How to Get an Ohio Medical Marijuana Card

Ohio’s medical marijuana program, established by House Bill 523 in 2016, is now administered by the Division of Cannabis Control. Obtaining a medical marijuana registration begins with a certified physician—not with a state application—and the rules have changed significantly since the program launched.

Who can qualify?

A patient must have a qualifying medical condition diagnosed or confirmed by a physician who holds an Ohio certificate to recommend medical marijuana. The state’s qualifying conditions include cancer, chronic and severe or intractable pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy and other seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, sickle cell anemia, spinal cord disease or injury, traumatic brain injury, Tourette syndrome, terminal illness and several other conditions.

The full list of qualifying conditions appears in Ohio law. Some conditions—including arthritis, chronic migraine, complex regional pain syndrome, degenerative disc disease and lupus involving pain—may qualify under the state’s broader chronic or intractable pain category.

Steps to obtain a medical marijuana registration

1. Find a certified recommending physician. The patient must establish and maintain a bona fide physician-patient relationship with a doctor who has an active certificate to recommend medical marijuana. The doctor must review the patient’s medical history and confirm a qualifying condition. Ohio permits an in-person or telehealth visit, with an appointment required at least once each year.
2. Have the physician create a registry profile. If the physician recommends medical marijuana, the physician or an authorized delegate submits the patient’s information to the state’s Patient and Caregiver Registry. The recommendation may include product, dosage or refill instructions.
3. Complete the registry application. The patient receives an email prompting them to log in, complete the registration and provide an unexpired Ohio driver’s license, Ohio identification card or another approved document showing identity, age and residency.
4. Access the registration after approval. Patients should carry proof of their active registry identification when possessing medical marijuana and should purchase only from a licensed Ohio dispensary.

The state’s official guide to obtaining medical marijuana explains the physician and registry process in more detail. Physician consultation fees are separate from any state registration charge, so patients should ask a recommending physician about the total cost before scheduling an appointment.

Caregivers

A registered caregiver may purchase, possess and administer medical marijuana for an associated patient, but may not personally use the medication unless also registered as a patient. A caregiver generally must be at least 21 years old, an Ohio resident and linked to a registered patient. Parents or legal representatives may serve in the caregiver role for minors when the required consent and registration requirements are met.

Caregivers may generally serve no more than two patients, although Ohio rules allow the Division of Cannabis Control to approve limited exceptions—for example, in certain hospice, household or hardship situations. A caregiver must keep each patient’s medical marijuana inventory separate and may not sell or transfer it to anyone else.

What products are available?

Ohio permits medical marijuana in several forms, including oils, tinctures, plant material, edibles, patches and other approved products. Current rules also recognize oral, topical, transdermal, sublingual and similar methods of administration.

Smoking or combustion is prohibited. Medical marijuana plant material may be vaporized, but it may not be burned or smoked. Patients under 18 may not use vaporization as an authorized method of administration. The state’s statute on medical marijuana forms and administration methods provides the controlling list of permitted products and restrictions.

Possession and purchasing limits

Ohio no longer uses the older tier I and tier II possession descriptions cited in many outdated guides. Under rules effective March 24, 2026, a patient may generally possess up to a 90-day supply at home, subject to the recommending physician’s instructions and the state’s product limits.

For transactions, the general daily limit is 2.5 ounces of plant material for vaporization and 15,000 milligrams of total THC in non-plant products. A patient may purchase up to four days’ worth in one transaction—10 ounces of plant material or 60,000 milligrams of THC in other products—when the applicable rules and physician recommendation allow it. Caregivers are generally limited to the standard daily amount in a transaction.

The Division of Cannabis Control’s guidance on daily limits and 90-day supplies explains how purchases are tracked. Dispensaries must follow any product, dosage or quantity limitations written into the physician’s recommendation.

Important restrictions

• Medical marijuana must be obtained from a licensed Ohio dispensary.
• Patients and caregivers must keep products in their original, properly labeled packaging until use.
• Medical marijuana may not be possessed or administered on federal property or in federal buildings.
• Patients may not drive or operate a vehicle, watercraft or aircraft while under the influence.
• Medical marijuana may not be sold, transferred or distributed to another person.
• Ohio’s medical program does not authorize patients to grow medical marijuana at home. Adult-use home cultivation is a separate issue and does not create a medical supply for a registered patient.

Ohio’s medical marijuana system is more established than it was when House Bill 523 became law, but patients still need to account for physician-visit costs, dispensary prices and product availability. Anyone applying should rely on the current Ohio rules for patient and caregiver registration and the Division of Cannabis Control rather than older descriptions of fees, possession tiers or qualifying-condition procedures.