HOW TO GET
A Rhode Island Medical
Marijuana Card
Facts on this page were checked by the Dr. Green Relief editorial team against official sources. Last reviewed November 5, 2026.
To get a Rhode Island medical marijuana card, you need a practitioner’s written certification after a full assessment (§ 21-28.6-3). A Rhode Island-licensed physician meets both the law and the Health Department rule. You then apply to the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), which charges no fee, must decide within 35 days and issues a card that lasts one year.
Rhode Island’s Registry Card Comes From the Department of Health
Rhode Island’s program rests on the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act, chapter 21-28.6 of the General Laws. The Department of Health issues and renews patient registry identification cards, a job it kept when the Cannabis Control Commission’s rules took effect on May 1, 2025 (§ 21-28.11-10.1). The Commission now issues caregiver cards and home-grow certificates and regulates compassion centers (560-RICR-10-15-1).
What to Expect From a Rhode Island Evaluation With Dr. Green Relief
Book a Rhode Island video evaluation with Dr. Green Relief for $179. The $179 evaluation fee is Dr. Green Relief’s; Rhode Island charges no fee for a patient registry card.
Rhode Island law calls for a “full assessment” of your medical history, made in “a bona fide, practitioner-patient relationship,” before any written certification (§ 21-28.6-3(30)). The Health Department rule says that assessment documents your present illness, your medical, social and substance use history, a physical exam, and therapies that have not worked well enough (216-RICR-20-10-3 § 3.3(A)(13)). If a practitioner certifies you, they complete the Health Department’s form with your relevant records, and you then apply to RIDOH.
Rhode Island requires a written certification after a full assessment that the Department of Health rule says includes a physical exam, and the law sets who may certify, so before you book, confirm with the practitioner you will see, or with the Rhode Island Department of Health, that your visit can lead to a Rhode Island certification.
| Fee | Amount | Term | Waiver or reduction | Who pays | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Green Relief video evaluation | $179 | Per evaluation | None stated | You, to Dr. Green Relief | Set by Dr. Green Relief; not a state charge |
| Patient registry card, new or renewal | $0 | Card expires one year after issue (§ 21-28.6-6(h)(2)) | Not needed: no charge since December 1, 2022 | No one | § 21-28.6-5(d); 216-RICR-10-05-2 |
| Primary caregiver and authorized purchaser cards | $0 | Caregiver card expires one year after issue (560-RICR-10-15-1 § 1.3.2) | Not needed | No one | § 21-28.6-5(d); 560-RICR-10-15-1 |
| Hospice expedited first application | $0 | Once | Not needed | No one | 216-RICR-10-05-2 |
| Replacing a lost registry card | $10 | Each time | None stated | Cardholder | § 21-28.6-6(i)(6); 216-RICR-10-05-2 |
| Reissuing a card after a change of required information | $10 | Each time | None stated | Cardholder | § 21-28.6-6(i)(4); 216-RICR-10-05-2 |
| Medical home-grow certificate | $0 | Per certificate | Not needed | No one | 560-RICR-10-15-1 § 1.4 |
GET A WRITTEN CERTIFICATION FIRST
A practitioner signs a statement that, in their professional opinion, the potential benefits of medical use would likely outweigh the health risks for you (§ 21-28.6-3(30)). It names your debilitating condition and goes on the Health Department’s form with your relevant medical records. Before signing, the practitioner must review Rhode Island’s prescription drug monitoring program (216-RICR-20-10-3 § 3.4.3).
APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Your application to RIDOH includes the certification, your name, address and date of birth, your practitioner’s contact details, whether you plan to grow, and any caregiver or authorized purchaser you name (§ 21-28.6-6(a)). There is no application fee. If RIDOH has not acted 35 days after a valid application, the law treats the card as granted (§ 21-28.6-9(b)).
RECEIVE YOUR REGISTRY ID CARD
After approval, RIDOH issues your card within five business days; it shows your photo, a random registry number and an expiry date one year out (§ 21-28.6-6(h)). With it, you may buy up to 2.5 ounces every 15 days from a compassion center (§ 21-28.6-12(g)). Patients in hospice or receiving chemotherapy are handled first and get a card within 72 hours.
Qualifying Medical Conditions
Who May Sign a Rhode Island Written Certification
Both the statute and the Health Department rule accept a Rhode Island-licensed physician (§ 21-28.6-3(23); 216-RICR-20-10-3 § 3.3(A)(21)). The statute’s own definition reads, “a person who is licensed with authority to prescribe drugs pursuant to chapters 34, 37, and 54 of title 5.” The certifying practitioner must complete three hours of Category 1 continuing medical education on medical marijuana every two years. They must also see you for follow-up at least twice a year before your card is renewed (§ 3.4.3).
Rhode Island’s Medical Marijuana Program Requirements
Who qualifies for a Rhode Island medical marijuana card?
A Rhode Island resident who has been certified by a practitioner as having a debilitating medical condition qualifies (§ 21-28.6-3(25)). The statute sets no minimum age, but a patient under 18 needs a parent or guardian involved. You become a registered patient only once RIDOH approves your application and issues your card (§ 21-28.6-6).
Can a minor get a Rhode Island card?
Yes, with a parent, guardian or legal custodian. The practitioner must explain the potential risks and benefits to both the child and the parent (§ 21-28.6-6(b), (d)). The parent must consent in writing, serve as the primary caregiver or authorized purchaser, and control how the child gets and uses it. RIDOH may not issue a card to a patient under 18 for post-traumatic stress disorder.
What should I bring to my appointment and my state application?
- Medical records about your debilitating condition: the written certification goes to the Health Department with your relevant records (216-RICR-20-10-3 § 3.4.2).
- A list of the medicines you take now and the treatments you have already tried.
- The name, address and date of birth of any primary caregiver or authorized purchaser you plan to name on your application (§ 21-28.6-6(a)).
- Proof of Rhode Island residency, a government-issued ID (a Rhode Island driver’s license or Rhode Island State ID) and a photograph: the Department of Health’s patients and caregivers page says every new application must include all three.
Bring what supports your diagnosis, since the certification goes to RIDOH with your relevant records.
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