Renewing your Louisiana recommendation
A yearly re-evaluation, and a new recommendation sent to your pharmacy. No state application, no fee, nothing to wait on except the pharmacy processing it.
What renewal means in Louisiana
Louisiana expects an annual re-evaluation. It's essentially the same conversation you had the first time — your clinician confirms the qualifying condition is still there and that cannabis is still the right approach — and then issues a new recommendation, which goes to your pharmacy the same way the original did.
There's no registry to update and no state form. Once the pharmacy processes the new recommendation, you carry on as before.
How to renew
Three steps, and the third one is the same waiting game as your first time.
Check your expiration date and book
The date is printed on your recommendation. If you didn't keep a copy, your pharmacy has it on file and can tell you — and we can check when we issued yours.
A couple of weeks ahead is comfortable. There's no state processing to allow for, but the pharmacy still needs a day or two on the other end, so don't leave it to the last afternoon.
The re-evaluation
Telehealth again, $75 for returning patients. Your clinician reviews how the past year has gone — what's worked, what hasn't, whether anything's changed — and issues a new recommendation.
Confirm which pharmacy it should go to. If you've moved, or the one you chose last year isn't convenient any more, say so now. Changing it at the renewal is much simpler than arranging a transfer later.
Your pharmacy processes it
The new recommendation is sent across and the pharmacy updates their records. Give them a call before your next visit to confirm it's landed, particularly if your old one has already expired.
Nothing changes at the counter — same photo ID, same process.
⚠️ Build in time for the pharmacy, not just the appointment
Because Louisiana has no state queue, it's tempting to think renewal is instant. It nearly is on our side — but your pharmacy still has to receive and process the new recommendation, and that can take a few days at a busy location.
If you time the visit for the day your recommendation expires, you may still have a short gap where the pharmacy can't serve you. A couple of weeks' lead time removes the problem entirely.
What renewal costs
Common questions
What renewing Louisiana patients ask us.
I don't have my recommendation. How do I find my expiry date?▾
Your pharmacy has it on file — they can tell you when you call or next visit. We can also check when we issued yours. Since Louisiana has no registry or patient portal, those are the two places to ask.
What happens if it expires before I renew?▾
Your pharmacy can't dispense to you until a current recommendation is on file, but nothing else is lost — there's no registration to fall out of and no reinstatement process. Book a visit, get a new recommendation issued, and you're back once the pharmacy has processed it.
Can I switch pharmacies at renewal?▾
Yes, and renewal is the easiest moment to do it — your new recommendation simply goes to the new pharmacy instead. Tell us at the visit which one you want. Between renewals it's more fiddly, so if you've been meaning to change, now's the time.
Do I need to do anything with the state?▾
No. There's no registry, no renewal application, and no fee. The recommendation between your clinician and your pharmacy is the whole mechanism — which is why Louisiana renewals are among the simplest anywhere.
Can I switch to you from another clinician?▾
Yes. There's nothing to transfer — any Louisiana clinician holding a medical marijuana registration permit can issue your next recommendation, and it goes to your pharmacy the same way. Book the renewal and mention you're coming from elsewhere.
Why is renewal cheaper than my first visit?▾
Because the re-evaluation is a shorter conversation. Your history is known and it's about how the year has gone rather than building the picture from nothing. The recommendation that comes out of it is identical in effect.
My pharmacy says they don't have my new recommendation.▾
Give it a day or two first — processing isn't always immediate. If it still hasn't appeared, or you think it may have gone to the wrong pharmacy, call us and we'll confirm where it was sent and get it resolved.
Time to renew?
One telehealth re-evaluation, $75, nothing to pay the state — and your new recommendation goes straight to your pharmacy.
📅 Book my LA renewal Changing pharmacies, or not sure when you expire? Call 814-360-5353 and we'll sort it before your visit.Louisiana links
Reviewed July 2026 against Louisiana Department of Health guidance. The LDH Cannabis Program administers the program under La. R.S. 40:1046 — requirements change, and LDH is always the final word.