How To Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Michigan

In need of a MMJ card in Michigan? Look no further!

We’ve got the inside scoop on all you need to know about becoming a MMJ patient. And we created a handy guide to assist you along the process.

Continue reading to find out more about Michigan’s MMJ program, how to get a Michigan Medical Marijuana card and everything in between.

Michigan Medical Marijuana Program

Michigan Voters approved the Michigan Compassionate Care Initiative in November 2008, making Medical Marijuana legal to possess, obtain, use, cultivate and distribute. The state enacted the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act in December of that same year. 

From this legislation, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) was born. The MMMP is a state-run registry program that’s a part of the Michigan Regulatory Agency.

Initially, MMJ patients could only grow their own weed. They had to wait nearly a decade before being able to legally purchase medical cannabis. In 2016, dispensaries finally became legal and made operational later that year.

Pre-COVID, Michigan required in-person office visits with a licensed physician in order to get a MMJ certificate. But now the rules are more lax. Michigan currently allows eligible individuals to obtain a medical marijuana card online.

Michigan’s MMJ program is open to all residents that have a qualifying medical condition and meet select requirements. We’ll discuss these in further detail below.

What Can You Buy as an MMJ Patient in Michigan?

Qualifying patients with a valid medical marijuana card can possess a total of 2.5 ounces of “usable marijuana” and/or “usable marijuana equivalents.” 

Michigan considers the following items to be equivalent to one ounce of marijuana:

• 16 ounces of marijuana-infused product in solid form
• 7 grams of marijuana-infused product in gaseous form
• 36 fluid ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form.

Patients are also allowed to have a maximum of 12 plants in their home.

Caregivers for qualifying individuals are allowed up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and 12 cannabis plants.

Note: since cannabis is legal for recreational adult use in Michigan, adults over 21 years of age can also have 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and 12 cannabis plants. But a medical marijuana card allows for easier access to cannabis and lower prices.

What types of products can I buy from MMJ dispensaries?

The Michigan government categorizes MMJ dispensaries as “provisional centers.”

You can purchase the following cannabis products from provisional centers:

• flower
• edibles
• concentrates
• infused products
• topicals
• seeds
• clones

Michigan Medical Card Requirements

To apply for a medical marijuana card in Michigan, you’ll need to be over 18, have valid identification, proof of residency, a qualifying medical condition, and a certificate signed by a licensed physician.

In sum, to qualify for a MMJ card you must:

• Be a legal resident of MI
• Be over the age of 18
• Submit proof of age (must be a government issued document)
• Have at least one of the qualifying health conditions
• Have a signed certificate
• Pass a criminal background check
• Pay the required $40 state application fee

Acceptable Forms of ID

• Valid Michigan issued ID card
• Valid Michigan issued Driver’s license
• Valid passport
• Voter registration card

Out of state ID cards and driver’s licenses do not qualify.

Acceptable Forms of Residency

• Bank statement
• Rental agreement
• Mortgage Agreement
• Utility bill
• Piece of mail from any MI state department

Note: Minors (those under the age of 18) are allowed to have a designated caregiver apply for a medical cannabis card for them. The process is more difficult and additionally requires:

• 2 MMJ certificates, each signed by a different licensed doctor
• Proof of parental or legal guardianship
• Parent or guardians’ proof of Michigan residency
• Completed declaration of person responsible form

Michigan MMJ Caregiver Information

Patients who are not able to apply for a medical cannabis card by themselves can have a caregiver assist them in obtaining medical marijuana.

Caregivers will need to complete their own application and be included on the patient’s application. The state does not impose an extra fee on registry applications with a designated caregiver.

Likewise, caregivers must be over 21 and be able to pass a criminal background check. Designated caregivers must also submit proof of identity. Acceptable forms of ID include: a copy of a valid state issued identification card or state issued driver’s license.

They can have up to 5 different patients at a time. But each patient is allowed only one caregiver at a time. Caregivers are not required to provide medical records for their prospective patients when applying.

To qualify as a caregiver, you must:

• Be over the age of 21
• Not have been convicted of any violent or drug related felonies
• Not have been convicted of any crime in the past 10 years
• Pass a background check
• Have less than 5 patients at any given time

Medical Marijuana Qualifying Conditions Michigan

Here’s a list of the most commonly prescribed debilitating qualifying conditions:

• AIDS
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Autism
• Arthritis
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Cancer
• Cerebral Palsy
• Chronic Pain
• Colitis
• Crohn’s Disease
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• HIV
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Nail Patella
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Tourette’s Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis

You can also qualify if suffering from a medical condition, debilitating disease or chronic illness or its treatment which causes at least one of the following:

• Cachexia
• Chronic / extreme pain
• Seizures
• Severe nausea
• Severe / Persistent muscle spasms

If you suffer from a debilitating disease or condition included on the Michigan list of approved conditions for medical cannabis, approval is usually swift and easy.

