated within 90 days
    5. Property tax bill
    6. Mortgage statement or proof of home ownership (Deed, Title, Bill of Sale) – dated within 90 days
    7. Major credit card bill (Visa, MasterCard, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.) – dated within 90 days
    8. Residential rental contract (lease or rental contract between landlord and tenant which ​includes all signatures)
    9. Selective Service Card
    10. Federal, state or local government mail issued by the state of Maryland (i.e., Social Security, social services) – dated within 90 days
    11. Car insurance policy
    12. Paystubs – dated within 90 days
    13. W-2 statements
    14. State of Maryland Health Insurance documents (i.e., Medicaid, Medicare, Maryland Health Connection)
    15. An electronic copy of a clear, recent photograph. The photo should look like a driver’s license or passport photo. It must be a clear, color photo of the patient’s unobscured face taken within the last six months to reflect the patient’s current appearance and feature a plain white or off-white background. The patient must be clothed, directly facing the camera with both eyes open. The patient must not be wearing a hat, head covering, sunglasses or dark glasses.
      The file must be an image file (.jpg) no larger than 3 MB in size and may not be digitally enhanced or altered in a way that changes the patient’s appearance.​

Maryland charges a non-refundable fee of $25 to register in their program which you must pay online. Veterans and Medicaid recipients may apply for a registration fee waiver.

Once fully registered and in possession of a valid certification, you will be able to print your temporary MMCC patient ID card and you are ready to begin your journey into cannabis wellness with Herbal Alternatives.

Get a medical card with Herbal Alternatives in Washington, DC

VIRGINIA PATIENT REGISTRATION PROCESS

To become a patient in Virginia, you need only obtain a valid written certification from a Board of Pharmacy registered practitioner. The practitioner certification is all you need to shop at Herbal Alternatives.

In Virginia, certified practitioners may recommend medical cannabis for any medical condition they deem will benefit a patient.

The Virginia Board of Pharmacy maintains a list of practitioners approved to certify Virginia residents on their website. Virginia List of Authorized Practitioners Obtaining your certification from leafwell is quick and easy. Leafwell practitioners charge $149 for Virginia certifications. Use code HERBALALT to get a $15 discount off the cost of your Virginia certification.

Once you receive the completed practitioner certification, print out a copy (or keep a pdf version on your phone). You are now eligible to shop at Herbal Alternatives.

Get a medical card with Herbal Alternatives in Washington, DC

WEST VIRGINIA PATIENT REGISTRATION PROCESS

To apply as a registered patient in West Virginia, you must first obtain a valid written certification from a registered physician prior to applying for registration as a patient or parent/guardian caregiver. Qualifying medical conditions include cancer, HIV, AIDS, ALS, Parkinson’s, MS, intractable spasticity, epilepsy, neuropathies, Huntington’s, Crohn’s, PTSD, intractable seizures, Sickle cell anemia, severe chronic or intractable pain and terminal illness.
West Virginia maintains a list of registered physicians. The link to the list is below. West Virginia List of Registered Physicians The quickest and easiest method to obtain a West Virginia certification is to go through leafwell. The cost of a West Virginia certification is $199.  Use code HERBALALT to obtain a $15 discount off your leafwell certification.

Below is the link to West Virginia’s Medical Cannabis Portal. You register for the portal first and then sign-in to complete the application. Click the “Register” link on the top right-hand side of the screen.

West Virginia Medical Cannabis Portal

Once you have registered in the portal you will receive an email from Complia with a link to verify your account. Once your account has been verified, you will be able to log-in to Complia and create an application for a new patient registration.

To register in West Virginia, you will need the following information/documentation (in an electronic format for upload):

  1. Digital photo of passport quality
  2. Photo ID, such as a copy of your driver’s license
  3. Provide two of the following documentsas proof of West Virginia residency:

(Note: Documents must include the applicant’s name and address and they may not be from the same agency.) 

    • WV utility bills (not more than 60 days old, cannot be a termination notice, and cannot be two bills issued by the same company)
    • Tax records with a WV street address
    • WV mortgage documents, WV homeowner insurance documents for a WV residence, or proof of WV home ownership
    • WV W-2 form that is not more than 18 months old (you may use the same W-2 as your proof of Social Security number)
    • WV weapons permit
    • A valid WV vehicle registration card
    • WV Voter’s Registration card
    • Driver’s Eligibility Certificate (required for all applicants who are under the age of 18 that do not present a diploma or other certificate of graduation issued by a secondary high school when applying, can only be used as proof of residency if it has a WV street address)
    • WV Homestead Tax exemption
    • Proof of WV public assistance
    • Residential rental or lease agreement
    • WV DMV Affidavit of West Virginia Residency
    • College admissions letter that shows the applicant is an in-state resident
    • Letter from a WV homeless shelter, hotel, senior citizen’s home, rehabilitation center, nursing home, children’s home, orphanage, shelter, battered women’s shelter, or Job Corps, including the facility’s physical address, that explains that the applicant is a resident at their facility (letterhead is preferred, but not required)
    • Paycheck stub from any WV employer that shows a current physical address (cannot be handwritten)
    • Social Security benefits letter
    • WV Professional License
    • United States Selective Service card
    • WV Dealer temporary registration card
    • Letter from the applicant’s employer stating that all utility and house arrangements are provided by the employer
    • Letter from the US Post Office that shows a new, physical, WV address assigned by the Post Office for the applicant
    • WV bank statement (no more than 60 days old)
    • WV auto insurance card
    • WV hunting license
    • License plate or Driver’s License renewal form
    • 911 letter
  1. Copy of the completed Patient Certification form provided to you by your physician
  2. If requesting a waiver of the fee based on financial hardship (income below 200% of the federal poverty level), provide acceptable proof of income, such as:
    • W-2, recent pay stubs, proof of benefit eligibility, etc.

NOTE: West Virginia suggests allowing 30 to 60 days for processing your registration application.

West Virginia charges $50 for patients. Payment (check or money order payable to WV DHHR) should be mailed to:

WV Office of Medical Cannabis
350 Capitol Street
Room 523
Charleston, WV 25301

The application ID number and patient name must be in the memo line of the check or money order.

Do not send a payment if you are requesting the fee waiver. If the waiver is not granted, you will be notified to submit the fee at that time.

You will receive a West Virginia Medical Cannabis patient card when your application is approved.  Bring your card and a photo ID to begin your journey into cannabis wellness with Herbal Alternatives.