DC Cannabis Education

Updated October 2, 2026

How to Get a DC Medical Marijuana Card in 2026: ABCA's Self-Certification Guide

By DCWeedHub Newsroom · Published · Updated

A 2026 guide to DC medical cannabis registration, self-certification for residents 21+, documents, temporary registration, and renewal.

A DC medical marijuana card is now an online registration you can get in one sitting. ABCA, the agency that runs DC's medical cannabis program, calls it a patient registration and issues it through its MyABCA.DC.gov portal. DC residents 21 and older can self-certify instead of getting a practitioner's recommendation, either online or at licensed stores that offer on-site registration. Residents under 21 need a practitioner's recommendation. As soon as you submit, ABCA issues a temporary digital registration, valid for 90 days, that you can use right away at ABCA-licensed retailers. ABCA currently waives digital registration fees for DC residents (as of October 2, 2026, per ABCA's fee schedule).

Register before you go.
If you're not already registered, adults 21+ can self-certify online with ABCA before visiting (Register first).
Visitors can use a temporary non-resident registration or a card from a jurisdiction on ABCA's reciprocity list. Check ABCA for current fees and rules.

This guide covers who can register, what to have ready, each step in the portal, renewal, caregivers and where to use your registration. Every fact comes from ABCA's own pages or the DC Code, linked in Sources.

Who can get a DC medical marijuana card

ABCA issues patient registrations to DC residents of any age, with different rules depending on how old you are:

  • 21 and older: you can self-certify. DC law directs ABCA to offer a self-certification form for qualifying patients ages 21 and older as part of registration (D.C. Code § 7-1671.05(b)(3)), so you don't need a practitioner's recommendation.
  • 18 to 20: you need a recommendation number from a healthcare practitioner. ABCA says a recommendation is required for anyone 20 or younger. The practitioner gives you an eight-digit number that you enter on your application.
  • Under 18: minors can register, but ABCA requires an adult caregiver, and a practitioner's recommendation is required.

The practitioners who can issue recommendations, according to ABCA, are DC-licensed advanced practice registered nurses, dentists, naturopathic physicians, physicians and physician assistants in good standing. ABCA says recommendations are valid for two years from the date they're issued.

If you don't live in DC, you can't use the resident process. Non-residents 21 and older register for a temporary non-resident registration or use a card from a jurisdiction ABCA recognizes. Our visitors guide covers both.

What you need before you start

ABCA asks you to gather your documents before you open the application. For DC residents, that means:

  1. Identification and proof of residency: a DC DMV Real ID, or a government-issued photo ID plus proof that you live in DC. ABCA accepts these as proof of residency:
    • utility bills (electric, water, gas, internet)
    • bank or credit card statements
    • mortgage statements
    • rental agreements or leases
    • government-issued mail, such as tax assessments
  2. A recommendation number, only if you're 18 to 20 or you choose not to self-certify.
  3. An email address for your MyABCA.DC.gov account. ABCA's portal uses it for status updates and renewal reminders.

You'll also need a government-issued photo ID every time you buy. ABCA says retail staff must ask for both your patient registration and a government-issued photo ID before any sale.

Step by step: registering through ABCA

ABCA processes all registrations through its customer portal, MyABCA.DC.gov, which launched on August 18, 2026 and replaced ABCA's older system and paper forms.

  1. Check whether you already have a valid registration. ABCA's instruction is direct: don't create a new account unless your current registration has expired, and use the new system only when it's time to renew. Applications submitted in the old system before 8:00 a.m. on August 18, 2026 still finish processing there and don't transfer to the new portal.
  2. Create your MyABCA.DC.gov account. ABCA says the account is how you register, buy a physical card, and track your purchase allotment.
  3. Fill out the patient application. If you're 21 or older, choose self-certification. If not, enter the eight-digit recommendation number your practitioner gave you.
  4. Upload your ID and residency documents.
  5. Submit. ABCA issues a temporary digital registration as soon as you submit.
  6. Answer any follow-up in the portal. ABCA makes requests for missing information through the portal, and you have to complete them there. The portal lets applicants and ABCA's licensing team message each other and upload missing documents.
  7. Get your two-year registration. After a successful staff review, ABCA issues a digital registration valid for two years.

If you can't finish in one sitting, ABCA says applicants with accounts can save a draft and come back to it. Incomplete submissions are held for 30 days.

Registering at a store. You can also register at licensed stores that offer on-site registration. ABCA says retailers that set up a portal account get a dashboard for on-premises patient applications, but it doesn't publish a list of which stores offer it. Call ahead, or self-certify online before you go.

Your temporary 90-day registration

The temporary registration lets you start right away. ABCA says DC resident patients receive a temporary digital registration valid for 90 days as soon as they submit, and it "can be used right away" while staff review the application.

