Process to Register as a Caregiver for Minor Patients (Under 18 years of age)
Minor patients are required by law to have at least one caregiver at all times and may have a maximum of two caregivers at any time. Only the minor patient’s parents and legal guardians aged 21 years and older are eligible to serve as caregivers for the minor patient. A minor patient’s caregiver must register with the Commission prior to registering the minor patient.
Follow the process outlined below, as well as in the Process Overview and Quick Reference Card documents, to register as a caregiver who can serve minor patients.
Gather the required files and information. As part of the online application for caregivers, you will need:
A valid, accessible email account which you are comfortable using in relation to your Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) account. The MCA will use this email address as the principal means of communication with you regarding your account and its status.
Full 9-digit Social Security Number
An electronic copy of your valid US government-issued photo ID and proof of Maryland address or patient's treatment at a Maryland medical facility. The file may be either a PDF or image file (.jpg) and no larger than 3 MB in size.
Maryland Residents must provide:
Accepted forms of identification:
• Driver’s license
• State issued photo Identification card
• Military ID (both front and back)
• US Passport
If the identification you provide is not a Maryland driver’s license or MVA ID Card OR does not identify your current address, you must also provide two of the following documents as proof of your current Maryland address:
Note: Documents must include the applicant's name and address. Documents may not be from the same two agencies. (i.e. Two documents issued by MVA).
• MVA registration card or title
• MVA change of address card
• Utility, telephone or cable/satellite TV bill
• Bank account statement
• Property tax bill
• Mortgage statement or proof of home ownership (Deed, Title, Bill of Sale)
• Major credit card bill (Visa, MasterCard, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.)
• Residential rental contract (lease or rental contract between landlord and tenant which includes all signatures).
• Selective Service Card
• Federal, state or local government mail issued by the state of Maryland (ie. Social Security, social services)
• Car insurance policy
• W-2 statements
• Paystubs (dated within 90 days)
• State of Maryland Health Insurance Issued documents (ie. Medicaid, Medicare, Maryland Health Connection)
All documents must be dated within the past 90 days.
An electronic copy of a clear, recent photograph. We strongly recommend using a free, highly-rated passport photo app widely available for download via the App Store, Google Play Store or anywhere apps are available.
Generally, the photo should look like a driver’s license or passport photo. Specifically, it must be a clear, color photo of the caregiver’s unobscured face taken within the last six months to reflect the caregiver’s current appearance and feature a plain white or off-white background. The caregiver must be clothed, directly facing the camera with both eyes open and should have either a neutral facial expression or a natural smile.The caregiver must not be wearing a hat, head covering, sunglasses or
dark glasses.
The file must be an image file (.jpg) no larger than 3 MB in size and may not be digitally enhanced or altered in a way that changes the caregiver’s appearance.
Examples of acceptable photos:
If your photo does not meet the stated guidelines, your application will be returned.
For more examples of acceptable and unacceptable photos, visit the Passport Photos page of the US Department of State website. NOTE: Please do not use the photo cropping tool on the Passport Photos page; simply view the photos provided as samples of what is and is not acceptable.
Complete and submit an online application. Visit the MCA registry (OneStop Portal) and click Create Account under the Caregivers heading.
Verify your email address. As soon as you have completed and submitted an online application form, a verification email will be sent to the email address you provided on your application. You must click the verification link in the email message to verify your email account. Without performing this step, your application is not complete and will not be reviewed by the Commission.
Completed applications will be reviewed by MCA and you will receive a follow up email advising whether or not your application has been approved. Please retain the approval email for your records. It contains your Username, which you will need to log in to the Caregiver registry (OneStop Portal), as well as your MCA Caregiver ID Number.
Purchase an ID card. Once you have submitted an application, received MCA approval, designated your minor patient, and your designated minor patient has received a valid written certification from a physician registered with MCA, you are ready to purchase an ID card.
ID cards are required, which means you must have one before you can purchase medical cannabis from a licensed Maryland dispensary for your designated minor patient. You can log into your Caregiver registry (OneStop Portal) account to purchase an ID card for a fee of $50; the fee for a replacement card is $100.
Next Steps
Once your registration is complete, you have received MCA approval and obtained a valid ID card, you are ready to visit a licensed Maryland dispensary to procure medical cannabis for your designated minor patient. You will be required to present your MCA-issued Caregiver ID card as well as your valid US government-issued photo ID in order to make any purchase from a licensed Maryland dispensary. The dispensary will also need the patient’s MCA-issued Patient ID Number for the transaction.
Additional Caregivers for Minor Patients
Minor patients are permitted to have a maximum of two registered, designated caregivers assigned to their accounts at one time. One caregiver is identified and automatically assigned through the Minor Patient registration process.
To add a second caregiver for a minor patient, please contact MCA staff at 844-421-2571. Due to the additional documentation required for caregivers serving minor patients, additional caregivers for minor patients may not be added via the online registry (OneStop Portal) system.
Likewise, a caregiver may not remove a minor patient from his or her registry (OneStop Portal) account. To cancel a designation between a minor patient and a caregiver, the minor patient may remove the caregiver from his or her registry (OneStop Portal) account or the caregiver can contact MCA at 844-421-2571 to request that the designation be removed.
