You can now get your medical marijuana card in Missouri — but what’s that process look like? Below are some common questions, links to more resources, and an excerpt from Hempsley Founder's experience getting her marijuana card in Missouri.

Quick Questions

Below are some answers to common questions about getting your medical marijuana card in Missouri.

What do you need to get a medical marijuana card in Missouri?

You must have a written recommendation from a licensed healthcare provider. The recommendation must use this form. Note: This recommendation needs to be less than 30 days old when submitted to the state.

You will also need proof of Missouri residency (one of the following)

Copy of a valid Missouri Driver’s License
Missouri Identification Card
Current Missouri Motor Vehicle Registration
Recent Missouri Utility Bill

And

A legible copy of the qualifying patient’s photo identification issued by a state or federal government entity (such as a driver's license or passport).
A clear, color photo of the qualifying patient’s face taken within the prior three (3) months.
A Parental/Legal Guardian Consent Form for non-emancipated qualifying patient under the age of 18

How old do you have to be to get a medical marijuana card in Missouri?

You must be 18 to have a medical marijuana card in Missouri.

What are Missouri's qualifying conditions?

In order to get a medical marijuana card in Missouri, you must meet have a "qualifying condition." This list includes but is not limited to the following:

Hepatitis C
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Inflammatory bowel disease
Crohn’s Disease
Huntington’s Disease
Autism
Neuropathies
Sickle cell anemia
Agitation associated with Alzheimer’s Disease
Cachexia
Wasting syndrome
Multiple Sclerosis
Seizures
Parkinson’s Disease
Tourette’s Syndrome
Cancer
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Migraines that haven’t responded to other treatments
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Any terminal illness
Debilitating psychiatric disorders, such as PTSD (Note: The diagnosis of all psychiatric conditions must come from a state-licensed psychiatrist.)
Some chronic qualifying conditions involving specific situations where disease or symptom management is deemed safer with marijuana than other medications. For example, when the prescription may risk the development of physiologic or psychological drug dependence.

This list represents guidelines for the physician. The final decision to prescribe medical marijuana lies with the licensed physician. As with all prescriptions, the practitioner uses their professional judgment to recommend treatment. (Please note: This list came from PrestoDoctor)

Where can I get a physician recommendation?

Founder Kristen Williams received her Physician recommendation through our partner PrestoDoctor, an online telemedicine service that allows you to see a doctor from the comfort of your own home. You can also check out Greenway for a list of other certifying clinics in Missouri.

Affiliate Disclaimer: We are an affiliate partner with PrestoDoctor. This means that if you purchase something through a link with this symbol ↗, Hempsley will receive a commission at no extra cost to you. If you choose to shop through our links, we are grateful for your support. Thanks for helping us share free, quality education!

What do I need for an at-home-cultivation license?

If you want to cultivate at home, you'll need to provide information on your plans for securing your plants. The following is directly from the application questionnaire:

Provide a detailed description of your secured cultivation area, how you plan to secure your cultivation area, and who will have access to the cultivation area to ensure your description meets the following requirements pursuant to 19 CSR 30-95.010. (12) ‘Enclosed, locked facility’ means—

(A) An indoor stationary closet, room, garage, greenhouse, or other comparable fully enclosed space equipped with locks or other functioning security devices that permit access to only the qualifying patient(s) or primary caregiver(s) who have informed the department that this is the space where they will cultivate marijuana; or
(B) An outdoor stationary structure— 1. That is enclosed on all sides, except at the base, by chain-link fencing, wooden slats, or a similar material that is anchored, attached, or affixed to the ground and that cannot be accessed from the top; 2. In which the plants are not visible to the unaided eye from an adjacent property when viewed by an individual at ground level or from a permanent structure at any level; and 3. That is equipped with locks or other security devices that restrict access to only the qualifying patient(s) or primary caregiver(s) who have informed the department that this is the space where they will cultivate marijuana.

How much does it cost to get a medical marijuana card in Missouri?

PrestoDoctor charges $149.99 for their Missouri appointments (see their website for other state pricing information↗).

Missouri's application fees are as follows:

Qualified Patient: $25
Cultivation License: $100 (you must be a qualified patient to have a cultivation license)
Primary Caregiver: $25

How long does it take to get a card?

It takes about 40 minutes to fill out the PrestoDoctor profile, 5-10 minutes to have your call with a PrestoDoctor physician, and another 15-30 minutes to submit your forms to the Missouri government's Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS).

The DHSS will review your applications and either grant or refuse your card within 30 days. If you are approved, you will then receive your card. Hempsley Founder, Kristen, was approved just 4 businesses days after submitting her application to the state.

