An Iowa medical cannabis card is an identification card issued by the state’s Department of Public Health to a registered patient under the Iowa medical cannabidiol program. It authorizes the cardholder to legally possess and use medical cannabis products within the stipulated limits under the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Act.
Under the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Act, an Iowa medical cannabis cardholder can purchase and possess up to 4.5 grams of THC every 90 days, except in an instance where a waiver to possess higher limits has been obtained. An Iowa medical cannabis card protects the cardholder from arrest for marijuana possession or use, provided the conditions of the state's medical cannabidiol laws are not contravened.
Pursuant to Section 124E.4 of the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Act, an Iowa medical cannabis card is available to a patient who:
Iowa medical marijuana cards are issued to patients who are at least 18 years old. However, the state’s medical cannabidiol program still allows individuals younger than 18 to access marijuana through a caregiver. A caregiver must be at least 18 years old; a resident of Iowa or a bordering state; and the parent, legal guardian, or other individual designated by the patient's healthcare practitioner as a caretaker for managing the well-being of a patient. A caregiver can purchase and administer medical cannabidiol on behalf of a minor patient.
The following illnesses are approved to be treated with medical cannabidiol in Iowa:
The first step in obtaining an Iowa medical cannabidiol card is to schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider in order to obtain a certification to use medical cannabidiol. You may schedule this visit as an in-person or telehealth appointment. If the healthcare practitioner verifies that you are eligible to use medical cannabidiol to treat a qualifying condition, the physician will attest and sign the healthcare practitioner certification form. Note that eligible healthcare practitioners must be doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathy, advanced registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or podiatrists. Prior to your visit to the healthcare practitioner, you should take the following documents along:
The Iowa medical cannabidiol program does not allow patients seeking to enroll in the program to submit their applications in person.
Medical cannabis card application submissions cannot be made by mail in Iowa. Submissions are accepted online.
After submitting your application, it will be reviewed by the Iowa DHHS. Subsequently, you will receive an email indicating that you are either approved or have pending information. If your medical cannabidiol card application is approved, you will receive an approval email with your valid digital card attached as a PDF. If pending information, you will receive an email stating which items are missing, and you can upload the missing items or make a payment using a link in that email
For more information on a caregiver application, see the caregiver application guide on the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services website.
After submitting an MMJ application, the Iowa medical cannabidiol program will review it for completeness. If the applicant provides an email address on their application, the program will send a temporary card via email, and their permanent card will be mailed to the physical address submitted in the application. If no email was provided with the application, an application will receive their permanent card at the address provided with their application. The process from review to receiving the permanent MMJ card in the mail may take up to 5 weeks.
To obtain an Iowa medical marijuana card, follow these steps:
You can also apply for a medical cannabis card using your mobile device or smartphone. The registration portal is optimized for mobile devices and allows patients to apply online using any mobile device. To apply online using a mobile device, follow these steps:
After submission, your application will be reviewed. Following that, you will receive an email either stating the application has been approved or is pending information. If the notification indicates that the application has been approved, you will get an approval email with your digital card attached as a PDF. If you have pending information, you will get an email notifying you of the missing items. The link provided in the email may be used to upload the missing items or complete the required payment.
For more information on renewing Iowa medical cannabidiol registry ID cards, see the online patient application and renewal guide or contact the medical cannabidiol program by email at medical.cannabidiol@idph.iowa.gov or phone at (515) 725-2076.
It costs $100 to obtain an Iowa medical cannabis card. However, the medical cannabidiol program offers a discount to applicants who can provide a scanned copy of their Hawk-I member card, Iowa Medicaid member card, Supplemental Security Income Payment receipt, or Social Security Disability Benefit notice. The discounted application fee is $25. The caregiver application fee is $25.
Note that the healthcare practitioner will charge a consultation fee during the certification appointment. This fee varies but may be as high as $200.
The Iowa medical cannabis card is valid for 1 year. Its renewal process is similar to the initial application process. You must obtain a new certification from your certifying healthcare provider to commence the process. After, visit the Iowa medical cannabidiol program and upload the required documentation. After, pay the renewal application fee and wait for your new card to arrive in the mail in a few weeks.
The following items are required to apply for a medical cannabis card in Iowa:
According to Section 124E.11 of the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Act, patient information under the state's medical cannabidiol program is confidential and not subject to disclosure, except in limited circumstances.
In Iowa, the information contained in a medical marijuana card includes:
Patient information maintained in the Iowa medical cannabidiol registry is not accessible to the public, making it difficult to track down individuals included in the registry. The release of information in the registry is consistent with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. According to the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Act, patient information in the registry is not subject to disclosure except in the following circumstances: