Medical Marijuana Card in Florida

How to get an MMJ card in Florida

Florida is a physician-certification state, so the process runs in two parts — your doctor's office and the state registry:

• Confirm you're eligible. You must be a Florida resident (or a qualifying seasonal resident) with a diagnosed qualifying condition.
• See an OMMU-registered physician — in person. Florida law requires your first certification to be an in-person visit under Fla. Stat. §381.986(4)(a). The physician confirms your qualifying condition and enters your certification into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry (MMUR).
• Complete your state application. The registry emails you a login. You apply online, upload a Florida driver's license or state ID (proof of residency) and a passport-style photo, and pay the $75 state fee.
• Get approved. Approval is often the same day your physician submits the certification, which gives you dispensary access right away. Your physical OMMU card arrives by mail in roughly 7–14 business days.

Because the first visit must be in person, this differs from how telehealth MMJ visits work in most other states. The good news: once your in-person relationship is on file, Florida lets you handle renewals by telehealth with that same physician (more on that below).

Qualifying conditions in Florida

Fla. Stat. §381.986(2) enumerates ten conditions:

• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Positive status for HIV
• AIDS
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Crohn's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Multiple sclerosis

The statute also opens three additional pathways: a comparable-class clause (§381.986(2)(k)) that lets a qualified physician certify "medical conditions of the same kind or class" as those listed; a terminal condition pathway (§381.986(2)(l)); and chronic nonmalignant pain caused by or originating from a qualifying condition (§381.986(2)(m)). In practice, this is how patients with conditions such as chronic pain or severe anxiety are often certified. Anxiety, depression, and insomnia are not independently listed, but a physician may certify them as comorbid or comparable-class conditions alongside a qualifying diagnosis. See the qualifying conditions overview for how this works across states.

Cost breakdown

Florida has two separate costs, and only one is fixed by the state:

• State registration fee — $75 per year. Paid to the OMMU when you apply and at each annual renewal. Online payments add a $2.75 Bill2Pay convenience fee, for $77.75 total. Replacing or modifying a card costs $15.
• Physician evaluation — separate, set by the clinic. Most initial Florida evaluations run about $150–$250; renewal evaluations are often lower (roughly $100–$150). This fee is not set by the state and varies by provider.

Health insurance — including Medicare, Medicaid, and private plans — does not cover the evaluation or the state fee, because cannabis remains federally classified as a Schedule I substance. Because of the 210-day recertification cycle, budget for the physician fee roughly twice a year. For a fuller picture, see our cost of an MMJ card guide.

Possession & purchase limits

Your specific amounts are set on your certification, but Florida caps them by rule:

• Up to a 70-day supply of marijuana within any 70-day period.
• Smokable flower: no more than one 35-day supply within any 35-day period, and that 35-day supply may not exceed 2.5 ounces unless the department approves an exception.
• No home cultivation. Growing your own cannabis is not permitted in Florida — all products must be purchased from a licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC).

See possession limits by state for how Florida compares.

Renewal rules

This is the part Florida patients most often get wrong, because there are two separate clocks:

• State card — renews annually. Your OMMU card is valid for one year. You can renew it up to 45 days early, and the renewal fee is the same $75. Both your card and your physician certification must be active to buy at a dispensary.
• Physician recertification — every 210 days (about 7 months). Under §381.986(4)(b)(8), your doctor must re-evaluate you roughly twice a year — a cadence that rarely lines up with your annual card date, so track them separately.

Since HB 387 took effect on July 1, 2023, recertification visits can be done by telehealth, but only with the same physician who performed your in-person initial exam. If that physician is no longer available, you'll need a new in-person visit before telehealth renewals resume. Walk through the timing in our medical card renewal guide.

Official sources: Fla. Stat. §381.986 and the Florida OMMU (Know the Facts MMJ). Verify current details with the state before acting — this page is educational and is not medical or legal advice.

Frequently asked questions