At Plants Not Pills USA, we help patients through the medical marijuana maze… every step of the way. After your appointment with a qualified medical marijuana physician, you may be wondering: “Ok, now what?”

At this point, after a qualified medical marijuana physician has verified that you indeed are an eligible candidate for medical marijuana treatment, the ID card application process begins.

Once you submit your medical marijuana ID card application to the State of Florida along with the processing fee, the State will then process your application and, finally, send back your medical marijuana identification card.

If you have any questions at all or need help with any portion of the application process, please email us directly at hello@plantsnotpillsusa.com or call us at 800.203.5124.

How to Apply for Your Medical Marijuana ID Card

The Office of Medical Marijuana Use is the division of the Florida Department of Health that regulates the Medical Marijuana Use Registry. Following the instructions below will expedite the process and minimize any chances of delay. The department is currently inundated with applications and could take as long as 30 days to process your application. Do not givem them any reason for delay. There are three primary requirements of the registry that we will guide you on. You will need to supply proof of residence, a passport photo, and $75 check or money order. These topics are discussed in further detail below. Most of these requirements can be completed online, but may also be completed through the mail. The state processing fees must be mailed as there is no current electronic form of payment available. These instructions focus on electronic submission, which can be done from your computer or smartphone. We have found this to be the fastest way of obtaining your card. Please remember we are here for you. There may be frustration in dealing with the State, and, while we can’t technically impact the amount of time the State takes to process your submission, we will be here to support in whatever way we can.

Step 1: Online Physician Recommendation Entry + Account Creation

Your physician will enter your recommendation into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry and you will receive 2 emails from the Office of Medical Marijuana Use. The first email will give you your login, which should be your email address. The second email will containt your temporary password. Copy your temporary password. We suggest you use the link in the second email to direct you to the registry. If the link does not work, then go to: https://mmuregistry.flhealth. gov and click the “log in” button. Enter your login name and copy and paste your temporary password. You will be directed to change your password. Your new password must contain 8 letters, 1 number, and 1 symbol. Make sure you save this password by writing it down in a safe place where you can easily retrieve it.

Step 2: Starting the Application Process

Once you have logged in, click on your profile and you can then begin uploading your supporting information and signing electronically. If you are choosing to mail in all of your documentation, you may find the current paper version of the application here: http://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/office-of-medical-marijuana-use/registry-id-cards/_documents/identification-card-for-patient.pdf

Step 3: Passport Style Photo

A 2″x2″, full color, passport style photo is required by the state. This can be done electronically through your phone or computer. We do recommend scheduling and taking a passport style photo from a local pharmacy store, such as Walgreens, CVS, or similar. The staff in these locations are well-versed in how to properly take passport style photos and will be a great resource in this process. If you choose to do this electronically, however, please be advised that while it may reach the Office of Medical Marijuana Use quicker, there might be a higher chance of rejection. Follow these simple tips when taking your passport style photo: • Wear plain clothes without any hats or glasses in front of a plain, white wall or background. • Take the photo from your shoulders up, with your shoulders back, and face looking directly forward. • Try to eliminate any shadows or obstructions in the picture and make sure your face is clearly recognizable.

Step 4: Proof of Residency

Proof of residence is a requirement of the state. Full time residents need only supply a copy or photo of a valid Florida Driver’s License or Identification Card. To submit this proof of residence electronically, simply take a photo of your ID with your phone or camera and save it to your phone or computer. Make sure the photo of the ID is as close to full screen as possible. You may have to turn your phone horizontally in order to do so. Ensure that your hards or other objects do not obscure the photo of your ID in any manner. Once saved, you can then upload the photo to your profile on the Office of Medical Marijuana Use website. If you are mailing your application documentation, then you will need to create a color copy of your Driver’s License or ID to include with your application. Florida law now allows seasonal residents to also receive medical cannabis. “Seasonal residents” are defined by Section 381.986, Florida Statutes, as being: “any person who temporarily resides in this state for a period of at least 31 consecutive days in each calendar year, maintains a temporary residence in this state, returns to the state or jurisdiction of his or her residence at least one time during each calendar year, and is registered to vote or pays income tax in another state or jurisdiction.”

Patients that qualify as “seasonal residents” (per the criteria outlined above), may use two of the following instruments to prove their legal residency status: a) A deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, mortgage payment booklet or residential rental or lease agreement. b) One proof of residential address from the seasonal resident’s parent, step-parent, legal guardian or other person with whom the seasonal resident resides and a statement from the person with whom the seasonal resident resides stating that the seasonal resident does reside with him or her. c) A utility hookup or work order dated within 60 days before registration in the medical use registry. d) A utility bill, not more than 2 months old. e) Mail from a financial institution, including checking, savings, or investment account statements, not more than 2 months old. f) Mail from a federal, state, county, or municipal government agency, not more than 2 months old.

Step 5: Payment

The next section of the application is related to the payment process. This section is very important. The State of Florida requires you patients send in a nonrefundable processing fee of $75. This section cannot be completed online. Please pay close attention to this section of the application. They will only accept checks and money orders. No cash or card payment options are currently available. We recommend you get a money order or certified check from the bank. Personal checks may delay the process. Make the check payable to the Department of Health and include your patient number in the memo line. Make sure the address on your envelope is exactly as it reds in this section. We strongly suggest sending certified mail with signature receipt. This way, you will have a record of when your payment was received. Overnight or 2nd day delivery will expedite the process but does carry an additional cost.

Step 6: Finalizing Your Application

The final section of the online application process will ask you to type your name in the boxes. This will serve as your electronic signature. Once this section is complete, you have completed the application and you should either submit the online portion of the application and mail in your payment or mail the physical application and all associated, supporting documents, along with payment. Please note that as of October, 2017, the Office of Medical Marijuana Use is overloaded with applications and is currently understaffed. Wait times are significant. We will do anything we are able to do in order to assist you, but please note that we do not have any direct impact on processing times of applications by the State. Should you need or desire to contact the Office of Medical Marijuana Use directly, you can find their contact information below: The Office of Medical Marijuana Use 4052 Bald Cypress Way Tallahassee, FL 32399 850-245-4657 They are open weekdays from 8am to 5pm (excluding state and national holidays) Their email address is: medicalmarijuanause@flhealth.gov.