Become a Caregiver
Who can become a caregiver?
Parents, legal guardians and anyone 18 years or older who is a resident of Iowa or a bordering state and has been legally approved as a necessary caretaker can apply for a registration card allowing them to obtain medicinal cannabis and administer it to a patient.
Follow these steps to receive a Medical Cannabis card in iowa as a caregiver:
Step 1
Download the application.
Download the primary caregiver application for a medical cannabis registration card from the Iowa Department of Public Health website.
Step 2
Get certification from the patient's physician.
Schedule an appointment with the patient’s physician to discuss using medicinal cannabis as a treatment option. Ask him/her to certify that the patient suffers from one of the qualifying medical conditions for medicinal cannabidiol treatment by filling out the required physician sections on the application.
Step 3
Submit the application with documentation and payment.
Hand deliver or mail the completed application, all required documentation and the $25 annual fee (cash or check) to the Iowa Department of Public Health at:
Iowa Department of Public Health
ATTN: OMC
321 East 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
Approved caregivers will receive instructions from the IDPH via mail for obtaining a registration card that must be acquired from the the Iowa Department of Public Transportation. For additional information about the application process, read the FAQ page.
Step 4
Visit a dispensary.
As of Dec. 1, 2018, medicinal cannabis is be available at five dispensaries located across the state of Iowa. MedPharm Iowa welcomes you to visit our dispensaries in Windsor Heights and Sioux City.
For additional information about what to expect when you visit a dispensary, view our dispensary page.
Our Dispensary Locations
Qualifying Medical Conditions
Learn which medical conditions qualify for medical cannabis treatment in the state of Iowa.