Medical cannabis for a Maryland patient under 18
Maryland allows minor patients, but a parent or legal guardian has to be registered as caregiver before the child's registration can go through. Here's the order it happens in.
We certify adults only in Maryland
Our Maryland practice sees patients 18 and over. Certifying a patient under 18 is a different clinical responsibility, and it isn't something we currently offer here — Pennsylvania is the only state where we certify minors.
We'd rather tell you that up front than have you book something we can't provide. The rest of this page walks through Maryland's process anyway, because the registration side is the same whoever certifies your child, and the sequencing catches families out.
The short version
Maryland requires patients to be 18 or older to register on their own. A patient under 18 can still take part, but everything runs through a caregiver — normally a parent or legal guardian, who registers with the Maryland Cannabis Administration and is the person who collects medicine from a dispensary.
So there are two registrations to complete rather than one, and Maryland's usual order — register first, then get certified — applies to both.
⚠️ The caregiver registers first
Families often assume the child gets registered and approved, and the parent sorts out their own paperwork afterward. Maryland works the other way: the parent or legal guardian registers as caregiver first, and the minor's registration is completed in connection with it.
Only once both are in place does the certification visit make sense — because in Maryland the provider files the written certification into an existing registration, not the other way round.
What Maryland requires
Everything runs through the OneStop portal, same as for adults.
- A parent or legal guardian registered as caregiver with the MCA. They'll need their own photo ID, proof of Maryland residency, and a photograph.
- The minor's patient registration, submitted through OneStop with the child's identification and proof of Maryland residency.
- A minor patient form, documenting parental consent or legal guardianship.
- A written certification from an MCA-registered certifying provider who accepts patients under 18 — not all do.
A caregiver does need an MCA ID card to purchase on a patient's behalf, which is a difference worth noting: adult patients don't need a card to buy for themselves, but caregivers do.
How the process runs
Order matters at every stage here.
Parent or guardian registers as caregiver on OneStop
Create the OneStop account and complete the caregiver registration with the MCA. This is the step that has to come first — the minor's registration connects to it.
Submit the minor's patient registration
Complete the child's registration through the portal, including the minor patient form documenting your consent as parent or legal guardian. Have identification and Maryland residency proof ready for both of you.
Order the caregiver ID card
Once registered, log in to your OneStop account and order your caregiver ID card, which carries a state fee. You'll need that card in hand to purchase on your child's behalf — unlike adult patients, who don't need one.
Find a provider who certifies minors, and book
The certifying provider must be registered with the MCA, and needs to be one who accepts patients under 18. Ask when booking rather than at the appointment. Maryland publishes a list of registered providers, and your child's existing specialist may be registered or willing to register.
The certification is filed, and you collect
The provider files the written certification into the minor's existing MCA profile. From there you visit a licensed dispensary with your caregiver ID card and your own photo ID. The minor patient does not collect and does not handle the purchase.
Maryland certifications run one year, so this part repeats annually — the registrations themselves last considerably longer.
Common questions
What Maryland parents ask us.
Could you certify my child if I waited?▾
Not in Maryland — we certify adults only here, and that isn't something we expect to change in the near term. Pennsylvania is the only state where we handle minor patients. The MCA's registered provider list is the right starting point for finding a Maryland provider who takes them.
Why does my registration have to come before my child's?▾
Because a minor can't hold or collect medicine independently, Maryland wants the responsible adult in place first. The child's registration is completed in connection with the caregiver registration, and the certification is filed into the resulting profile afterward.
Do I need an ID card if adult patients don't?▾
Yes — that's a genuine difference. Adult patients can purchase for themselves without a physical card, but a caregiver must hold an MCA ID card to purchase on a patient's behalf. You order it through your OneStop account and it carries a state fee.
Can both parents be registered?▾
Maryland allows patients to have caregivers registered on their behalf, and families often want more than one adult able to collect. The specifics of how many and who qualifies are set by the MCA, so it's worth asking them directly before you start rather than assuming.
What if my card is lost or stolen?▾
Report it to the MCA within 72 hours — that's a requirement, not a suggestion. A replacement can be ordered through OneStop and carries a higher fee than the original, so it's worth keeping somewhere secure.
Can my child's medicine be given at school?▾
That's governed by school and district policy rather than by the cannabis program, so it's a conversation with the school directly. Ask the certifying provider what documentation would help you have it.
What happens when my child turns 18?▾
They can register and be certified in their own right, and no longer need a caregiver to take part — though they can keep one if that's useful. At that point we'd be able to handle their certification and annual renewals like any other adult Maryland patient. Adult new patient process →
Questions we can still help with
We can't certify a minor in Maryland, but if OneStop is where you're stuck, that's something we deal with every day and we're happy to talk it through.
📞 Call 814-360-5353 Or email greenbridgesociety@gmail.com. If you're an adult Maryland patient, you can start here instead.Maryland links
Reviewed July 2026 against Maryland Cannabis Administration guidance. Requirements and fees change — the MCA is always the final word.