If you don’t suffer from one of these conditions your medical marijuana doctor must believe MMJ is beneficial for you to approve you.

How To Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Michigan  

Ready to get your Michigan MMJ card? You’ll need to visit a licensed medical marijuana doctor. This can be any board certified physician licensed to practice medicine in Michigan.

A licensed physician will determine your eligibility. The doctor should consider you eligible if you are suffering from one of the approved debilitating conditions or if they believe MMJ is of benefit to you.

This visit can be done online or in person. However, online is much cheaper and more convenient!

Most well established telehealth or telemedicine services also have money back guarantees. So if you’re not approved, no need to worry! It will be of no cost to you. In person office visits do not have these same money back guarantees.

To obtain a Michigan medical cannabis card, follow these four easy steps:

1. Certification From A Michigan Certified Healthcare Provider

You’ll need to see a licensed physician via an online telehealth service or an in-person office visit.

You are not required to provide medical records or a complete medical history to the doctor but doing so may make the whole process a little quicker.

2. Register as a New Michigan Medical Patient 

Next, you are required to register online as a new medical cannabis patient. This involves creating an online account at the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency.

To register, you will need:

1. ID (must be a government issued document)
2. Proof of state residency
3. A signed certificate (given to you via your MMJ doctor online or offline)

To see each step of the registry application process in further detail, check out the MMMP website.

3. Complete Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) Application

Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs will approve or reject your application form within 15 business days on average. You will need to pay the $40 application fee at the time of submission.

You can expect to receive approval or denial via email. To check the status of your application form, log in to your account at any time.

4. Get Your Michigan Medical Card In The Mail

If approved, you do not have to wait for the physical MMJ card to buy medical marijuana.

The confirmation email will act as a temporary card while you wait to receive your physical card in the mail. Simply print your email and voila.

On average, your physical medical marijuana card should arrive within 5 business days.

Your MMJ card lasts for 2 years. As the expiration date approaches, you will need to apply again.

How To Get A Michigan Medical Marijuanas Card Online

Getting a MI medical marijuana card online is simple.

You can get a medical card recommendation online in minutes. It will be valid for 2 years from the issue date.

We recommend checking out Leafwell and Veriheal! Both telehealth services are available in Michigan and offer medical marijuana certificates for qualifying individuals. You’ll also have access to a licensed doctor.

Both telemedicine services have money back guarantees but Veriheal is less expensive. At Veriheal, you’ll pay $99 per certificate or $190 for you and a family member if approved. Leafwell costs about 50% more at $149 per certificate.

Whatever service you choose, both allow you to get your MMJ card 100% online from the convenience of home.

Related Read: Leafwell VS Veriheal

Is the Process for Renewing a Michigan Medical Card any different?

Currently, you’ll need to follow the same process as applying for the physical card for the first time.

So, you must submit a completed MMMP application including:

• Application form
• Certification form signed by a state-licensed physician
• $40 application fee
• Proof of MI residency
• Copy of valid ID

How Much Will a MMJ Card Cost in Total?

The total costs largely depend on where you get your MMJ certificate.

No matter which service you choose, all qualifying individuals must pay an additional $40 application fee to the state of Michigan for a physical card.

If you go online you can expect to pay from $139 to $240 dollars in total ($99 to $200 dollars for the certificate and $40 for the state application).

An in-person office visit will likely set you back a few hundred dollars plus $40 for the application fee. This route is often the most expensive.

Michigan Medical Marijuana Card Benefits 

Though recreational cannabis is legal in the state of Michigan, having a medical marijuana card comes with a lot of benefits.

With a medical cannabis card, qualifying individuals can consume cannabis at age 18 instead of waiting until the age 21. Having a designated caregiver makes it possible for patients under 18 to access cannabis medicine as well.

MMJ card holders also pay lower taxes. Medical marijuana is only taxed at 6%. Meanwhile, recreational cannabis is taxed at 10% excise tax and 6% sales tax for a whopping 16% total.

A medical marijuana patient will save 10% every time they purchase cannabis. Overtime, that will add up to a considerable amount of savings.

