How To Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Washington DC

The uniqueness of Washington DC’s medical marijuana program is that individuals over 21 years of age can register without the recommendation of any doctor. This is done through ABCA, and no registration fee has to be paid (until 2025). A registration card in the form of a digital ID is issued to patients.

Cannabis was legalized for medical purposes in the year 2010, while its management began in October 2020, through ABCA. The use of recreational cannabis is permitted for adults over 21 years of age. Nevertheless, there are advantages in having medical registration.

The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) oversees DC’s Medical Cannabis Program, handling patient and caregiver registrations, dispensary licenses, and compliance.

• Website: abca.dc.gov 
• Email: ABCA.CannabisInfo@dc.gov 
• Phone: (202) 442-4423
• Address: 899 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 4200-A, Washington, DC 20002
• Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

DC’s program provides three separate qualification paths according to age:

• People above 21 years old: Certification through self-recommendation is possible without needing a healthcare provider’s recommendation. Just mention your DC residency and need for medical cannabis.
• People who are 18 to 20 years old: Need a recommendation from a DC-licensed health care provider having a legitimate relationship with the individual. An in-person examination is mandatory when applying for certification. A telemedicine visit is not accepted if the applicant is below 21 years of age.
• People under 18 years of age: Certification can be obtained through a licensed caregiver. Individuals in this age category cannot go for self-certification and need a healthcare provider’s recommendation.

For persons between 18 and 20 years old or below, the recommendations should come from a DC-licensed physician or healthcare provider in good standing, such as M.D.s, D.O.s, PAs, APRNs, N.D.s, or dentists, having a doctor-patient relationship with them. The complete list can be accessed at the ABCA site.

There are no qualifying conditions in Washington, DC. Adults 21 and above can self-recommend based on their personal choice. For those between 18 and 20 years old and below, a physician’s recommendation certifying that the use of medical marijuana will be beneficial to their illness is required.

Step 1: Determine Your Pathway

• For individuals aged 21 and over: Skip the provider’s advice and directly register for ABCA online.
• For individuals aged 18-20: You need to visit the health care provider who is registered in the District of Columbia. Teleconsultation will not work here.
• For children: One of your parents needs to fill in the form as the caregiver of a child-patient.

Step 2: Apply Online Through the ABCA Portal

If you wish to submit your applications, then navigate through the website of the ABCA Medical Cannabis Program available at https://abca.dc.gov. Fill out the Adult Patient Application Form or Minor Application Form, depending on the age of your patient. The list of documents that you will require for your application includes:

• Identification proof, like a DC Driver’s License/DC ID card issued by the government.
• Proof of residency in DC only if your ID does not mention any address in DC.
• Healthcare practitioner recommendations are mandatory for adults aged 18 to 20 years or minors, but it is optional for adults aged 21 years and older.

No requirement for a face photograph from July 17, 2025.

Step 3: Receive Your Temporary Registration and Purchase Immediately

After the procedure, the adult applicant will receive their temporary digital registration that lasts for 90 days before it can be used instantly in any DC-licensed store while the permanent registration is being processed.

Step 4: Receive Your Permanent Digital Registration

On completion of the process, the ABCA will send you an email that will contain your permanent digital registration, which will be valid for two years (and your current six-year registration will remain valid for another four years).

Non-DC residents and visiting patients pay separate fees – see the Visiting Patients section below.

Provide your digital or paper registration card and an ID with your photo at any authorized DC dispensary. DC dispensaries sell flower, concentrate, edible, tincture, topical, and seed.

Possession and Purchase Limits

Both patients and caregivers can keep up to 2 ounces of marijuana at all times. The purchase limits apply within a 30-day rolling period at all authorized retailers.

The caregiver is optional for adults but mandatory for minors. The caregiver buys the marijuana for the patient from the authorized dispensary. Applications for the caregiver cannot be done online. They have to be done physically or via the mail. It does not matter whether the caregiver qualifies for low-income discounts.

DC provides two methods of access to visit patients:

Reciprocity: DC recognizes medical cannabis patient IDs that are issued legally in most U.S. states or territories (except Virginia, which requires extra requirements). Qualified visitors use their home state patient ID at any DC dispensary – no need to register separately.

Temporary DC Patient Registration: Visitors age 21 or older can register temporarily via an online application. The costs differ according to the period of validity: $10 for three days, $20 for 30 days, $50 for 90 days, $75 for 180 days, and $100 for 365 days.

Valid for two years, renewals must be made by individuals aged 21 or above who will self-attest at renewal. Those aged 18 to 20 and below can undergo telemedicine-based renewal assessments, but not during their first registration process. No charge for residents, $10 optional fee for physical card.

• Those over age 21 can use self-certification – no visit to a doctor necessary
• Persons aged 18–20 need to have their case evaluated in person for registration (no telemedicine appointments accepted for new patients)
• There is no cost for DC residents applying for registration until November 6, 2025
• The submission of a face photograph is no longer needed (effective July 17, 2025)
• Temporary cards last 90 days and are usable immediately
• Permanent cards last two years
• Caregiver registrations cannot be applied for using the online application process
• DC has reciprocity for almost all states and territories’ medical cards