How Long Does it Take To Get a Medical Card in Florida

If you’re a Florida resident, you may ask yourself, “Does Florida have medical marijuana cards?” Thanks to recently passed legislation, the answer is yes! You may be eligible for a medical card if you have certain medical conditions. If you’ve considered applying for a medical marijuana card, you likely have some questions, such as how long it takes to get your medical card in the mail in Florida and how much the application process costs.

Applying for a medical marijuana card is not a complicated process. But some common pitfalls people make can result in delays in receiving your card. If you are an eligible Florida resident and have a qualifying medical condition, read on to see what you need to know about applying for a medical marijuana card.

How Can I Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Florida?

You may be eligible for a Florida medical marijuana card if you have one of the following conditions:

  • AIDS/HIV
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
  • Cancer
  • Chronic muscle spasms
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Epilepsy
  • Glaucoma
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Seizures

These conditions are explicitly spelled out in Florida’s medical marijuana law. However, a much more extensive list of medical conditions that may qualify can be found on the Florida Health Department’s website.

A doctor must certify that you have a qualifying condition. At this stage of the process, many first-time applicants make mistakes that can delay their approval. They often reach out to their primary care physician or a doctor online for an evaluation only to learn that their doctor is not appropriately certified by the state to conduct these evaluations.

By reaching out to Nature’s Greenhouse, you’re guaranteed to be evaluated by an experienced physician currently certified to conduct medical marijuana evaluations. Once a nature’s Greenhouse physician deems you eligible for a medical marijuana card, you’ll be added to the Medical Marijuana Use Registry and be eligible to apply for your card.

You can complete and submit an online application or download, fill out, and mail a paper application to Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU). Once you’ve submitted your application and the required payment, OMMU will review and approve or deny your application.  

What Is The Quickest Way To Approval?

Before you apply, you should first make sure that you’re eligible for a medical marijuana card. You can take this quick quiz to determine whether you may meet the requirements. However, a final determination will ultimately be made by OMMU.

So how long does it take to get your medical card in the mail in Florida? The quickest way to apply and receive approval for a medical marijuana card is by submitting an online application (rather than by mail). On average, an online application may take ten business days for approval. 

If you’re submitting a paper application, pay close attention to the documentation requirements, as submitting incorrect or incomplete documentation will delay the approval process. However, when submitting a complete paper application, you should expect approval to take three to five days longer to account for mail delivery.

How Long Will It Take for Me To Renew My Florida Medical Marijuana Card?

You can also apply for a renewal online or via paper. You must submit your renewal application and payment within the 45-days before your expiration date. Remember that renewal applications may take a week or longer, depending on demand. If you’re wondering how long it takes to get your medical card in the mail in Florida in renewal cases, you should expect to add another three to five days to account for postal delivery.

Get Your Medical Marijuana Card in Florida

If you suffer from a medical condition that makes you eligible for medical marijuana, receiving your card as soon as possible gets you the relief you need. But if you’ve never applied for one before, you may inadvertently face delays completing the medical evaluation portion of the process or submitting incomplete documentation.

To get your card as soon as possible, contact Nature’s Greenhouse today. We’ll walk you through what to expect and bring before your evaluation and help get you in front of a certified physician quickly.

We’ve helped many Florida residents successfully obtain their cards and get the medical marijuana treatment they deserve. And by contacting Nature’s Greenhouse today, you can get your card – and much-needed relief.

Image Credit: Brian Goodman

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