Who can be a caregiver
A Pennsylvania caregiver must be a state resident, at least 21 years old, registered with the Department of Health and cleared through a fingerprint-based criminal background check. The Department denies anyone convicted of a drug sale or possession offense within the past five years. A person under 21 can serve only if a sufficient showing is made to the Department.
The screening is stricter than it is for patients, who need no background check at all, and the reason is the role. A caregiver obtains medical marijuana for someone else, sometimes for several people, so the state wants a record check on the person doing it.
Plan for the wait. The Department says approval can take three to four weeks after the fingerprint appointment.
Schedule the fingerprint appointment as early as you can. The Department's three-to-four-week approval estimate counts from that appointment, so a late appointment pushes everything back.
Two caregivers per patient, no limit per caregiver
A patient may designate up to two caregivers at any one time. A caregiver, on the other hand, may assist an unlimited number of patients. In a family, that can mean one parent registered for two children, or two adult siblings both registered for an aging parent so that either can pick up an order.
Patients under 18
Pennsylvania sets no minimum age for patients, but anyone under 18 must take part through a caregiver. Under the Medical Marijuana Act, the caregiver for a minor is a parent or legal guardian, a person the parent or guardian designates, or a person the Department approves. The Department's caregiver guidance also lists a spouse. If you are not the minor's parent, legal guardian or spouse, the Department recommends using its form authorizing a third-party caregiver.
Minor patients do not receive an ID card and do not enter dispensaries. The caregiver registers, holds the caregiver card and makes the purchases. The child still needs a certification from a registered physician for one of the 24 qualifying conditions. Not every certifying physician sees children, so ask the practice whether it certifies patients under 18 before you book.
Parents of children with autism, one of the listed conditions, will find more detail in our autism and caregiver guide.
Adults who need help
Caregivers are not only for children. The Department says homebound adults, and adults who would benefit from assistance, can also be registered through a caregiver. For an adult with a serious illness, a registered caregiver can make the dispensary trips that the patient cannot.
Need a physician certification?
Online evaluations are available for Pennsylvania residents. Code DRWDY85872 takes 5% off. The physician, not the booking service, decides whether you are certified.
Book my PA evaluation →What it costs a caregiver
The statute sets a $50 fee for a caregiver ID card application and lets the Department waive or reduce it for demonstrated financial hardship. Caregivers enrolled in Medicaid, CHIP, PACE/PACENET, SNAP or WIC are covered by the same $0 card fee as patients. Since March 1, 2022, Phase 2 of the Medical Marijuana Assistance Program has eliminated all background check fees for caregivers. The full fee table puts patient and caregiver costs side by side.
Rules that apply to the caregiver, too
The 90-day limit covers what a patient or caregiver receives from a dispensary, and unused product belongs in its original package. Smoking medical marijuana is illegal for everyone. Dispensaries do not sell edibles, but the law lets patients and caregivers mix medical marijuana into food to make it easier to take, which can matter for a child or an adult who has trouble swallowing pills. Our page on patient rules covers each of these in full.
Keeping the registration current
A caregiver card expires too, and the Department emails caregivers 60 days before it does. The patient's certification has its own expiration date, so keep track of both. Our renewal guide explains the timing.
Your next step: confirm that you meet the age, residency and background requirements, then register in the Department's patient and caregiver registry and schedule your fingerprints.
Questions people ask
Can one caregiver help several patients?
Yes. The Department of Health says caregivers may assist an unlimited number of patients. Each patient, in turn, may designate up to two caregivers at one time.
Does a child patient get an ID card?
No. Minor patients do not receive an ID card and do not enter dispensaries. The registered caregiver holds the card and makes the purchases.
Can someone under 21 be a caregiver?
Only if the Department of Health authorizes it. The statute says a person under 21 may not be a caregiver unless a sufficient showing is made to the Department.
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This page explains Pennsylvania law and Department of Health guidance in general terms; it is not medical or legal advice, and only a registered physician can certify a patient.