Every year you must do two things to stay in the program:

(1) Get recertified by a physician (schedule an appointment for recertification) and

(2) Pay the PA Dept. of Health your annual card fee ($50) or request a fee waiver if eligible.

You can do each step whenever the PA Department of Health emails you instructing you to do so. Typically you’ll receive an email telling you to get recertified about 60 days before your card is set to expire, and typically you’ll receive an email telling you that you’re eligible to pay the Dept of Health your annual card fee 30 days before your card fee is due.

(Your annual card fee due date is not the same as the expiration date on your ID card. See related FAQs below for more details.)

No. The PA Medical Marijuana Program allows you to be recertified by any (approved) doctor of your choosing each year. You are not obligated to return to your previous certifying doctor.

If your current card has expired, no big deal. Just follow the normal renewal process (i.e. schedule an appointment to be recertified, and pay the state your annual card fee.) There are no extra steps needed and you do not have to start all over again.

You can use your current PA MMJ ID card up to and including its expiration date *provided that you are up-to-date with your annual card fee payment to the State. Your annual card fee payment due date is not the same as the expiration date on your ID card. Oftentimes that due date is weeks (to even months) before the expiration date on your ID card.

If you do not pay the State the annual card fee (or request a fee waiver) by your due date, then they will deactivate your ID card. If this happens, it’s no big deal - Just log into your patient account on the medicalmarijuana.pa.gov website and pay the fee (“Make Payment” tab.) Once you’ve paid them, your card will be immediately reactivated and valid for use until its expiration date.

This means that you are considered to be up-to-date with your annual card payment to the Dept. of Health and your payment is not due. Meaning, either (1) You have already paid the Dept of Health your annual card fee this year (or have requested a fee waiver successfully), or (2) You are not due for payment yet this year because it’s too early (i.e. your annual card payment from last year is still in effect.) The Dept. of Health will send you an email 30 days before your annual card fee is due. You cannot pay the State before they tell you to.

Either one. It doesn’t matter at all, as the two things are not connected in the renewal process. But remember - you can’t pay the State your annual card fee until you are within 30 days of the annual card fee due date. (see FAQ below for more info)

You can find your annual card fee due date listed at the top of your Profile Settings page in your patient account in the PA Medical Marijuana Program site.

Note: Your annual card fee due date is NOT the same as the expiration date on your ID Card.

You can find your annual card fee due date listed at the top of your Profile Settings page in your patient account in the PA Medical Marijuana Program website.

Note: Your annual card fee due date is NOT the same as the expiration date on your ID Card.

Your annual card fee is due every year on the anniversary of the first time you paid. (This will not hold true if you’ve ever paid your annual card fee late / allowed your card to expire.) You will receive an email from the state four weeks before your annual card fee is due instructing you to pay it.

You can pay the state your annual card fee once you are within 30 days of your annual card fee due date. You can find your annual card fee due date listed at the top of your Profile Settings page in your patient account in the PA Medical Marijuana Program site.

You are eligible for recertification 60 days before your current ID card’s expiration date (or as soon as the Dept. of Health sends you an email instructing you to do so.) It is recommended that you schedule your recertification appointment as soon as you get that email from the Dept. of Health.

Nope, there is no downside. The clock doesn’t reset; you won’t lose any time with your current card.

-After you get recertified, the State will print-out and mail you your new card, but its Issued Date will be the day after your current card expires. Example: If your current ID card’s Expiration Date is 07/01/2026, then the Issued Date on your new card will be 07/02/2026.

-You’ll keep using your current ID card up to (and including) its expiration date. Your new card will become valid and active the day after your current card expires.

Unfortunately, no.

Doctors are not able to change any of the information in your patient profile on the PA Medical Marijuana Program website. They can view it, but they do not have the ability to change it.

-If you need to update your address (or phone number, etc.), please:

1. Login to your patient account on the PA Medical Marijuana Program website with your username and password

2. Click on Profile Settings from the menu

3. Update your address (or phone # or email address, etc.) and then click Save changes.

-If the Dept. of Health website will not allow you to make changes to your information for any reason, you will need to contact the PA Medical Marijuana Program Helpdesk for assistance: 1-888-733-5595. They are available 7 days a week from 7am-9pm excluding holidays.

-We require 2 hours advanced notice for changing or cancelling an appointment.

-You may cancel an appointment up to two hours before your scheduled appointment time and receive a full refund.

-If you miss ("no-show") the appointment, meaning that you do not answer the phone when the doctor calls you at the contact phone number that you provided for your appointment, you will be charged a $25 no-show fee to reschedule your appointment. If you do not wish to reschedule, you will forfeit the entire appointment charge. (i.e. No refund will be provided.)

For your reference, our full cancellation policy can be found here on our website: www.mmjadvocatedoc.com/cancellation

Open up the appointment confirmation email that you received when you booked your appointment.