Applying for your Medical Marijuana Card

1. Secure a Physician Recommendation

Founder Kristen Williams received her physician recommendation through PrestoDoctor↗. Read more about that experience here.

2. Submit information to Missouri’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS)

Getting a physician recommendation is just one part of the puzzle for receiving your medical marijuana card in Missouri. Once you have it, you need to submit an application to DHSS through the Missouri MMP Portal.
Here, you’ll create an account and verify your email. Then you’ll answer questions about the following:
- General information, like name, date of birth, driver’s license number, and phone number
- Physician & Condition Information, such as the date of your examination (you have to submit your physician recommendation within 30 days of your appointment with the recommending doctor), the amount of cannabis your doctor recommended, your qualifying medical condition, and information about your doctor (found on your recommendation form)
- Whether or not you intend to cultivate
  - I do intend to cultivate on a personal level (I’m very excited about juicing and making salads out of cannabis leaves), so I decided to go ahead and submit this application too. This requires providing a description about your plans to grow at home. (See details in Quick Question section below)
    - There is some confusion around whether or not you can submit your card and cultivation license applications separately; at the time I completed this form, a note stated that if I didn’t submit my cultivation license application now, I couldn’t modify until late 2019 (but it is now 2020).
  - There is a limit of 500 characters for this description. I originally thought it was 500 words and did a heck of a job dragging out very concise plans into three solid paragraphs — then had to cut it down to a very brief couple!
  - I did research on secure doors and locks (this is the site I used and referenced in my application) that would fit the space I was considering, and included information about what the doors were made of, the type of lock, and dimensions of the space. There also happens to be a water source and ventilation in the area, so I mentioned that as well.
Next, I had to upload a photo of myself, my physician certification form, proof of Missouri residency, and a government issued photo identification card (I used my driver’s license for the last two).
- There were details about the photo. It needed to be square, straight on, in color, have my face unobscured, have been taken within the last 3 months, be against a plain or off-white background, not digitally enhanced to alter my appearance, and I needed to have a neutral facial expression with both eyes open (like a driver’s license or passport photo).
Finally, I paid the fees with my credit card and submitted the application.
- A patient card is $25, and an at-home cultivation license is $100. A caregiver card (a person responsible for managing the well-being of a qualified patient and has been authorized by the state to purchase or grow cannabis for up to 3 patients) is $25. There is also a $2.50 transaction fee.

After submitting my patient and at-home-cultivation applications to the state, I received my approval and patient license number in just 4 business days.

Overall, I was incredibly impressed with my PrestoDoctor experience. Although there were many steps, the value of not having to 1) track down a pop-up clinic or drive across town, 2) interact with a less-than-professional doctor, or 3) trigger my social anxiety made it all worth it, and overall definitely saved me time in the long run. I am looking forward to dispensaries opening as I begin exploring various cannabinoid and terpene profiles to find the best locally available medicine for my specific needs.

About PrestoDoctor

Introducing PrestoDoctor: Telemedicine for Medical Marijuana Cards

PrestoDoctor↗ is an online telemedicine service created specifically for people to get their medical marijuana cards. They served their first patient in California in May of 2015, and have since expanded to Oklahoma, Nevada, New York, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Illinois & now Iowa!

Telemedicine uses technology to offer long-distance diagnosis and treatment for patients, often over video-chat. This allows patients to have a doctor’s visit from the comfort of their own home, which can be beneficial if it’s difficult to travel due to a handicap or illness. This is also a good option for busy patients, or for those who simply feel overwhelmed in a clinical setting (something quite common!). When it comes to cannabis, telemedicine offers complete discretion; no one except for you, your doctor, and the state ever need to know about your medical marijuana card application.

Highlights from our Experience with PrestoDoctor

It’s all HIPAA compliant.
Setting up with PrestoDoctor took about 40 minutes; my actual appointment took less than 10 minutes.
I did the entire thing from my laptop.
There were appointments offered between 8am-9pm.
They had you complete a pre-appointment technology test to ensure everything would run smoothly.
My doctor was very professional and knowledgeable about cannabis, making specific recommendations for my conditions.
PrestoDoctor offers unlimited, free follow-up questions of their doctors over email or their secure web chat.
PrestoDoctor offers discounted renewals (you have to have your medical marijuana card renewed every year in Missouri).
PrestoDoctor charges $149.99 for Missouri recommendations; I then paid an additional $127.50 to the state for my patient card ($25) and home cultivation license ($100) — there was a $2.50 processing fee.
- Note: The absolute cheapest I have seen any doctor write a cannabis recommendation for was $100 cash. I have only seen this once. More commonly, I see lower prices between $125-$150, with some ranging all the way up to $250-$300.