ABCA extended the temporary period from 30 days to 90 days on July 17, 2025. The temporary option applies to DC residents only. Non-resident registrations work differently (see visitors).

Fees

  • Resident registration: ABCA currently waives digital registration fees for DC residents (as of October 2, 2026, per ABCA's fee schedule). That covers initial and renewal digital registrations for patients and caregivers. Fees can change, so check the fee schedule before you apply.
  • Physical card (optional): every retailer accepts digital registrations, according to ABCA. If you'd like a physical card, you can buy one through the portal, and ABCA's fee schedule lists it at $10.

How long it lasts and how to renew

  • Validity: ABCA's current patients page says the permanent digital registration is valid for two years. ABCA notes that registrations issued before March 2, 2025 for a six-year period stay valid through the date printed on them.
  • Renewing on time: if you renew within 30 days of expiration, ABCA says your registration number stays the same.
  • Renewing late: if you renew outside that 30-day window, ABCA treats it as a new registration and issues a new number.
  • Reminders: the portal tracks your status and sends automated email reminders. ABCA notes that online renewal applies to registrations created in the new system starting August 18, 2026.

If your registration depends on a practitioner's recommendation, keep in mind that ABCA says recommendations are also valid for two years from issuance.

How much you can buy

ABCA says registered patients can legally buy up to 8 ounces of medical cannabis within a rolling 30-day period. You can track your remaining allotment in your MyABCA.DC.gov account.

On privacy, ABCA says personal details are never shared with District agencies, federal groups or third parties, and that retailers track purchases with a unique, random patient number instead of your name. For more on how DC's patient program works, see our patients page.

Caregivers

A caregiver is an adult (18 or older) whom ABCA authorizes to buy, possess and administer medical cannabis for one or more registered DC resident patients, adult or minor. According to ABCA:

  • Caregiver registrations are valid for two years. The current fee waiver for DC residents covers caregiver digital registrations too.
  • Caregivers get a temporary 90-day digital registration on submission, the same as patients.
  • In the portal, a caregiver can register a new patient and submit both applications together, or associate with an existing patient using that patient's registration number.
  • The caregiver needs a government-issued photo ID. The patient's details, residency documents and (if 20 or younger) recommendation number are also required.
  • Caregivers are optional, except for minor patients.

Non-resident registrations can't have a caregiver.

Where to use your registration

Use your registration only at ABCA-licensed businesses: retailers with storefronts, and internet retailers that deliver. ABCA publishes every retailer it has verified as operational on its Find a Medical Cannabis Retailer page. DCWeedHub's dispensary directory and map are built to list ABCA-licensed businesses only, and we're checking every listing against ABCA's records. To confirm a DC dispensary's ABCA license yourself, use our step-by-step guide. Where you can consume is a separate question: see where it's legal to smoke cannabis in DC.

ABCA says retailers may operate between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., and hours can vary based on what ABCA approves for each store. Before your first visit, our first-time DC dispensary guide covers what to bring.

Visiting DC?

Non-residents have a separate path. ABCA says it's for visitors 21 and older only, requires self-certification, doesn't accept practitioner recommendations, and issues digital registrations only. Many visitors can use their home registration instead: ABCA says licensed retailers may accept registrations from "most U.S. states, territories, and select tribal nations" on its reciprocity list; Virginia patients also need a written practitioner certification. Our visitors guide covers the details. If you're asking whether you can buy at all without registering, see Can I buy cannabis in DC today?

FAQ

How much does a DC medical card cost?
ABCA currently waives digital registration fees for DC residents (as of October 2, 2026, per ABCA's fee schedule). A physical card is optional; ABCA's fee schedule lists it at $10.

How old do you have to be to get a medical card in DC?
DC residents of any age can register. Adults 21 and older can self-certify. Applicants 20 and younger need a practitioner's recommendation number, and minors also need an adult caregiver.

Do I need to see a doctor to get a DC medical marijuana card?
Not if you're a DC resident aged 21 or older. You can self-certify on the application. Residents 20 and younger need a recommendation from an eligible DC-licensed practitioner.

Can I use my registration right away?
Yes. ABCA issues a temporary digital registration valid for 90 days when you submit, and says it can be used right away.

How do I renew?
Renew through MyABCA.DC.gov. If you renew within 30 days of expiration, your number stays the same. Outside that window, it's treated as a new registration.

I already have a valid registration. Should I make a MyABCA account now?
No. ABCA says not to create a new account until your current registration has expired.

More in this topic

Sources

Last updated: October 2, 2026

DCWeedHub is an independent guide to DC's ABCA-licensed cannabis market. We list ABCA-licensed businesses only and aren't affiliated with or endorsed by ABCA. This is general information, not legal or medical advice.

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