Get approved today for a medical cannabis card in New York, 100% online
Get approved today in minutes with the nation’s #1 trusted med card provider.
Not in New York?
Not in New York?
How to Get a Medical Card in New York in Minutes
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1. Signup
Fill out a 30-second, confidential questionnaire. We’ll send it to one of our available medical marijuana practitioners for review.
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2. Chat with a Practitioner Today
You’ll meet face-to-face with your new practitioner via video chat to evaluate whether your medical condition qualifies for New York’s MMJ program. Want to meet with the practitioner in person instead? No problem! After signup, if a NuggMD Dr. is available near you, you can select online or in office.
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3. Receive Your Certification
Once approved, your practitioner will register you with the state of New York's MMJ registry. Your Patient Certification will contain your registry ID that you can use to purchase cannabis. You no longer have to register with the state. Your NY certification is valid for one year.
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Why get a medical cannabis card in New York?
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Trusted and loved by over 2M people.
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" Great company! A lot of professionalism on every contact. Their customer service is superb, answered all my questions on spot, and made my process quick, easy, and enjoyable. Would totally recommend!"
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" I was a little nervous to talk to a doctor about medical marijuana. Using NuggMD was very easy and they made me feel so comfortable. I highly recommend this service."
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" The evaluation was easy to fill out and I was contacted by a doctor within minutes. It made what could have been a complicated process straightforward, highly recommend!"
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" As someone with little to no experience applying for a medical card, I can confidently say this company and its doctors really care… I 100% recommend to anyone trying to get their medical card!"
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" Very nice and hassle free service. Everyone is helpful and the doctor who certified me was professional and caring answered all my questions. I highly recommend this NuggMD. Thank you!!"
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" Could not have been an easier process! From online doctor interview to receiving temporary ID card by email, it was so straightforward and quick. So happy I found NuggMD!"
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" Great company! A lot of professionalism on every contact. Their customer service is superb, answered all my questions on spot, and made my process quick, easy, and enjoyable. Would totally recommend!"
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" I was a little nervous to talk to a doctor about medical marijuana. Using NuggMD was very easy and they made me feel so comfortable. I highly recommend this service."
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" The evaluation was easy to fill out and I was contacted by a doctor within minutes. It made what could have been a complicated process straightforward, highly recommend!"
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" As someone with little to no experience applying for a medical card, I can confidently say this company and its doctors really care… I 100% recommend to anyone trying to get their medical card!"
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" Very nice and hassle free service. Everyone is helpful and the doctor who certified me was professional and caring answered all my questions. I highly recommend this NuggMD. Thank you!!"
-
" Could not have been an easier process! From online doctor interview to receiving temporary ID card by email, it was so straightforward and quick. So happy I found NuggMD!"
-
" Great company! A lot of professionalism on every contact. Their customer service is superb, answered all my questions on spot, and made my process quick, easy, and enjoyable. Would totally recommend!"
-
" I was a little nervous to talk to a doctor about medical marijuana. Using NuggMD was very easy and they made me feel so comfortable. I highly recommend this service."
-
" The evaluation was easy to fill out and I was contacted by a doctor within minutes. It made what could have been a complicated process straightforward, highly recommend!"
-
" As someone with little to no experience applying for a medical card, I can confidently say this company and its doctors really care… I 100% recommend to anyone trying to get their medical card!"
-
" Very nice and hassle free service. Everyone is helpful and the doctor who certified me was professional and caring answered all my questions. I highly recommend this NuggMD. Thank you!!"
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" Could not have been an easier process! From online doctor interview to receiving temporary ID card by email, it was so straightforward and quick. So happy I found NuggMD!"
Qualifying conditions in New York
The OCM has now enacted the regulations necessary for a medical practitioner to recommend cannabis for any condition. You might be eligible to use medical marijuana if your certifying practitioner deems that it’s clinically appropriate for you to do so.
EVEN IF YOU’VE BEEN TURNED DOWN FOR MMJ TREATMENT IN THE PAST, you may now qualify for medical cannabis treatment. In the event that you still aren’t approved for cannabis treatment, your evaluation is free, so there’s no risk to find out if you qualify today!
How to be a medical cannabis caregiver in New York
Some patients choose to have – or are required to have – a designated caregiver who can purchase or cultivate cannabis on their behalf. Caregivers can also store, transport, and prepare cannabis for patient use.
In New York, the patient is responsible for designating their caregiver. A caregiver can register with New York once the patient’s application is approved by the state.
It’s very important to understand that a caregiver is not allowed to assume their duties until they receive their approval and Registry ID card from the state.
To qualify as your caregiver in New York, they must:
- Be at least 21 years old to cultivate for you
- Be designated by a patient who is already registered and approved for the program
- Have received approval and printed their card before assuming their duties
Caregivers cannot:
- use the patient’s cannabis,
- be the patient’s practitioner,
- purchase more than the maximum amount allowed for the patient
- care for more than four patients
- cultivate more than six mature plants no matter how many patients they care for.
The caregiver application is free.
How to register for a med card in New York
Follow the instructions once you start the NuggMD process to fill out your application. Make sure you enter all of your information accurately to avoid possible delays in your processing. When you’re approved, your NuggMD medical marijuana practitioner will send you your certification.
You are no longer required to complete a separate registration with the state. You’ll simply use your certification and ID to purchase medical cannabis.
How to renew your med card in New York
Renewing your medical marijuana card in NY is an annual requirement for the program.
Thankfully, the process for how to renew your New York medical cannabis card isn’t complicated. And NuggMD makes the process even easier!
