Denver Dispensaries

Colorado Medical Marijuana Card Guide

So you wanna know how to get a Colorado medical marijuana card? Well just keep reading to find out exactly how to get started with your application today!

As the Colorado medical marijuana industry has matured over the last few years, the process for getting a new Colorado medical marijuana card has become more standard across the state. Since amendment 20 passed over 10 years ago, the medical marijuana laws and regulations have seen many changes.

Even with all the legal changes, the process of getting your Colorado medical marijuana card is still fairly simple. It’s basically just a 3 phase process to get on the offical Colorado medical marijauan registry:

1. Determine Qualifying Condition
2. Receive Doctor’s Recommendation
3. Submit State Application

First, you need to be currently suffering with symptoms from one of the qualifying debilitating medical conditions to be considered. Patients who were previously diagnosed but no longer suffer from a debilitating medical condition are NOT eligible to apply or receive a Colorado medical marijuana card. The state of Colorado defines a debilitating medical condition as:

(I) Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or treatment for such conditions;

(II) Cachexia; severe pain; severe nausea; seizures, including those that are characteristic of epilepsy; or persistent muscle spasms, including those that are characteristic of multiple sclerosis;

(III) Any other medical condition, or treatment for such condition, approved by the state health agency, pursuant to its rule making authority or its approval of any petition submitted by a patient or physician as provided in this section.

Please check with the official state registry for the current list of qualifying conditions. And remember to speak with you doctor to determine if medical marijuana is right for you.

After confirming that you indeed have one or more of the eligible medical conditions, you will need to schedule a medical marijuana evaluation with a licensed Colorado doctor. The doctor will speak with you about your condition and how medical marijuana will help your specific condition. Upon confirming your status, the doctor will sign and date the appropriate medical marijuana forms completing his recommendation. You can download the forms here.

The final phase of getting a Colorado medical marijuana card involves filling out all the relevant paperwork for the state application process. Be sure to sign and date all the required medical marijuana forms before submitting. Send the Colorado medical marijuana application form, the physician’s recommendation form and the check for the application fee all together in 1 certified mail envelope to:

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Medical Marijuana Registry or MMR
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80246-1530

Remember that you are only allowed to submit 1 Patient per envelope, 1 check per patient, and 1 patient per certified mail receipt. And be sure to make photocopies of everything for your personal records.

Once you’ve sent in your paperwork, you have to wait on the state to process your application. The amount of time you have to wait to receive your actual red Colorado medical marijuana card in the mail can vary quite a bit. It really all depends on the resources at the state office.

CURRENT WAIT TIME FOR NEW COLORADO MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARDS: Approximately 3 weeks.

What to do until your Colorado medical marijuana card arrives?

The backlog of medical marijuana forms at the state office can sometimes delay the application process. Article XVIII, Section 14, paragraph 3 of the Colorado state constitution allows patients to use photocopies of their applications while they wait for their medical marijuana card to arrive. So while you wait for your official red Colorado marijuana card to arrive in the mail, you will need to make copies of your medical marijuana forms as proof of your application.

So basically, if you get stopped or questioned by any state or local law enforcement officer, you will need to show a copy of your application including all written documentation and proof that you actually mailed the forms on a prior date. This info will serve as your temporary Colorado medical marijuana registry card until you receive the official one in the mail.

Current Wait for New Colorado Medical Marijuana Cards

Everyone wonders how long is the wait for Colorado medical marijuana cards. The truth is that there is no easy answer to that question. The Colorado state offices have seen a flood of new marijuana registry applications in the past year and they still struggle to keep up with the growing demand.

• The current wait time for new/renewal cards is approximately 3 weeks.
• The current wait time for application rejections is approximately 2 weeks.
• The current wait time for replacement cards is approximately 6 weeks.

All times are estimated and subject to changes depending on the volume of new medical marijuana registry applications. Time estimates are based on the date that your application is received at the registry. You can always contact the Colorado Department of Health to check on the status of your application by emailing them with your full contact information, including the last 4 digits of your social security number and the date that you submitted your application.

The Colorado medical marijuana registry continues to grow at an incredible rate and the state offices are flooded with patients and related requests. Even with their limited resources, the CDPHE continues to process applications as quickly as possible. You can learn more about it here: