Moving from Marietta to Macon, downsizing from Alpharetta to Athens, or finally making the jump to Savannah? Your Georgia medical cannabis card moves with you. Your card works statewide, and a move within Georgia does not change your eligibility. What does need attention is the information behind your card: your address, your legal name, your email, and your ID. This guide covers how to handle an address change, how to fix a name or other error, what to ask about a replacement card, how to keep your contact details current, and why accurate registry information protects your access. If you are also nearing your expiration date, pair this with our Georgia medical cannabis card renewal guide.
The Short Answer
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH):
- If the information on your card is wrong or outdated, or you lose your card, contact the Georgia Medical Cannabis Program at (770) 909-2765 or by email.
- Your ID must be current, not expired, and should show your current Georgia address. If it does not, you need a separate proof-of-residency document.
- Cards ship by UPS to your mailing address on file, with a signature required.
DPH’s physician guidance also directs certifying physicians to update patient and caregiver information in the registry as needed.
So when you move within Georgia, the practical order is simple: update your Georgia ID, tell your certifying physician, and contact the program. The rest of this guide explains each step.
Understanding Where Your Information Lives
Your card information is not stored in one place. It lives in three, and each one needs to match.
Your Georgia ID. Your driver’s license or state ID, issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS). DPH relies on it to verify your identity and residency.
The Medical Cannabis Patient Registry. Your certifying physician entered your information here, including your ID and, if needed, your proof of residency. DPH directs physicians to keep it updated.
The Georgia Medical Cannabis Program. The DPH program that verifies registry entries, issues cards, emails payment links, and ships cards. It is also who you contact about a wrong, outdated, or lost card.
When your address or name changes, all three should tell the same story. A mismatch between them is what causes problems at renewal, at delivery, and at the counter.
Updating Your Information at a Glance
| What changed | Update this first | Then tell |
|---|---|---|
| Home address within Georgia | Your Georgia ID with DDS | Your certifying physician and the Medical Cannabis Program |
| Mailing address only | Your certifying physician | The Medical Cannabis Program |
| Legal name | Your Georgia ID with DDS | Your certifying physician and the Medical Cannabis Program |
| Typo or error on your card | Nothing first | The Medical Cannabis Program and your certifying physician |
| Email or phone number | Your certifying physician | The Medical Cannabis Program |
| Caregiver’s address or name | The caregiver’s own ID | Your certifying physician and the Medical Cannabis Program |
| Lost card | Nothing first | The Medical Cannabis Program |
Based on DPH patient and physician guidance and DDS guidance, current as of September 2026.
Step 1: Update Your Georgia ID With DDS
Start here, because your ID is the document everything else is checked against.
The DDS deadline. According to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, existing Georgia license and ID holders have 60 days to change their address after moving.
How to do it. DDS offers three routes: an online account with secure video verification, a visit to a DDS Customer Service Center with a document showing your name and new address, or an online account plus a call to the DDS Contact Center for video verification.
What it costs. DDS allows one free name or address change during the term of your original license or ID. Later address changes carry a $10 fee, and if you are within 150 days of your license’s expiration, DDS requires you to renew instead.
While you wait for the new card. If your updated ID has not arrived yet, keep a current residency document handy, such as a utility bill, phone bill, medical bill, or pay stub showing your full name and new street address. DPH accepts that kind of document as proof of Georgia residency when your ID does not show your current address.
Step 2: Tell Your Certifying Physician
DPH directs certifying physicians to update patient and caregiver information in the registry as needed. Your physician’s practice is the natural first call once your ID is updated.
Give the practice:
- Your new street address and mailing address, if different
- A photo of the front and back of your updated ID, or a proof-of-residency document if your new ID has not arrived
- Your current email and phone number
- Any caregiver changes
Ask the practice:
- Will you update my registry information, or should I handle anything directly with the program?
- Do you need anything else from me?
- Does this change affect my annual certification appointment?
Your practice also keeps its own records. Updating them means annual certification and renewal reminders reach you at your new address.
Step 3: Contact the Georgia Medical Cannabis Program
DPH’s instruction is direct: if the information on your card is wrong or outdated, contact the program.
Contact the program:
- Phone: (770) 909-2765, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Email: the address listed on the DPH patient page; the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission lists the registry email as THCRegistry@dph.ga.gov
Have this ready:
- Your full legal name and date of birth
- Your old address and your new address
- Your certifying physician’s name
- A photo of your current card and your updated ID
Questions to ask:
- Is my registry record updated, or does my physician need to make the change?
