How To Get a Medical Marijuana Card in West Virginia

The legalization of medical marijuana in West Virginia took place in April 2017 with Senate Bill 386. The first dispensary was licensed in November 2021, and by 2025, there were 65 dispensaries and more than 35,000 patients enrolled in the program.

In West Virginia, recreational marijuana is not legal; one can only obtain marijuana through a medical card. The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources created the Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC) in 2021.

Patient registration, issuance of a caregiver card, registration of doctors, and regulation of dispensaries come under the purview of the West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC).

• Website: omc.wv.gov 
• Email: medcanwv@wv.gov 
• Phone: 304-356-5090
• Address: 350 Capitol Street, Room 523, Charleston, WV 25301

A patient seeking to obtain a West Virginia cannabis card should have:

• Proof of permanent residence in West Virginia
• Been at least 18 years old, or 16/17 years old with parental consent and a designated caregiver
• At least one of the fifteen serious medical conditions recognized by a registered doctor

No felony convictions bar the application of a patient. 

Only doctors (MD and DO) who are licensed by OMC can write the patient certifications. The doctors have to complete a 4-hour course in medical marijuana education and should maintain a valid doctor-patient relationship with the patient. NPs and PAs do not qualify. Telemedicine is completely allowed.

There are 15 serious medical conditions recognized by West Virginia that qualify for the MMJ Program. Doctors can only certify people for these conditions because there is no physician discretion provision. Recognized conditions include:

• AIDS and HIV
• ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• Damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with intractable spasticity
• Epilepsy and seizure disorders
• Glaucoma
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• PTSD
• Terminal illness and several other approved conditions

The residents have the opportunity to file petitions to add additional serious qualifying conditions, which will be considered by the MCAB and forwarded to the DHHR.

Step 1: Get Certified by an OMC-Registered Physician

Schedule a visit with an OMC-licensed WV doctor either in-person or by telemedicine. Present documentation proving your eligible condition. In case you are found eligible, the doctor will:

• Provide you with a copy of the Patient Certification form
• Also, send a copy directly to OMC through electronic means.

Your certification remains valid for 30 days, after which you must apply for a patient card.

Step 2: Create Your Account on the Medical Cannabis Portal

Go to the website West Virginia Medical Cannabis Portal (Complia), which is accessible from https://omc.wv.gov/, and register with a new patient account. After registering yourself, log in, and complete a new patient registration application. 

Step 3: Complete the Application and Upload Documents

Make sure that you fill out all necessary fields on the different tabs and provide the following documents:

• Identification document issued by the government with a photograph on it – West Virginia driver’s license, ID, or passport 
• Residency Proof – utility bill, tax information, or any other document showing your full legal name and address in West Virginia
• Patient Certification – select physician certification for a patient using the Physician/Condition Information tab
• Fee Waiver (optional) – patients belonging to families who earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level qualify for waivers. 

Step 4: Mail Your Application Fee

After submitting the application and getting the Application ID number, the $50 fee should be paid by check or money order. Online payments cannot be made. The check or money order must be made out to “WV DHHR,” and the Application ID number and full name must be included on the memo line. Address: WV Office of Medical Cannabis, 350 Capitol Street, Room 523, Charleston, WV 25301.

Step 5: Wait for Approval and Download Your Card

OMC considers applications within thirty days after receipt of the payment. Upon approval, log in to Complia and download the digital card – there is no need to send a physical card. The validity period of the cards is one year. In case there is a need for corrections, the applicant will receive an email from the OMC with instructions for resubmission through the portal.

Present your digital card and a valid government-issued photo ID at any of West Virginia’s 65 licensed dispensaries.

Possession and Purchase Limits

The maximum number of days’ supply that registered patients can have of medical cannabis is 30 days. This usually means 4 ounces or less of dried flowers intended for vaporizers or an equivalent quantity in other permitted medical cannabis product types.

Allowed Product Types

West Virginia currently permits the following product forms:

• Oils, tinctures, and liquid concentrates
• Topical gels, creams, and patches
• Pills, capsules, and lozenges
• Dry leaf or plant material (for vaporization only)

Smoking is strictly forbidden for all patients using medical marijuana. Smoking any cannabis product in West Virginia is illegal according to the state’s laws.

Regarding edibles: An edible legalization bill, HB 3201, was proposed during the 2025 legislative session to make edible consumption legal through commercial manufacturing. To date, this bill has not been passed – visit the OMC website for the most recent developments.

Home Cultivation

Home cultivation is prohibited in West Virginia. All cannabis must be purchased from a licensed dispensary.

A maximum of two caregivers can be designated by a patient. Caregivers need to:

• Be at least 21 years old
• Be residents of West Virginia
• Have their fingerprints taken by IdentoGO to undergo a criminal background check
• Pay $50 for the caregiver card (which is also exempt due to financial difficulties)
• Fill out the Criminal Background Check Rights Acknowledgement form

Caregivers will then register themselves on the OMC website once the patient’s application has been accepted.

West Virginia provides a visiting patient card for any eligible visitors from other states. To qualify, you should be a registered medical marijuana patient in your state, having any qualifying condition listed in West Virginia. The application is made via the OMC portal, and there is no difference in the fee and other procedures.

The medical marijuana cards are valid for one year. In order to renew the license, get a new physician certification (by telemedicine if necessary), log into the Complia portal, choose the Patient Renewal tab, and send a check or money order for the $50 fee.

• Recreational use of marijuana is not allowed in West Virginia.
• OMC-registered MDs and DOs are the only physicians who can certify a patient.
• The physician must undergo a mandatory 4-hour training course.
• The period of patient certification lasts 30 days – submit your application immediately!
• The registration fee of $50 is required to be sent via check/money order.
• Patient cards are exclusively electronic – available on the portal.
• Smoking marijuana is strictly prohibited – vaporization only.
• Growing marijuana plants at home is forbidden.
• A visiting patient card is provided in West Virginia for the benefit of out-of-state cardholders.