All adult use marijuana consumers can possess up to 2.5 oz of cannabis since recreational cannabis is legal. Both recreational and medical patients are allowed up to 10 oz of flower at home, as long as amounts over 2.5 oz are stored safely.

What are the possession limits for medical cannabis in Michigan?

In Michigan, the amount of cannabis allowed by law differs for what you can possess inside and outside your home.

Here’s what your allowed to possess with a Michigan medical card:

• 15 grams of cannabis concentrate
• 10 oz of cannabis inside your home
• Amounts over 2.5 oz at home must be stored properly
• 2.5 oz of cannabis outside your home

How Hard is it to Get a Medical Card in Michigan?

It’s fairly easy for new prospective patients over the age of 21.

To qualify for a Michigan medical marijuana card you must suffer from one or more of the debilitating medical conditions we mentioned above. Or your medical marijuana doctor must believe medical marijuana will be useful for your unlisted condition.

Also, you must not have been convicted of any felonies and pay the certificate and application fees.

After you receive a certificate from a doctor licensed to practice in Michigan, you must submit a Michigan Medical Marijuana Program (MMMP) Application form.

Once approved, you’ll be able to purchase medical cannabis immediately. You should receive a physical card in 15 business days.

If you are denied, you can reapply and submit another application.

Is there a different process for getting a Medical Card in Ann Arbor, Detroit, or Grand Rapids?

Before medical cannabis was legalized in the entire state of Michigan, select cities and counties had already decriminalized marijuana. Ann Arbor actually decriminalized cannabis back in 1972. And in the early 2000s Detroit and Grand Rapids followed suit.

As of now, the process of obtaining a medical marijuana card is basically the same for every city and county in Michigan. No matter where you reside in the state, the same rules apply for obtaining a card. 

However, many Michigan counties have unfortunately banned dispensaries and other legal marijuana businesses so actually acquiring cannabis may vary from area to area.

Can MI Medical Marijuana Patients Grow Weed?

Yes! When applying for a medical marijuana card you will be required to state your intent to grow cannabis.

Medical cannabis patients and caregivers are allowed to grow 12 marijuana plants. All plants must be secured in a locked and confined space.

If you grow outdoors, cannabis plants cannot be visible from an adjacent property at ground level. Outdoor plants must be cultivated within an unmoving enclosed structure.

Does MI Accept Out Of State MMJ Cards?

Yes, but it comes with a small caveat.

Michigan only accepts medical cannabis cards if the state you received a MMJ card in accepts Michigan medical marijuana cards. This is known as medical marijuana reciprocity. Michigan will accept out of state MMJ cards from participating states.

States with Medical marijuana reciprocity or recreational use include:

• Alaska
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Hawaii
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Nevada
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Puerto Rico
• Washington
• Washington D.C.

Note: if you have a MMJ card issued from some of these states, you may be required to submit a patient application form for visitors when in Michigan. Always contact the MMMP to make sure before you visit!

Can MMJ patients withdraw from the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program?

Yes. If you changed your mind or just no longer want to be a part of the MMMP you can withdraw online or by mail at any time. There is no fee to withdraw.

To withdraw online:

• Log into your online account at the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency
• Follow the instructions for how to withdrawal
• Complete the withdrawal form

To withdraw by mail:

• Complete the withdrawal form
• Submit the required supporting documents with the form

You can expect to receive a written verification from the MMMP in the mail confirming your withdrawal status.

Recent Updates and Reforms to MMJ Laws in Michigan

In 2016 former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed new MMJ bills that were added to the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. These legislative proposals allowed for the following changes:

• the use of other forms of cannabis including edibles and topicals
• the governance and operation of provisional centers (i.e. medical dispensaries)
• establishing a 3% tax rate on MMJ

Wrapping Up MI Medical Card 

Getting a medical marijuana card in Michigan is simple and easy.

Locals over 18 that are able to pass the background check and have one of the approved debilitating conditions can qualify to be a medical cannabis patient.

If you are without Michigan residency you may still be able to purchase medical cannabis. All you need is a valid MMJ card from a state with medical marijuana reciprocity.

Caregivers will also find that obtaining a MMJ card is not challenging as they can be patients as well. In all, acquiring a marijuana card in Michigan is fairly simple if you meet the requirements we outlined above.

Whether online or in person, getting a Michigan medical marihuana card is an attainable goal.

On the plus side, medical use cannabis comes with more benefits and a cheaper price tag than recreational use cannabis.