- We’ll send you an email reminder when it’s time to renew,
- Sign into NuggMD to meet with one of our state-certified medical practitioners,
- Your practitioner will renew your evaluation.
Whether you got your initial recommendation with NuggMD or another doctor or service in the state, our medical marijuana practitioners are standing by.
We’re the #1 medical marijuana platform in the nation.
Here's how we stack up.
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| Same day physician access |
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| No appointment needed |
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| Pay only if approved |
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| 50+ in-network docs |
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| 100% online |
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| 7-day live support |
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The NuggMD Promise
We are a team of cannabis and technology professionals focused on connecting you with state-licensed practitioners. We believe all people deserve access to medical cannabis if they think it might improve their quality of life. Since our founding in 2015, we’ve held ourselves and our partners to the highest standards to ensure every patient we serve is able to access reliable cannabis information, trustworthy medical practitioners, and proactive updates on the cannabis healthcare ecosystem and legislation that may affect their experience as a medical cannabis patient.
Whether you’re a cannabis connoisseur or thinking of becoming a first-time medical marijuana patient, our network of practitioners will listen to your needs and give you an honest opinion about whether they think cannabis can help.
Frequently asked. Frequently answered.
New York used to have a list of qualifying conditions. This list was eliminated when regulations were changed in response to recreational legalization. Now, a patient can receive certification for medical marijuana so long as their certifying physician decides that medical marijuana is appropriate for their condition.
Still have questions about qualifying for medical marijuana in NY? Read more common New York patient FAQs.
New York allows physicians to decide if medical cannabis is an appropriate treatment for a patient’s condition.
Common qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in New York include but aren’t limited to:
* Anxiety
* Arthritis
* Cancer
* Chronic pain
* Eating disorders
* Epilepsy
* HIV/AIDS
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Irritable bowel syndrome
* Migraines
* PTSD
You don’t have to have a specific qualifying condition to qualify for medical marijuana in New York. This decision is now entirely up to your physician.
New York medical marijuana cardholders receive many benefits that recreational users don’t get! Medical marijuana is taxed at a lower rate than recreational cannabis. Registered patients also receive better legal protections, including rental protections that don’t exist for recreational cannabis users.
New York does not charge a state registration fee to access medical cannabis. Patients are responsible for the cost of a state-required medical evaluation, available through NuggMD at $139 with no risk to you: you only pay if you’re approved.
Since medical cannabis hasn’t been legalized on the federal level, most health insurance companies won’t cover medical marijuana products. This will likely change in the future once the federal government finally legalizes cannabis.
As of Mar 20, 2023, plastic registry ID cards are no longer being produced. Instead, you’ll be automatically registered with the state when you are certified, and your Patient Certification will contain your registry ID.
At NuggMD, approved patients are registered with the state within 24-48 hours.
With NuggMD, you are ONLY charged for your evaluation if you are approved. We believe everyone deserves access to a qualified medical cannabis practitioner, and the cost of an evaluation shouldn’t be a barrier.
You’ll only be charged if you’re approved for your medical marijuana certification. If not, your evaluation is free! If you sign up and pay for your evaluation, but then cancel before your evaluation, there is a small $10 fee for the payment processing. You can also change your mind after your evaluation if you wish and request a refund, but you must do so before the practitioner has issued your certification. Once you’ve been certified, a refund for services will no longer be available. Please send an email to support@nuggmd.com with the subject line “Refund Request” and a brief description of your issue. Patients won’t receive a refund for failure to follow through with their certification process once the practitioner completes the certification requirements. It is the patient’s responsibility to complete their certification. If you’re stuck or having trouble completing your certification, please reach out to customer service and our agents will help you through the process. We want to make sure you’re 100% satisfied with your purchase being that you, the customer, are the most important thing to us! Once a refund has been initiated, please allow 3-5 business days for the funds to transfer back to the card you used for the transaction. A refund is no longer available more than 30 days after the date of your evaluation. If any issues arise, please feel free to reach back out for further assistance.
Of course! You have the right to see any physician you choose for your medical marijuana re-evaluation. Per New York law, your evaluating physician must be an MD or DO who has taken the Department’s required training and received approval to recommend cannabis. All NuggMD practitioners are licensed in the state for which they provide evaluations and have acquired all state-required cannabis training and certifications.
New York’s recreational cannabis sales got off to a rocky start, with illicit shops greatly outnumbering licensed dispensaries. Thankfully, medical cannabis patients have access to a greater number of state-licensed dispensaries, ensuring higher quality, lab-tested products. Here are two New York dispensaries serving medical card holders. Or browse a complete list of New York dispensaries.
MedMen
433 5th Ave, New York, NY
(646) 846 5551
RISE
1675 US-9, Clifton Park, NY
(518) 373-4147
New York only accepts valid New York State medical cards for the purchase of medical cannabis products in the state. Each state has different rules regarding reciprocity, so your NY med card may be valid while traveling, depending on the state you are visiting. It is always illegal to transport cannabis products across state lines, regardless of your status as a medical cannabis patient.
No. Patients must provide a New York driver’s license or non-driver ID to apply for the medical cannabis program. Caregivers are allowed to use an ID from another state, but not patients. Additionally, patients are required to provide proof of residence along with their New York state-issued ID. For a complete list of documents needed for a New York medical marijuana card, see the Office of Cannabis Management’s acceptable proofs and documents list.
Have additional questions about medical cannabis in NY? Read up on the state’s cannabis laws and regulations.
