So you’ve been thinking about the Florida medical cannabis program, but you’re not sure if you might be eligible. Florida recognizes a specific set of medical conditions under state law that may qualify for physician evaluation.

Let’s walk through what conditions are recognized under Florida law, how the evaluation process works, and what your next step should be if you think you might be eligible.

What Are the Main Qualifying Conditions Under Florida Law?

Florida recognizes a specific set of medical conditions under state law. These are conditions that the state has designated as potentially qualifying for physician evaluation in the medical cannabis program.

Related: Florida Medical Cannabis Qualifying Conditions: Complete List 2026

Related: Florida Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions 2026

Here’s the list of core qualifying conditions under Florida law:

• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
• ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
• Crohn’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Severe and chronic pain
• Persistent muscle spasms
• Seizure disorders
• Terminal conditions
• Anorexia nervosa
• Migraine headaches

This is a comprehensive list under Florida law. A Florida-licensed physician can also evaluate patients for other medical conditions if they determine it is appropriate under state law. So even if your specific condition isn’t listed above, you may still be eligible for evaluation.

Overview of Conditions Recognized Under Florida Law

Here’s an overview of some of the conditions recognized under Florida law.

Chronic and Severe Pain

This is one of the most common reasons people seek evaluation in Florida’s medical cannabis program. Chronic pain covers a range of conditions: back pain, arthritis, neuropathic pain, or pain from an injury. If your condition is documented and ongoing, this is something worth discussing with a physician during an evaluation.

Neurological Conditions

Conditions like epilepsy, seizure disorders, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and multiple sclerosis are all recognized under Florida law. These tend to be well-documented diagnoses with clear medical records, which makes the evaluation process straightforward.

Mental Health Conditions

PTSD is explicitly listed under Florida law. Other conditions may also be evaluated by a physician on a case-by-case basis. If you have a documented diagnosis, it’s worth getting evaluated to see if you’re eligible.

Gastrointestinal Conditions

Crohn’s disease is recognized under Florida law, and other serious gastrointestinal conditions may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If you have a documented diagnosis, bring that to your evaluation.

Terminal Conditions

If you’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness, you may be eligible for evaluation. A physician can discuss whether evaluation is appropriate for your situation.

What You Need to Qualify

To be evaluated for Florida’s medical cannabis program, you need three things:

• A documented diagnosis. Your condition needs to be in your medical records, ideally with a healthcare provider who can confirm it.
• Florida residency. You must be a Florida permanent or seasonal resident.
• An evaluation by a qualified physician. A Florida-licensed physician who is enrolled in the state’s medical cannabis program must evaluate you.

Once a physician enters you into the state medical cannabis registry, you can then apply for your state medical ID card through the Florida Department of Health. The state charges $75 for the card, which is valid for one year.

This is where MarijMD comes in. We’re a medical clinic in Palm Beach County with board-certified, Florida-licensed physicians who evaluate patients and help guide them through the certification process. If you’re in West Palm Beach, Wellington, Palm Beach Gardens, Delray Beach, Jupiter, Boca Raton, or Lake Worth, we can get you evaluated.

How the Evaluation Works

A medical cannabis evaluation involves a conversation with a physician. A physician will review your medical history, ask about your condition, and determine whether evaluation is appropriate under Florida law.

You’ll want to bring any relevant medical records with you. This doesn’t have to be perfect or complete. If you’ve been treated for your condition at any point, have those records available. If you’ve been to a hospital or specialist, bring those notes. The more documentation you have, the smoother the evaluation goes.

The physician’s job is to verify that you have a condition recognized under Florida law and that it is documented. Once you’re certified, you’ll be registered in the state system. At that point, you apply for your card online through the Florida Department of Health, pay the $75 state fee, and you’re done. You’ll get your digital card right away, and the physical card arrives in the mail.

What Happens if Your Condition Isn’t on the List?

This is actually less of a barrier than it sounds. Physicians have discretion to evaluate patients for conditions not explicitly listed under Florida law on a case-by-case basis.

So if you have a diagnosed medical condition, even if it’s not one of the ones we listed above, it’s still worth getting evaluated. A physician can review your situation and make a determination under Florida law.

The key is having medical documentation. If your condition is something you’ve dealt with for years and there’s a paper trail, that makes it much easier. If it’s something newer or less formally documented, you may need to do a bit more work to establish the diagnosis.

Renewal and Ongoing Care

Your medical cannabis card is good for one year. When it’s about to expire, you’ll need to renew it with another physician evaluation. Some patients go back to the same physician. Others choose to get re-evaluated by someone new. Either way, the renewal process follows the same basic steps as the initial certification.

If you’re ready to find out whether you may be eligible, MarijMD can schedule your evaluation online. We handle both new patient certifications and renewals, and we serve all of West Palm Beach, Wellington, Palm Beach Gardens, Delray Beach, Jupiter, Boca Raton, and Lake Worth.

Next Steps

Here’s what we’d recommend if you think you might be eligible:

• Gather any medical records related to your condition. You don’t need everything, just what you have access to.
• Jot down a few notes about your condition and how it affects you. This helps during the conversation with the physician.
• Schedule an evaluation with a board-certified physician who is approved to certify patients. You can book online, and you may pay a deposit at the time of booking.
• Bring your documentation to the appointment, answer the physician’s questions honestly, and let them make the determination.

The whole process is designed to be straightforward. Physicians do this all the time. If you have a condition recognized under Florida law and you’re a Florida resident, the path to getting your card is clear.

What if I don’t have recent medical records for my condition?

You don’t need perfect documentation. Bring whatever you have: old appointment notes, hospital records, prescriptions from previous providers, or notes from a healthcare provider. If you have a long history with a condition, even older records help establish the diagnosis. If you don’t have much, talk to your current healthcare provider and ask if they can provide a letter confirming your condition. During the evaluation, the physician can also ask questions to help verify your condition.

Can my primary care doctor refer me for a medical cannabis evaluation?

Your primary care doctor can provide documentation of your condition to support your application. Some primary care doctors are enrolled in the state program and can certify patients themselves. But even if yours isn’t, they can write a note confirming your diagnosis, and that’s helpful during your evaluation.

How quickly can I get my card after being evaluated?

That depends on the state’s processing timeline for applications through the Florida Department of Health. After the physician certifies you and you’re entered into the registry, you apply online, pay the $75 state fee, and submit your application. When you schedule your evaluation with MarijMD, ask about current processing times so you know what to expect.

Do I need to renew my card every year?

Yes. Your medical cannabis card is valid for one year and must be renewed annually. You’ll need another physician evaluation before renewal. Some patients set a calendar reminder a few months before their card expires so they don’t forget. The renewal process is the same as the initial certification: evaluation, physician entry into the registry, application to the state, and the $75 state fee.