Medical Cannabis
Medical cannabis is available for qualified patients only at licensed dispensing locations. To become eligible to purchase medical cannabis, you must obtain a written certification from a licensed medical practitioner.
You may register with the Cannabis Control Authority, but it is not required. Registration is only required under certain circumstances for parents, legal guardians, and registered agents. For a quick overview, check out the steps below. Have more questions? Visit our frequently asked questions page or contact us at MedicalCannabis@cca.virginia.gov.
Want to become a medical cannabis patient but unsure where to begin? Follow this step by step guide to obtain medical cannabis.
Schedule an appointment with an eligible medical practitioner to learn more about medical cannabis and to determine if you are a good candidate to receive a written certification.
You must meet certain requirements to become a qualifying patient for medical cannabis. You must be a permanent or temporary resident of Virginia and must have a condition that an eligible medical practitioner has determined will benefit from the use of cannabis.
Medical practitioners are eligible to issue a written certification for medical cannabis if they are a practitioner of medicine or osteopathy licensed by the Board of Medicine, a physician assistant licensed by the Board of Medicine, or an advanced practice registered nurse jointly licensed by the Boards of Nursing and Medicine.
If your medical practitioner determines you are a good candidate for medical cannabis, they will issue you a written certification for the use of medical cannabis. The practitioner also determines how long the written certification is valid, which can be up to one year.
The Cannabis Control Authority uses the secure medical cannabis portal which enables eligible medical practitioners to issue a written certification to a patient in the form of a digital Validation of Written Certification. This digital validation can also be printed out if you need a physical copy.
Eligible medical practitioners can also provide the patient with a hand-written certification.
Dispensaries will accept hand-written or electronic certifications.
Once you have your certification, you may take it to a licensed dispensary. The dispensary will verify your certification and add your information to its system.
When visiting a new dispensary, you must present a valid written certification, a current government-issued ID, and proof of Virginia residency. If not shown on the ID, Virginia residency can be proven by a document such as a utility bill or lease. The dispensary will scan the bar-code on the certification to verify it is valid.
Dispensaries will accept hand-written or electronic certifications.
Note: Registration is required if you are a parent or registered agent to a patient and the practitioner has not added your name to the written certification.
Registration is a voluntary process for patients and not necessary to obtain medical cannabis. Registration is only required for parents/legal guardians and registered agents of a patient if the practitioner did not include their name on the written certification. Up to two parents/legal guardians and one registered agent can be on a written certification.
Registration is done through the medical cannabis portal. Here are the step-by-step guides on how to create an account and register in the portal.
Creating an Account Guide (PDF)
The cost for registration and annual renewal is $50 for patients and $25 for parents/legal guardians and registered agents. Allow for approximately five business days to process complete applications with payment.
For patients, if the written certification is not in the medical cannabis portal, the digital validation card will only include the barcode for their Registered Patient License. If the written certification is in the medical cannabis portal, the digital card will have both the barcode for the written certification and registration license. For parents/legal guardians and registered agents, the card will look the same as the patient’s card except the patient's name and written certification number will be added.