HOW TO GET
A Massachusetts Medical
Marijuana Card
Facts on this page were checked by the Dr. Green Relief editorial team against official sources. Last reviewed November 5, 2026.
The main sources are the Cannabis Control Commission and M.G.L. c. 94I.
To get a Massachusetts medical marijuana card, you need a written certification from a Massachusetts-licensed physician, certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant registered with the Cannabis Control Commission. You then register online with a PIN the provider emails you. Massachusetts charges no fee to register or renew. The card expires each year on your registration anniversary.
Massachusetts Issues Its Card Through the Cannabis Control Commission
Your Massachusetts card is a registration card from the Medical Use of Marijuana Program. The Cannabis Control Commission runs the Program under M.G.L. c. 94I and the rule 935 CMR 501.000, in effect since September 11, 2026. To buy, you need two things active at the same time: the provider’s certification and your registration with the Program, as the Register as a New Patient page explains. St. 2026, c. 65 renamed the treatment centers that serve patients “medical marijuana establishments.”
Your First Massachusetts Visit Can Be Live Video If You Ask
Book a Massachusetts video evaluation with Dr. Green Relief for $159. The $159 evaluation fee is Dr. Green Relief’s; Massachusetts charges no fee to register or renew your patient card.
Under 935 CMR 501.010(8), your first certification visit is in person or, if you ask, by live, real-time video. Renewal visits may be in person or by telehealth. If the provider certifies you, the certification goes into the Commission’s online system and your four-digit PIN arrives by email.
Massachusetts lets a first certification visit take place by live video at your request, but only with a Massachusetts-licensed physician, certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant who is registered with the Cannabis Control Commission and has a place of practice in Massachusetts (935 CMR 501.006 to 501.010), so before your visit, confirm the provider you will see meets those rules.
| Fee | Amount | Term | Waiver or reduction | Who pays | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Green Relief video evaluation | $159 | Per evaluation | Not listed here | You, to Dr. Green Relief | Dr. Green Relief price list |
| Patient registration with the Program | $0 | Card expires each year on your registration anniversary | None needed | No one | Ten Things New Patients |
| Annual registration renewal | $0 | Each year, up to 60 days before expiry | None needed | No one | Renew as a Patient |
| Replacement card, lost, stolen or destroyed | $10, nonrefundable | Per replacement | Waivable for Verified Financial Hardship: MassHealth, Supplemental Security Income, or income at or under 300% of the federal poverty level | Patient | 935 CMR 501.005(1) and 501.002 |
| Personal caregiver registration and renewal | $0 | Annual | None needed | No one | Register as a New Caregiver |
| Certification visit with any provider | Set by each provider, not the state | Per certification visit | Set by the provider | Patient | New Patient FAQs |
When you register, you attest under 935 CMR 501.840(2)(f): “I understand that nothing in Massachusetts law or the Cannabis Control Commission regulations, 935 CMR 501.000, purports to give immunity under federal law, or poses an obstacle to federal enforcement of federal law.”
SEE A CERTIFYING HEALTHCARE PROVIDER
Start with a visit with a provider registered in the Massachusetts program. The provider reviews your medical history and current condition, and a written certification may only be entered after that visit, as 935 CMR 501.010(8) requires. A patient under 18 needs two certifying physicians.
REGISTER ONLINE WITH YOUR PIN
Your provider emails you a four-digit PIN with instructions. Sign in to the Commission’s online system and enter your details exactly as the instructions show. Then upload a photo ID, proof of Massachusetts residency and, if needed, a photo, as the Register as a New Patient page explains. This step has no state fee.
PRINT A TEMPORARY CARD, THEN WAIT
Once you are approved, print a temporary card from the patient portal; the Commission says the official card should arrive by mail within one to three weeks. While a first application is processed, Initial Access lets a newly certified patient buy for up to 14 days, with a 14-day supply of 2.5 ounces unless the provider certifies otherwise (935 CMR 501.015).
Qualifying Medical Conditions
Who Can Certify You in Massachusetts
Only a Massachusetts-licensed physician, certified nurse practitioner or physician assistant registered with the Commission can certify you. The Commission’s requirements also call for an active license with no prescribing restrictions and a Massachusetts Controlled Substances Registration. The provider must have at least one established place of practice in Massachusetts where a clinical visit can take place (935 CMR 501.006(1) to 501.008(1)). The Commission’s New Patient FAQs tell patients to ask a provider whether they are a Certifying Health Care Provider, so ask that before any visit.
Massachusetts Medical Use of Marijuana Program Requirements
Who qualifies for a Massachusetts medical marijuana card?
You qualify as an adult if you are 18 or older, live in Massachusetts and have been diagnosed by a Certifying Healthcare Provider with a debilitating medical condition, under 935 CMR 501.002. The only residency exception covers non-residents receiving end-of-life or palliative care or cancer treatment in Massachusetts. Your primary residence must be in the state, and the rule does not count dormitories, hotels or shelters as a residence.
Can a patient under 18 be certified in Massachusetts?
Yes, with extra steps set by 935 CMR 501.010(11). Two Massachusetts physicians must certify the patient, and one of them must be a pediatrician, pediatric subspecialist, oncologist, neurologist or family physician. The rule is written for a life-limiting illness; for any other debilitating condition, both physicians must find that the benefits outweigh the risks. A parent or legal guardian must consent and serves as the personal caregiver; the Parent Caregivers page explains the pediatric application, which is now online.
What should I bring to my visit and my Massachusetts application?
- A photo ID the Commission accepts: a current Massachusetts driver’s license or Massachusetts ID card, or a U.S. passport, U.S. military ID or Permanent Resident Card, which needs a second document that proves residency
- Proof of Massachusetts residency whose name and address match your application, such as a utility bill or car insurance bill less than 60 days old (full list on Register as a New Patient)
- A passport-style photo if you are not using a Massachusetts license or ID card
- For the visit: medical records about your condition and a list of the medicines you take now
Your records help the provider assess your condition; they do not decide the certification.
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