Many people have medical conditions that may benefit from the use of medical marijuana. Have you ever considered getting a medical marijuana card in Illinois and being a part of the Illinois medical marijuana program? In Illinois, the medical marijuana program is called the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program.
Getting an Illinois medical marijuana card involves speaking with a doctor and then filling out some quick online state paperwork. To become an Illinois medical marijuana patient, you talk with one of our doctors (100% online via secure video chat) to see if you qualify. Then we will help you through the application process.
Qualifying Conditions for a Medical Card in IL:
In the state of Illinois, you must above all have a qualifying condition to become a medical cannabis patient. Following are the approved conditions that will make you a qualifying patient for the program in Illinois:
Qualifying Conditions List:
- Chronic Pain
- Autism
- Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease
- HIV/AIDS
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Anorexia nervosa
- Arnold-Chiari malformation
- Cancer
- Cachexia/wasting syndrome
- Causalgia
- Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
- Crohn’s disease
- CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome Type II)
- Dystonia
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Fibrous Dysplasia
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- Hydrocephalus
- Hydromyelia
- Interstitial cystitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Lupus
- Migraines
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Myoclonus
- Nail-patella syndrome
- Neuro-Bechet’s autoimmune disease
- Neurofibromatosis
- Neuropathy
- Osteoarthritis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
- Post-Concussion Syndrome
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
- Residual limb pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Seizures (including those characteristic of Epilepsy)
- Severe fibromyalgia
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Spinal cord disease (including but not limited to arachnoiditis)
- Spinal cord injury is damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity
- Spinocerebellar ataxia
- Superior canal dehiscence syndrome
- Syringomyelia
- Tarlov cysts
- Tourette syndrome
- Traumatic brain injury
- Now added: Terminal illness
- Ulcerative colitis
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
To qualify to get your medical marijuana card in Illinois, you must have one of the above conditions. Additionally, if you want to recognize a condition that has not yet been added to this list, you can go to the state Department of Public Health website to fill out a Petition to Add Debilitating Conditions.
Basic Qualifications
Along with the health qualification, you must also be at least 18 years old OR a minor with an adult caregiver. If you are under 18, you will additionally need a certification from two different doctors. You must also be a legal resident of Illinois.
Recent Updates to Qualifying Conditions in IL:
Patients who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and have a 6-month life expectancy can apply for an expedited medical cannabis card.
Additionally, if you are qualified for the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program (OAPP) you may be eligible. If you are over the age of 21, an Illinois resident, and have a medical condition for which an opioid medication has been prescribed or could be subscribed, this may make you eligible for medical marijuana in Illinois.
Documentation Needed:
Once you are certified and approved by the doctor, you will then need to complete the application through the state website, also known as the Illinois Cannabis Tracking System. You will need the following items:
- Completed physician certification (you receive this from the doctor post appointment)
- A passport-style photo taken within the last 30 days (this can be done with a smartphone but must be clear and have a plain background)
- A color copy of EITHER: Illinois Drivers License, Illinois State ID card, or passport
Additional Items:
If your current address does not match the address on your identity document, then you will also need to provide proof you are an Illinois resident. For proof of residency, you’ll need one of the following items; documents must match the name and address on your application:
- Pay stub or electronic deposit receipt issued less than 60 days prior to the application, which shows evidence of the applicant’s withholding for State income tax
- Valid voter registration card with an address in Illinois
- Valid, unexpired Illinois driver’s license or other State identification card issued by the Illinois Secretary of State
- Bank Statement, dated less than 60 days prior to application
- Deed/Title, Mortgage, Rental/Lease agreement
- Insurance Policy (homeowner’s or renter’s)
- Medical Claim or Statement of Benefits (from private insurance company or public (government) agency, dated less than 90 days prior to application) or
- Social Security Disability Insurance Statement or Supplemental Security Income Benefits Statement
- Tuition invoice/official mail from college or university, dated less than 12 months prior to application
- Utility bill including, but not limited to, those for electric, water, refuse, telephone land-line, cable or gas, issued less than 60 days prior to application
- Notarized Homeless status certification (if you are using this form you only need this single document to prove residency)
Click here to go to the Illinois website to submit your patient application.
Who can not apply for a card?
You may not apply for a medical marijuana card in Illinois if you have any of the following:
- Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
- School Bus Permit
- Currently employed as: Law Enforcement, Correctional Officer, Probation Officer, or Firefighter
Talk to our doctors to get your Illinois medical marijuana card online
Simply visit prestodoctor.com to schedule your secure video chat appointment and then talk to one of our board-certified doctors to get your medical marijuana recommendation letter. We generally have same-day appointments available, or you can schedule an appointment in the future. Our Illinois medical marijuana doctors are online waiting.
Illinois State Application Fee
What is the price of an Illinois cannabis card evaluation?
The price of your PrestoDoctor appointment to get a certification in Illinois is $199.99. Note that the state charges a separate application fee:
- $50 for a 1-year card
- $100 for a 2-year card
- $150 for a 3-year card
However, the fees can vary depending on if you qualify for a reduced fee or have a caregiver or multiple caregivers. You may qualify for a reduced fee if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), U.S Railroad Retirement Board Disability, Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System Disability, Illinois State Universities Retirement System Disability, as well as veterans. Additionally, Illinois allows patients who are terminally ill to receive their registry card at no additional cost.
For an accurate and updated full list, click here to view the state website.
Illinois Medical Marijuana Recertification
Once you have been approved and paid the state fees, your card will expire depending on if you paid for one, two, or three years. You can renew your card for a one year period without having to see a doctor again and get a recertification. After three years, or after this one year period, you will need to have a full recertification renewal. So, this means you will have to see a doctor again to update your certification.
Prestodoctor can help you recertify your medical marijuana card in Illinois. We can do this even if you didn’t get your original certification with us. The process is the easy, fast, and private.
After Submitting Your Application
Once you submit your application with all of the above paperwork, you will receive a provisional registration letter. In the meantime, you can print this out and use it to purchase medical cannabis at a licensed dispensary. This letter will be valid for up to 90 days, or until your application is either approved or denied. However, it usually takes the Illinois Department of Health up to 30 days to review card applications and make their decision.
If you’ve been approved, you’ll receive a digital copy of your medical marijuana card. That is to say, as of 2021, Illinois will not issue a physical Illinois medical cannabis card anymore.
You may visit multiple Il medical marijuana dispensaries, but you have a purchase limit of 2.5 oz in a 14-day period. Your healthcare practitioner can submit a waiver to have your limit increased.
To see medical cannabis dispensary locations, click here to view the Illinois government page listing licensed dispensaries.
How do I schedule an appointment for an Illinois marijuana card evaluation?
To get started with PrestoDoctor – just navigate to prestodoctor.com and fill out your account information. We’ll guide you through the process, and you can also always reach out to us with any questions. Additionally, live chat support is standing by to answer any questions or assist you with getting your medical card.