Applicants should discuss the use of medical cannabis with their physician prior to beginning an application. All applicants, except for veterans receiving care at a VA facility, must have a healthcare professional submit a written certification for the use of medical cannabis.

The following requirements must be met. in order to qualify for a medical cannabis card in the state of Illinois. All applicants must:

  • Be a resident of the State of Illinois
  • Have a qualifying debilitating medical condition or a Terminal Illness diagnosis. (Please see TI section below.)
  • Have a signed healthcare professional written certification
  • Be at least 18 years of age*
  • Not hold a school bus permit or commercial driver’s license
  • Not be an active duty law enforcement officer, correctional officer, correctional probation officer, or firefighter.

*Any minors wishing to join the program must follow the appropriate application process, as explained in detail further down this page.

How much medical cannabis can you have?

Registered patients are eligible to purchase 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis every 14 days. To obtain an increase of this amount, the certifying healthcare professional must complete and submit a Waiver for Increasing  the Adequate Supply of Medical Cannabis form.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Step 1:  Healthcare Professional Written Certification

Ask your healthcare professional to complete the Healthcare Professional Written Certification Form and return it to you, so that you can include it with your application. You must see your healthcare professional no more than 90 days before you submit your application.

  • Please note that veterans receiving health care at a VA facility do not need to provide a healthcare professional written certification, but must instead provide medical records from the VA facility for the last 12 months.
  • Use VA form 10-5345 to request these records

Step 2: Complete the Medical Cannabis Patient Application.

The following documents must be gathered and submitted with your Qualifying Patient (QP) application:

  • Government-issued ID: current Illinois driver’s license or state ID
  • Passport style photograph: Taken in the last 30
  • Proof of residency:  See page 3 of the QP application for more details
  • Non-refundable application fee: See page 2 of QP application for more details
  • A credit or debit card: required to complete the online application.
  • A copy of your Social Security Benefit Verification Statement for SSI or SSDI: this applies if you are petitioning for a reduced fee. Veterans will need a copy of their DD-214.
  • Identification of a caregiver: to be included with the application, if appropriate. The Designated Caregiver (CG) Application must be submitted with all supporting documents attached

The Minor Qualifying Patient (MQP) Program

The Application for a Registered Identification Card for Qualifying Patients Under 18 Years of Age, and their designated caregiver, is the applications that must be submitted for a qualifying patient under 18 years of age.

The following documents must be gathered and submitted along with an MQP application:

Please note that designated caregivers of registered qualifying patients under 18 years of age may only purchase medical cannabis-infused products from registered dispensing organizations. The purchase and use of other types of medical cannabis products is prohibited.

TERMINAL ILLNESS (TI)

Persons diagnosed with a terminal illness, with a life expectancy of six months or less, can apply for a medical cannabis registry identification card that’s valid for six months. There’s no application fee when applying under these circumstances.

Qualifying TI Patients (including applicants under the age of 18) must be a resident of the State of Illinois and have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. With these two requirements in place, applicants will need to complete the following steps as indicated:

*Please note that this form must be signed in blue ink and that the in-person physical examination must take place within 90 days of the application submission date.

Persons who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and have less than 6 months to live, may submit an application to the Medical Cannabis Patient Program (MCPP) on-line at https://medicalcannabispatients.illinois.gov/. A provisional registry certificate will be issued upon completion of the on-line application to allow the qualifying patient and caregiver can enter the dispensary within 24 hours of submitting the application online.

Paper applications submitted for Terminal Illness will be processed within the 14 days. Patients submitting a paper application will not be issued a provisional registration certificate.

Veterans receiving care at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Facility

Veterans who choose to submit a TI Application must follow a slightly different process, the details of which are as follows:

  • Submit a copy of your DD-214, showing dates of service and character of service.
  • Provide a copy of your medical records from the VA facility for the last 12 months.
  • Complete the Attestation of Terminal Illness Form. Please note that this form must be notarized.

What happens after the first six months?

Note: If you currently have or had a 6-month Terminal Illness Registry Card, DO NOT start a Terminal Illness application. You must call 855-636-3688 and ask to speak to a Terminal Illness Specialist or email [email protected] for instructions. Questions about terminal illness applications? Please email [email protected]

TI Applications are valid for six months. If at the end of the six-month period, the patient’s condition is no longer considered terminal, they can submit an application for a three-year medical cannabis card. Designated caregivers are also invited to do the same.