In Iowa, you can obtain and administer medicinal cannabis preparations for treatment of certain health conditions by:
1. Becoming a patient with a medical cannabidiol registration card.
This includes downloading the patient application for a medical cannabidiol registration card from the Iowa Department of Public Health website and taking it to your physician for certification that you suffer from at least one of the qualifying medical conditions for medicinal cannabidiol treatment.
You must then hand deliver or mail the completed application, all required documentation and the $100 annual fee* to the Iowa Department of Public Health:
Iowa Department of Public Health
ATTN: OMC
321 E. 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
Approved patients will receive mailed instructions for obtaining a registration card from the Iowa Department of Public Transportation. A medical cannabidiol registration card is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance and may be renewed annually.
* If the patient can attest to receiving social security disability benefits, supplemental security insurance payments, or being enrolled in a medical assistance program, the fee is $25. The fee must be submitted by cash or check.
The 2017 Medical Cannabidiol Act specifies that medical cannabidiol registration cards issued to patients prior to May 5, 2017, remain valid until the expiration date listed on the card. Renewal of an existing card can be done through the application for a medical cannabidiol registration card linked on this website.
2. Obtaining a medical cannabidiol registration card as a parent, legal guardian or legal caregiver.
If you are a parent, legal guardian or anyone age 18 or older who is a resident of Iowa or a bordering state and has been legally approved as a necessary caretaker for an Iowa patient, you can download the primary caregiver application for a medical cannabidiol registration card from the Iowa Department of Public Health website. Then take it to the patient’s physician for certification that the patient suffers from at least one of the qualifying medical conditions for medicinal cannabidiol treatment.
You must then 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:
Iowa Department of Public Health
ATTN: OMC
321 E. 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
Approved caregivers will receive mailed instructions for obtaining a registration card from the Iowa Department of Public Transportation. A medical cannabidiol registration card is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance and may be renewed annually.
The 2017 Medical Cannabidiol Act specifies that medical cannabidiol registration cards issued to patients prior to May 5, 2017, remain valid until the expiration date listed on the card. Renewal of an existing card can be done through the application for a medical cannabidiol registration card linked on this website.
For more information about the Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Act, visit https://idph.iowa.gov/mcarcp.