Scroll to the very bottom of the email and click on the green button that says, “Change/Cancel Appointment.”

If you are unable to do so, then alternatively you can email us at schedule@mmjadvocatedoc.com to cancel.

Open up the appointment confirmation email that you received when you booked your appointment.

Scroll to the very bottom of the email and click on the green button that says, “Change/Cancel Appointment.”

If you are unable to do so, then alternatively you can email us at schedule@mmjadvocatedoc.com for help with rescheduling.

-Check your appointment confirmation email and double check the time of the appointment (note: please pay attention to AM vs. PM).

-Check your appointment confirmation email and make sure that the phone number that you gave us is correct.

-If you gave us an incorrect phone number, or otherwise don’t receive a call promptly at your appointment time, email us immediately at schedule@mmjadvocatedoc.com

Thee #1 reason for not receiving a call for your appointment at your appointment time is that you gave us an incorrect phone number to call.

1. Login to your patient account on the DOH site (https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login) and make sure you paid the Dept of Health (DOH) your $50 annual card fee or requested a fee waiver on your "Make Payment" page.

-This is important because if you're past due, the DOH is not going to send your ID card until you pay them.

-If the site lets you pay, then your annual card fee is indeed due. (If you already paid, the site won't let you pay a second time.)

2. While you're logged into your patient account on the DOH site (https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login), take a look at your "Profile Settings" page.

-The DOH mails your card to the address that you have listed in your Profile Settings page.

-If your address is wrong there, they most likely sent it to that wrong address.

3. Contact the PA Medical Marijuana Program Helpdesk at 1-888-733-5595 (7 days/week, 7am-9pm). Ask when your card was mailed out from the DOH, and what address it was mailed to.

4. If the Helpdesk confirms that your card was sent out over 3 weeks ago, and you haven't yet received it in the mail, the DOH then considers it to be lost in the mail.

If that is the case-

To request a replacement card if your card was lost in the mail:

-Login to your DOH patient account (https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login)

-Go to your "Profile Settings" page

-Click the blue button that says "Request to Replace a Card" and follow the instructions.

Even if your card has expired, you can feel free to book a Recertification appointment with us. We do not make you start all over again if your card is expired.

Bottom-line - If you've ever had a PA Medical Marijuana ID card, even if it is expired, even if it expired some years ago, and even if you were previously certified by someone outside of our practice, you can feel free to book a recertification appointment with us.

Email our scheduler at schedule@mmjadvocatedoc.com and she will assist you with rescheduling. She will email you an invoice to pay the $25 No-Show fee per our cancellation policy.

It is best to register using a laptop or a PC. You cannot register easily using many mobile devices unfortunately.

-Go to www.medicalmarijuana.pa.gov

-Click on “Log into the Registry”

-Click on “Adult Patient Registration”

-Complete the online form with your information. It is recommended that you capitalize everything. Enter only digits where numbers are required (no spaces, hyphens, etc.)

-After your information is validated, you will be prompted to create a username and password. You will also be issued a patient ID number.

Yes, you must register and have your patient ID number prior to booking an appointment.

"Basic documentation" is defined as any document from any health care provider/doctor/specialist/nurse practitioner/behavioral health counselor/etc. that simply states your name and your qualifying condition.

Some examples are: After-visit summary given to you after a doctor's visit; a print-out/screenshot of your diagnosis(es) from a patient portal; an imaging report; etc. (Documentation does not have to be in-depth). In some instances, we can accept a photo of a prescription medication if it’s being used to treat a qualifying condition.

Documentation does not have to be recent.

Yes, you will be refunded in full if it is determined during the appointment that you do not qualify or that you have a contraindication to cannabis use, such as a history of cannabis-induced psychosis, an allergy to cannabis (or a specific cannabinoid or terpene found in cannabis), or you are currently pregnant, etc.

After the doctor submits your certification (which is done electronically via the PA Medical Marijuana Program portal), you will receive an email confirmation within about a minute from the PA Department of Health - Medical Marijuana Program with your next steps on how to pay them your $50 annual card fee (i.e. order your medical marijuana ID card.)

-Login as a returning user on the PA Medical Marijuana Program website with the username and password that you created when you registered. (Please note that both usernames and passwords are case-sensitive.)

-Click the Make Payment tab from the menu and follow the prompts to enter payment information. The fee for the patient or caregiver ID card is $50 paid yearly. Individuals who participate in Medicaid, PACE, CHIP, SNAP and WIC may qualify for a fee waiver.

-A confirmation will appear on the screen when you have successfully paid (or have gotten the fee waived.)

-You will receive your card in approximately 1 to 2 weeks. The PA Department of Health will mail your card to the address listed in your patient profile (Profile Settings) in your patient account so please make sure it is correct.

-We require 2 hours advanced notice for changing or cancelling an appointment.

