How To Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Illinois

By: Alexia Mersola

Getting a medical marijuana card in Illinois is tricky but definitely not impossible.

This article is going to give you all the information you need on how to get a med card in the state of Illinois!

To apply for a medical marijuana card in the state of Illinois, you are going to need a few things before you can get started with the paperwork.

First, are you 18 years old or are you a minor with an adult caregiver and a physician’s certification from two physicians?

If so, there are several different forms and steps that you will need to fill out the application.

How to get a medical marijuana card in Illinois

What you’ll need to apply for your medical marijuana card:

Be 18 years old or a minor with an adult caregiver and two physician’s certifications.
Be a legal resident of Illinois with proof of residency. (Two items showing proof)
Be diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions. (Listed below)
Have a physician certify that you have a qualifying condition and establish that you have a bona fide relationship with that physician.

Physical copies that you’ll need:

Physician certification form
Signed application form
Fee (anywhere from $100 for one year card, $200 for two year, $250 for three year)
Copy of a valid government-issued photo ID
Designated caregiver information and caregiver card (if applicable; if a minor)

What are the steps in the application process:

Step 1: Get Physician Certification Form- First you need to meet with your doctor about getting a medical marijuana card. Your physician needs to fill out the Physician Certification form and submit it via mail to the Illinois Department of Health. (Note that you have 90 days from the date of submission to have your appointment with your doctor)

Step 2: Fill out the Patient Application- Fill out the form in its entirety, except the caregiver portion if you do not have a caregiver (normally you have a caregiver if you are a minor)

Step 3: Pay the Fee- There is a fee of $100 for one year, $200 for two years and $250 for three years. This fee is non-refundable. If you are a veteran or enrolled in SSDI or SSI program, the application is reduced to $50 for one year, $100 for two years and $125 for three years.

Step 4: Passport Photo- you will need to send a 2×2 inch passport photo. (make sure the photo has a solid colored background and that no one else is in the photo with you.)

Step 5: Proof of Residency- you will need to provide two forms of proof that you are an Illinois resident. (Acceptable forms of proof are: driver’s license, voter card, bank statements or utility bills with your name and address on them)

Step 6: Proof of Age and Identity- you also need to send a photocopy of your government issued ID, such as a driver’s license, passport or state ID.

Bonus step if you are a veteran: If a veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD214 form along with the reduced application fee of $50. If you receive medical treatment from the VA, you can have them send your medical records in lieu of the Physician Certification Form. (If not a veteran, skip this step.)

Bonus step for caregivers: If you are a caregiver, you need to fill out the Caregiver Application Form and send in the $25 caregiver application fee. (only if you are a caregiver, if not, skip this step)

What are the qualifying conditions for a medical marijuana card in Illinois?

Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease
ALS
Anorexia Nervosa
Autism
Arnold-Chiari Malformation
Cachexia/Wasting Syndrome
Cancer
Causalgia
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
Chronic pain
Crohn’s Disease
CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome Type II)
Dystonia
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Fibrous Dysplasia
Glaucoma
Hepatitis C
HIV/AIDS
Hydrocephalus
Hydromyelia
Interstitial Cystitis
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Lupus
Migraines
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscular Dystrophy
Myasthenia Gravis
Myoclonus
Nail-patella Syndrome
Neuro-Behcet’s Autoimmune Disease
Neurofibromatosis
Neuropathy
Osteoarthritis
Parkinson’s Disease
Polycystic Kidney Disease
Post-Concussion Syndrome
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
Residual limb pain
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Seizures (including those characteristics of epilepsy)
Severe Fibromyalgia
Sjogren’s Syndrome
Spinal cord disease (including but not limited to Arachnoiditis)
Spinal cord injury (damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological
indication of intractable spasticity)
Spinocerebellar Ataxia
Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome.
Syringomyelia
Ulcerative Colitis
Tarlov Cysts
Tourette Syndrome
Traumatic brain injury