How To Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Texas

One of the most unique medical marijuana programs in the United States can be found in Texas. This program does not have a patient identification card. In place of that, there is a prescription from a medical practitioner, which does not cost anything for patients.

This program is known as the Texas Compassionate Use Program (CUP). It was enacted back in 2015 and has since been modified through House Bill 46 (HB 46). It was signed into law by the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, on June 21, 2025, and will take effect on September 1, 2025.

In addition to making some changes to the current program, the bill made a number of updates and additions, such as removing the previous 1% THC restriction. Recreational marijuana continues to be illegal in the state.

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is responsible for administering the program and controls physician registration, patient database, and dispensing organizations’ licensure via Compassionate Use Registry of Texas (CURT). The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) oversees the process of qualifying condition establishment as well as device approval.

• CUP DPS website: dps.texas.gov/section/drug-education/compassionate-use-program 
• CURT registry: Accessed by physicians and dispensaries – not by patients

For you to get a low THC marijuana prescription in Texas, you need to meet the following requirements:

• Be a permanent resident of Texas – Out-of-staters are ineligible.
• Be diagnosed by a doctor registered with the CUP with a qualifying ailment
• Your physician needs to ascertain that you would gain more from taking medical marijuana than the dangers it poses to you.

No age restrictions exist; children are eligible, but their parents have to be involved in the whole process.

Only those doctors who are licensed by the CUP have the authority to write prescriptions for cannabis with low levels of THC. Those licensed by the CUP have to be holders of a full, unrestricted license in Texas and undergo any necessary training. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants are not allowed to write prescriptions for the CUP. Evaluation via telemedicine is entirely acceptable.

As of September 1, 2025 (following HB 46), the CUP covers the following conditions:

• ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Cancer
• Chronic pain (no longer requires prior failed opioid therapy)
• Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease
• Epilepsy and seizure disorders
• Glaucoma
• Incurable neurodegenerative diseases
• Multiple sclerosis and spasticity
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Terminal illness and patients receiving hospice or palliative care
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Any other condition added by the DSHS through the rulemaking process

Veterans: According to HB 46, veterans may apply for the CUP for any disabling condition, as determined by their registered physician for the CUP – a much broader criterion than that applied to non-veterans.

Physicians can also make applications to the DSHS for inclusion of additional disabilities in the approved list.

Step 1: Find a CUP-Registered Physician

Visit the CURT physician directory on the DPS website to locate a CUP-certified physician near you. Telemedicine is accepted without any restrictions. Collect your medical documents in advance of the consultation, since proof of the existence of your qualifying medical condition would assist the physician during the examination.

The physician will do the following during the examination:

• Check your medical history and your qualifying medical condition
• Decide whether the benefits of low-THC cannabis for your particular situation are greater than the potential risks
• Prescribe your medication via CURT, and no patient paperwork is necessary

Step 2: You’re Registered – No Application Needed

The moment that your doctor inputs your information into CURT, you are instantly eligible for purchasing cannabis with low THC levels at any one of the approved dispensing organizations in Texas. There is no need for a patient registration, no need for a state-approved portal through which to sign up, nor a card that will be delivered in the mail to you.

Step 3: Visit a Licensed Dispensing Organization

You will just need a valid government-issued photo ID card, along with your date of birth and last five digits of your Social Security number, when visiting any one of the licensed dispensing organizations in Texas. At the time of writing, there are a total of up to 15 licensed dispensing organizations in the State of Texas, compared to only 3 at its inception.

Low-THC cannabis in Texas is classified as cannabis that is extracted from the plant Cannabis sativa L. In accordance with HB 46, the threshold for THC content was changed from 1% to:

• Up to 10 mg THC per dosage unit
• Up to 1,000 mg (1 gram) THC per container

Synthetic cannabinoids are prohibited.

As of September 1, 2025, the following product forms are permitted:

• Tinctures, oils, and liquid preparations
• Capsules, lozenges, and sprays
• Topical lotions and balms
• Transdermal patches
• Suppositories
• Approved inhalation devices, including vaporizers, nebulizers, and inhalers (when specifically approved by the prescribing physician)

Smoking remains strictly prohibited under all circumstances – including for registered CUP patients. Edibles are not permitted.

A CUP prescription lasts a year, with four refills of 90 days each permitted within that time period. There is no additional requirement to renew an annual card; your doctor merely extends the prescription in the CURT when the year has elapsed.

As opposed to other states in the country, the State of Texas does not have any official registration for caregivers. It is only the individual himself or his legal guardian, if he is a minor, who enjoys the protection of the law in possessing and using the cannabis prescribed.

A person holding an out-of-state prescription for medical cannabis is ineligible for the program. Only citizens who permanently reside in Texas are allowed to enroll in the CUP. No non-resident can enroll, even if he possesses a card issued by his state of origin.

However, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, enrollment in the CUP will not automatically disqualify a citizen from applying for or retaining a License to Carry in Texas. Nevertheless, the federal government categorizes marijuana as a controlled substance. This may affect an individual’s eligibility for purchasing firearms.

• No card = no application = no fee – physician enrollment in CURT is full permission
• Physicians must be registered on CUP (MD only) – NPs and PAs cannot
• Telemedicine is completely acceptable – most patients are enrolled in CURT on the first day
• No smoking – only non-combustible methods are permitted
• No caregiver program — only the patient and their guardian have legal protection
• Veterans may meet eligibility requirements by a wider margin (all debilitating illnesses)
• Prescription valid for one year with up to four 90-day refills
• Patients from other states cannot participate
• Recreational use is banned in Texas