-You may cancel an appointment up to two hours before your scheduled appointment time and receive a full refund.

-If you miss ("no-show") the appointment, meaning that you do not answer the phone when the doctor calls you at the contact phone number that you provided for your appointment, you will be charged a $25 no-show fee to reschedule your appointment.

For your reference, the language of our full cancellation policy can be found here on our website: www.mmjadvocatedoc.com/cancellation

Email our scheduler at schedule@mmjadvocatedoc.com and she will assist you with rescheduling. She will email you an invoice to pay the $25 No-Show fee per our cancellation policy.

-Login to your patient account on the PA Medical Marijuana Program website with your username and password.

-Click “Make Payment” from the menu.

-Check the box next to the benefit that you receive (i.e. Medicaid, PACE/PaceNet, SNAP, CHIP, WIC.)

-Click “Yes” when the Attestation box pops up.

-Click the “Submit” button

You receive a message back stating that “Fee has been reduced to $0. No payment is due.” That means that the State has waived your fee and your annual payment to the State is now complete.

No, unfortunately it does not. We commonly get asked if SSD, SSI, or Medicare are qualifying benefit programs - They are not. SSD, SSI, and Medicare are Federal programs, so they will not qualify you for a fee waiver for your annual card fee for this State-run program. Only participation in a State-run benefit program qualifies you for a fee waiver, as the PA Medical Marijuana Program is a State-based program.

If you participate in SNAP, CHIP, WIC, PACE/PACENET, or Medicaid (not Medicare), you may request a fee waiver.

Replacement cards can be ordered via your patient account in the PA Medical Marijuana Program website. You will be charged $25 by the State for the replacement card.

-Login to your patient account on the PA Medical Marijuana Program website: Go to www.medicalmarijuana.pa.gov and then click on the “Log into the Registry” button and then login with your username and password.

-Click “Profile Settings” from the menu.

-Scroll down a bit and click the blue button that says “Request to replace a card.” Answer the two questions and follow the instructions.

Please call the PA Medical Marijuana Program Helpdesk at 1-888-733-5595 for assistance with updating your name in your Dept of Health account.

-Let them know that you have had a name change. You may need to provided them with your Driver’s License showing your updated name.

Note: It would be best to get your name updated with the PA Medical Marijuana Program before getting recertified, since the recertification will trigger your new ID card to be printed and mailed, and it wouldn’t make sense to get a card sent to you that has your old last name on it.

This topic is now under debate with the Federal rescheduling of medical cannabis to a Schedule 3 drug.

On a state level: The PA State Police previously stated on their website that people who use cannabis, including lawful medical cannabis patients, may not own a firearm. Now, their site states: “Questions regarding eligibility to lawfully possess firearms should be directed to qualified legal counsel.”

https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp/programs/firearms/firearms-information#accordion-8532a45748-item-16e8a3cc99

Please note: Regardless of their take on the matter, the PA State Police do not have access to information regarding a patient's status in the PA Medical Marijuana Program.

With medical cannabis now a Schedule 3 drug federally, the matter of medical cannabis patient gun ownership has yet to be litigated in a court of law (as of mid-2026). It is certain to be a hot topic in the upcoming year.

Yes. Every state’s medical marijuana program is completely different and separate from every other state’s program. The processes and requirements to become a PA Medical Marijuana Program cardholder are unique to PA. Please read more about the process and requirements here on our practice’s website, and please also visit the PA Medical Marijuana Program website: medicalmarijuana.pa.gov

Unfortunately no. It is federally illegal to cross states lines with cannabis or cannabis products whether by car, bike, truck, train, on foot, or by plane, even if you are traveling from one state where cannabis is medicinally or recreationally legal to another state where cannabis is medicinally or recreationally legal. I’m sorry we don’t have better news on that.

1. Login to your patient account on the DOH site (https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login) and make sure you paid the Dept of Health (DOH) your $50 annual card fee or requested a fee waiver on your "Make Payment" page.

-If the site lets you pay, that means that your annual card fee is indeed due. If you already paid, the site won't let you pay again.

2. While you're logged into your patient account on the DOH site (https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login), take a look at your "Profile Settings" page.

-The DOH mails your card to the address that you have listed in your Profile Settings page.

3. Contact the PA Medical Marijuana Program Helpdesk at 1-888-733-5595 (7 days/week, 7am-9pm). Ask when your card was mailed out from the DOH, and what address it was mailed to.

4. If the Helpdesk confirms that your card was sent out over 3 weeks ago, and you haven't yet received it in the mail, the DOH then considers it to be lost in the mail.

If that is the case:

To request a replacement card if your card was lost in the mail:

-Login to your DOH patient account (https://padohmmp.custhelp.com/app/login)

-Go to your "Profile Settings" page

-Click the blue button that says "Request to Replace a Card" and follow the instructions.