How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Kentucky

To apply for a medical marijuana card in Kentucky, you first see a practitioner registered with the state’s Medical Cannabis Program for a written certification, then submit an online application through the Patient and Caregiver Registry Portal along with a notarized signature page and a $25 fee. The program launched January 1, 2025, and the state issues a decision within 30 calendar days of receiving a complete application.

Check That You Qualify

Three baseline rules decide whether you can apply at all:

You live in Kentucky and can prove it with a valid government-issued ID.
You are at least 18. Minors can qualify, but a custodial parent or legal guardian has to serve as the designated caregiver and control acquisition, dosage, and frequency.¹
You do not have a disqualifying felony. Two categories disqualify: violent offenses (capital offenses, Class A felonies, felony sexual offenses, robbery, arson, and similar serious crimes listed under KRS 439.3401) and felony controlled substance convictions.²

Controlled substance felonies have an exception. If you finished your entire sentence, including probation and supervised release, five or more years ago, the conviction no longer disqualifies you. The same is true if the conduct would likely have been protected under Kentucky’s current medical cannabis law but happened before the law existed or was prosecuted somewhere other than Kentucky.²

Qualifying Medical Conditions

You need a diagnosis of at least one condition recognized under KRS Chapter 218B:

Any type or form of cancer
Chronic, severe, or debilitating pain
Epilepsy or other intractable seizure disorder
Multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, or spasticity
Chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome that hasn’t responded to other treatments
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Any condition the Kentucky Center for Cannabis determines has sufficient scientific evidence to benefit from medical cannabis

The final category is open-ended, and conditions can be added as research supports them. If your diagnosis is not on the list, check the program’s site before assuming you’re out.³

See a Registered Practitioner

Only practitioners who have registered with the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program can issue the written certification you need. Your regular doctor cannot certify you unless they’re on the list.

The Office of Medical Cannabis publishes an Authorized Practitioner Directory that lets you search by city, county, zip code, or specialty. Each entry shows contact information and an office address.⁴

Your first appointment has to be in person. Telehealth is not allowed for the initial visit. The practitioner conducts a full review of your medical history and current condition to establish what the law calls a bona fide practitioner-patient relationship. If they determine you have a qualifying condition and would benefit, they issue the written certification and link it to your file in the state’s registry system.⁵

Practitioners set their own visit fees, and the state does not regulate the amount. That charge is separate from the $25 application fee, so it pays to compare prices between offices.

Gather Your Documents

Once the certification is in the system, get these ready before you open the portal:

Personal information: full name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number and issuing state, email address, and phone number.⁵
Your permanent street address and mailing address.
Proof of Kentucky residency. A valid government-issued ID with a Kentucky address is the easiest.
A notarized signature page. You have to sign in front of a notary and attest that your information is true and that you will not give medical cannabis to anyone unauthorized to possess it. You upload the notarized page during the application.⁶

The notarization is where applicants get stuck. Handle it before you sit down at the portal. Banks, UPS locations, and many law offices offer notary services, usually for a small fee.

Submit the Application and Pay the Fee

Applications go through the Patient and Caregiver Registry Portal, linked from the Office of Medical Cannabis website. Create an account, enter your details, upload the notarized signature page, and connect your submission to the certification your practitioner already filed. Pay the $25 application fee online at submission. That fee is non-refundable whether or not your application is approved, and the same $25 applies to adult patients, minors, designated caregivers, and visiting out-of-state patients.⁷

After You Submit

The program reviews your application and issues a decision within 30 calendar days of receiving a complete submission.¹ You can check status any time through the portal. If approved, you receive a digital registry identification card that you can print or save to your phone.

The card is valid for one year from the issue date.⁸ Note the expiration. The legal protections that come with the card expire when it does, even if you have already filed a renewal.

Plan to renew at least 30 days before expiration. Renewal usually requires a new written certification from your practitioner, so schedule that appointment early. The renewal runs through the same portal and costs the same $25.⁸ If your card is lost or stolen, notify the program within 10 days; the state issues a replacement within 10 days of receiving that notice.¹

Extra Steps for Applicants Under 18

Minors have to clear two additional hurdles. First, a minor must obtain a diagnosis of a qualifying condition from two different practitioners: the medical cannabis practitioner who provides the written certification, plus a separate practitioner who independently documents the diagnosis. Second, a custodial parent or legal guardian has to agree in writing to serve as the minor’s designated caregiver and control the supply and dosage.¹ The caregiver applies through the same portal and pays the same $25 fee, and the same disqualifying felony rules apply to caregivers as to patients.⁹

If You Already Have a Card From Another State

Kentucky recognizes valid medical cannabis cards from other states, so you have a choice. You can buy at a Kentucky dispensary using your out-of-state card by bringing that card, a government-issued photo ID, and documentation of your qualifying diagnosis. Visiting patients without a Kentucky card are capped at a 10-day supply per purchase.¹⁰

If you want the full 30-day supply limit, you can apply for a Kentucky registry card through the same portal. The application still costs $25 and requires a copy of your out-of-state card, documentation of your diagnosis, and a notarized signature form. Visiting patient applications follow the same 30-day processing timeline.¹⁰

1
Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis. Patient and Caregiver Questions
2
Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program. Guidance re Disqualifying Felony Offenses under KRS Chapter 218B
3
Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis. Patients and Caregivers Overview
4
Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis. Find a Practitioner
5
Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Qualified Patient and Designated Caregiver Guide v.4
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Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Qualified Patient and Caregiver Guide v.4
7
Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis. How to Apply
8
Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis. How to Apply Guide, Medical Cannabis Card Renewals
9
Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Medical Cannabis. Qualified Patient and Designated Caregiver Guide v.3
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Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program. Quick Reference Guide for Kentucky Visiting Qualified Patients