Montana Patient FAQs

NuggMD Montana connects prospective patients with state-licensed medical cannabis doctors so you can get your required medical evaluation fast, easy, and online from the comfort and privacy of your own home.

Browse our full list of patient FAQs, or contact our customer service team for one-on-one support.

To get a Montana medical marijuana card, an individual must have a physician's recommendation for one or more of the state’s qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. You must then submit all documentation, including proof of ID and residency, to register with the state.

Yes. Montana requires that medical cannabis patients be permanent residents of the state, and a state-issued ID or passport is preferred, but MT will accept other proof of residency, including a tribal identification card, voter registration form, a hunting or fishing license, or similar documentation.

No. Montana requires you to be a resident of the state in order to register as a medical cannabis patient.

No, Montana does not offer reciprocity with other states that have cannabis programs. However, recreational cannabis is legal for anyone over 21 in Montana.

No. Montana only allows doctors of medicine and osteopathy to recommend medical cannabis.

In order to qualify for medical cannabis in Montana, you’ll need to be a permanent resident of the state with one of Montana’s qualifying medical conditions for the program. Adults over 18 are eligible for the program. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who will need to give approval for the treatment and act as a caregiver. Minors will also need to be evaluated by two medical professionals or one oncologist, neurologist, or epileptologist.

Here is the full list of Montana qualifying conditions:

• Cancer
• Chron’s disease
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDs
• Hospice care
• Intractable seizures or epilepsy
• Intractable nausea or vomiting
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Painful peripheral neuropathy
• Persistent or severe pain which interferes with the patient’s daily activities and is documented by the patient’s physician
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Wasting syndrome or cachexia
• A central nervous system disorder resulting in chronic, painful spasticity or muscle spasms

In Montana, cannabis is overseen by the state’s Cannabis Control Division. The last time the state added a qualifying condition was with the passage of ballot initiative I 182 in 2016. That initiative removed many of the restrictions imposed on the program by the legislature and added persistent severe pain and PTSD to the list of qualifying conditions.

Yes. Montana allows individuals with a criminal record to participate in its medical cannabis program, but you cannot be a cardholder if you are currently incarcerated or under the supervision of the department of corrections. And, if you're convicted of a drug offense, your card will be revoked and will not be re-issued.

NuggMD offers low cost Montana medical cannabis evaluations, and there's no risk to you. Patients are only charged if they qualify for their state’s medical cannabis program. Following the evaluation, you’ll still need to pay Montana’s $20 registration fee.

Montana charges a $20 application fee for a medical marijuana card. This is separate from the cost of the required medical cannabis doctor evaluation.

Unfortunately, cannabis is still illegal at the federal level in the U.S., even for medical purposes. Because the federal government doesn’t recognize medical cannabis, nearly all insurance companies will not cover the cost of medical cannabis

Registered cardholders who are only growing for their own use aren't required to do a background check. Your name won't be put on a list for law enforcement. Law enforcement has to call the department to check patient status.

Montana medical marijuana patients save 16% on taxes, can grow twice as many plants, have access to higher potency products, and can use their cannabis in healthcare facilities (subject to each facility's rules).

You can see a Montana doctor for your evaluation in as little as 15 minutes with NuggMD. But it takes roughly 30 days to be approved for Montana's medical cannabis program. The state does specify that if you pay the registration fee online with a credit or debit card, it will speed up the process.

You need to complete your application for your Montana medical marijuana card within 60 days of the date on your medical marijuana recommendation.

Montana doesn’t have statutory guidelines for how long medical marijuana applications should take to process, but users generally get their cards within about a month.

Yes. Montana allows any medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (OD) licensed in the state to recommend medical cannabis. You’re free to switch doctors as long as they’re licensed in Montana and they evaluate you for your condition.

The cost to renew your medical marijuana card in Montana is the same as your original registration, $20. Patients are also responsible for getting a renewal evaluation with a qualified practitioner. With NuggMD, your renewal evaluation costs the same low rate as your initial evaluation, and you only pay if you're approved.

Montana's medical marijuana cards are typically valid for one year unless the recommending physician specifies otherwise.

With NuggMD, you are ONLY charged for your evaluation if you are approved. We believe everyone deserves access to a qualified medical cannabis doctor, and the cost of an evaluation shouldn’t be a barrier.

You’ll only be charged if you’re approved for your medical marijuana certification. If not, your evaluation is free! If you sign up and pay for your evaluation, but then cancel before your evaluation, there is a small $10 fee for the payment processing. Once you’ve been approved and issued your certification, a refund for services will no longer be available. Please send an email to support@nuggmd.com with the subject line “Refund Request” and a brief description of your issue. We want to make sure you’re 100% satisfied with your purchase being that you, the customer, are the most important thing to us! Once a refund has been initiated, please allow 3-5 business days for the funds to transfer back to the card you used for the transaction. If any issues arise, please feel free to reach back out for further assistance.

Montana allows a full range of cannabis products, including flower, edibles, tinctures, topicals, vapes, and just about anything else.

Learn more about Montana's cannabis laws and regulations.

Medical marijuana patients with a valid Montana ID can purchase medical cannabis at any state-licensed medical dispensary. Recreational consumers are limited to state-licensed recreational dispensaries.

