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Do you still need a medical card in Maryland?

Short answer: you don't need one to buy if you are 21 or older. If you qualify, a Maryland medical cannabis card exempts you from the 12% cannabis sales tax and lets you buy from 18 instead of 21.

What the card actually changes

The main differences at the counter:

  • Tax. Adult-use purchases carry Maryland's 12% cannabis sales tax, raised from 9% on July 1, 2025. Registered patients pay none.
  • Age. Adult-use is 21 and over. Patients can register from 18, and patients under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian as caregiver, and that caregiver must be 21 or older. Minor registration ends at 18.

How registration works

The Maryland Cannabis Administration runs the patient registry. There are two steps, and you need both.

  • Register on Maryland OneStop. This step is free.
  • Get certified by a provider registered with the program. Fees vary, and video visits are common.
  • Buy at any licensed dispensary with your patient ID number and a photo ID. Registration lasts six years.

Who it's worth it for

Run the numbers on your own spending. The tax difference is 12% of everything you buy, so someone spending $200 a month saves about $288 a year. Weigh that against the provider fee, which varies.

It's clearly worth it if you're 18 to 20 and a provider certifies you, since that's the only legal way to buy at that age. For everyone else, compare what you spend in a year with the provider fee.

You still have to qualify

Saving tax is not a reason a provider can certify you. A certifying provider decides whether you have a qualifying condition under the state’s rules. Our step-by-step medical card guide lists what the state says.

What you still need at the counter

Patient or not, bring a government photo ID every time. Many shops can't take credit cards, so bring cash or a debit card.

Every shop in our directory of licensed Maryland dispensaries comes from the state’s own license list, with hours and payment details where the shop publishes them.

Keep reading

Common questions

Do I need a medical card to buy cannabis in Maryland?
No. Any adult 21 or older can buy from a licensed dispensary with a government photo ID. Registration is optional at 21+. Registered patient status removes the tax. The physical card is optional, costs $25, and is not required at the counter. Buy with your patient ID number and a photo ID.
How much is the cannabis tax in Maryland?
Adult-use cannabis carries a 12% sales tax, up from 9% before July 1, 2025. Registered medical patients are exempt.
Can I use an out-of-state medical card in Maryland?
No. Maryland doesn't recognize out-of-state medical cards. Visitors 21 and older can buy adult-use cannabis with a government photo ID. It is illegal to carry cannabis into or out of Maryland, including into a state where cannabis is legal.
How old do you have to be to buy cannabis in Maryland?
21 for adult-use purchases. Registered medical patients can buy from 18, and patients under 18 are served through a parent or legal guardian registered as a caregiver, and that caregiver must be 21 or older. Minor registration ends at 18.

Sources

This page is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rules change; check the sources above before acting on anything here.

Published by Weed in Maryland, an independent directory. Notice an error? Report a correction.