Medical cannabis patients can purchase up to one ounce of cannabis or it's equivalent in THC in Montana and up to five ounces per month. You can also ask your physician to complete the Montana Cardholder Petition for Exception to Monthly Purchase Limits to increase this amount to eight ounces per month if necessary.

Montana medical cannabis patients only pay a 4% state-level tax and any applicable municipality taxes on medical cannabis. Recreational consumers are responsible for the municipality tax and a 20% excise tax.

Medical marijuana patients save 16% in taxes over recreational users.

Medical cannabis patients can possess up to 1 ounce of cannabis in Montana. They can also store the additional cannabis they cultivate from up to 4 plants (or 2 plants if you don't have a med card) in a secure, locked location at their home.

Montana's recreational cannabis law allows for "(b) transferring, delivering, or distributing without consideration, to a person who is 21 years of age or older or a registered cardholder, 1 ounce or less of usable marijuana, except that not more than 8 grams may be in a concentrated form and not more than 800 milligrams of THC may be in edible marijuana products meant to be eaten or swallowed in solid form."

No, it's not legal to consume cannabis publicly in Montana for recreational or medical purposes.

No. Montana does not allow cannabis consumption lounges.

Montana permits you to transport up to one ounce of cannabis at a time. This amount applies to both patients and recreational consumers since patients can only purchase one ounce at a time. Remember that it is illegal to drive under the influence of cannabis everywhere, and consuming cannabis is prohibited in public in Montana. It's best practice to treat cannabis like alcohol and observe open container laws. Cannabis, then, should either be transported in a sealed container, preferably in a locked glove compartment or the trunk of the vehicle.

Yes. Montana allows medical cannabis patients and recreational consumers to have cannabis delivered to their homes.

This depends on the state to which you’re traveling. Each state has different rules regarding reciprocity, and some don’t allow it at all. Check with your destination state to learn more.

Montana residents must be 21 or older to cultivate cannabis. Cannabis plants cannot be visible to the public. Renters need to get written permission from their landlord before cultivating cannabis.

Medical marijuana patients can cultivate up to 4 mature plants and 4 immature plants in Montana. Recreational consumers over 21 are limited to 2 mature plants and 2 immature plants.

Yes. Montana counties where the majority of voters opposed 1-190 can ban recreational cannabis businesses. Cities and counties where the majority of the voters voted in favor of 1-90 can only ban cannabis sales if the voters approve a local initiative or referendum. Great Falls attempted to ban sales within the city despite this rule, citing federal law. A local dispensary won a lawsuit challenging the ban. Weeks later, Great Falls residents voted against a proposed ban in the November election. The city now allows dispensaries.

It can. Montana's law states that MMJ patients can't be denied any right or privilege due to their cannabis use, but there are no specific protections for parental rights in Montana's cannabis laws. Check with your attorney if you're concerned with medical cannabis use and your rights as a parent.

Employers are not required to allow medical cannabis patients to consume cannabis at the workplace, and public consumption of cannabis is illegal in Montana. Individual workplaces may have different policies allowing medical cannabis use, but this is entirely up to the employer.

Yes. Montana's law tries to specify that people can't be denied professional licenses or other rights for using cannabis, but terminations based on medical marijuana use have been held up in court. While case law isn't definitive yet, employees can and have been fired for cannabis use, so check your employer's workplace drug policies if this is a concern.

Yes. The state will revoke your medical marijuana card if you are convicted of a DUI.

Montana law states that medical cannabis patients cannot be denied any legal right or privilege because of their cannabis use, but these issues still haven't been definitively tested in the courts. It's best to contact your physician if you're worried about being rejected BEFORE trying medical cannabis. If you feel your rights have been violated due to discrimination against your status as a registered medical marijuana patient, you should contact your attorney.

Yes, but you’ll need to get permission from your landlord to do so. You must submit a Landlord Permission Form along with your application.

No. Anyone under the supervision of the Department of Corrections is not eligible to participate.

Because cannabis is still illegal on the federal level, the federal government states that medical and recreational cannabis users don't have the right to bear arms.

Yes, but there are extra requirements. The parent or guardian will have to apply for the child, and if they are going to grow for their child, they'll need to register as a Marijuana Infused Products Provider or name a provider on behalf of their child. They'll also need two separate physician recommendations on this special form.

Adults over 21 can be a designated purchaser for an adult patient. Parents and guardians can become a designated purchaser for a child, but if they wish to cultivate for the child, they must submit to a criminal background check.

Montana doesn't have a traditional caregiver program. Instead, the role of the caregiver is broken up depending on the patient's age. Patients 21 and up can designate two individuals over the age of 21 to serve as their "designated purchasers." These individuals can purchase medical cannabis using the patient's care for the patient. Patients under 21 need a parent or legal guardian to purchase their medical cannabis. The guardian must submit documentation proving guardianship of the patient and sign a written statement consenting to the terms of the program. If the guardian is to cultivate cannabis on the patient's behalf, they will need to submit fingerprints for a criminal background check.

Any adult can become a designated purchaser for a patient, but parents who wish to cultivate for their children must submit to a criminal background check. Anyone who is convicted of a drug offense will have their card revoked.