- Will I receive a corrected card, and is there a fee?
- Is my current card still valid while the update is processed?
- Where will any new card ship?
Write down the date, who you spoke with, and what they said. DPH’s program pages note that registry content updates are in progress following Senate Bill 220, so confirm current procedures when you call rather than relying on what a friend was told last year.
Check your status. Use the DPH card status lookup after you make changes.
Name Corrections and Legal Name Changes
Names cause more trouble than addresses because they are checked against your ID every time you buy.
A legal name change. Marriage, divorce, and court-ordered name changes all count. Update your Georgia ID with DDS first, then tell your certifying physician and the program. Until your records match, carry documentation of the change.
A typo or data error. A misspelled name, a wrong date of birth, or a swapped digit counts as a correction. Contact the program right away and tell your certifying physician so the registry record matches.
Why it matters at the counter. Licensed dispensaries and pharmacies may sell only to registered patients and caregivers, and staff check your card against your government ID. When the names do not match, expect questions and possibly a delay in your purchase.
Card Replacement Questions
Moving often turns up the question of whether you need a new card.
Do I need a new card just because I moved? DPH does not say that moving within Georgia requires a new card. It says to contact the program if the information on your card is outdated. Call and ask whether your situation calls for a corrected card.
Is there a replacement fee? DPH’s patient page does not list a replacement fee. Ask the program when you call. The standard card fee is $30, plus a $3.75 service fee through the online portal.
What will a replacement card look like? DPH says replacement and newly issued cards carry the updated Medical Cannabis program name. If you still hold an unexpired Low THC Oil Registry Card, it remains valid until its printed expiration date.
Where will it ship? DPH ships cards by UPS to the mailing address on file, with a signature required. After three failed delivery attempts, the card returns to DPH and you need to contact the department to have it reshipped. If you use a P.O. box or do not have a permanent or secure home address, DPH ships the card to the health department nearest your residence for pickup. That is one more reason to update your address before any card goes out.
Lost your card in the move? Moving boxes swallow wallets. Report a lost card to the program promptly. Until you have a valid card in your possession, the possession protection your card provides does not apply.
Keep Your Email and Phone Current
Your email matters as much as your street address. DPH sends payment instructions by email, and DPH says unpaid cards are cancelled after 60 days, with reinstatement going back through your physician.
- Update your email with your certifying physician and the program.
- Add DPH’s registry email to your contacts so program emails do not land in spam.
- Update your phone number so DPH can reach you if your file needs more documentation.
- If you changed email providers during the move, check the old inbox one last time for program messages.
Why Accurate Registry Information Matters
Keeping your information current protects four things.
Your legal protection. Georgia’s possession protection depends on a valid registration card in your possession, along with staying within the 12,000 milligram limit and keeping products in their original labeled containers. An outdated or questioned card is a weak link.
Your renewal. Your card is valid for five years, and DPH verifies your ID and residency again when your physician renews it. An old address slows that verification.
Your card delivery. UPS delivers to the address on file with a signature required. A card shipped to your old house is a card you do not have.
Your purchases. Matching names and a current ID keep checkout quick at your new neighborhood dispensary or pharmacy.
Caregivers Move Too
Each caregiver has their own card and their own registry information.
- If a caregiver moves, they update their own Georgia ID with DDS.
- Tell your certifying physician, who adds and updates caregiver information in the registry.
- Contact the program if the caregiver’s card information is now outdated.
- If a new caregiver is taking over because of the move, ask your physician about adding them. Each caregiver card costs $30.
See our Georgia caregiver guide for the full rules.
Moving Out of Georgia Instead?
A move out of state is a different situation. Georgia’s registry is for Georgia residents, and DPH directs physicians to cancel cards for patients who move out of state. Your Georgia card does not authorize possession in your new state. Tell your certifying physician, and look into your new state’s program before you move.
Finding a Dispensary Near Your New Home
Your card works at licensed locations across Georgia, so your new neighborhood may have a closer option. Find licensed locations on our dispensary partners page or through the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. Bring your card and your updated government ID on your first visit, and see our first-visit dispensary checklist if the location is new to you.
Your Moving Checklist
- Georgia ID address updated with DDS within 60 days
- Proof-of-residency document saved until the new ID arrives
- Certifying physician told about your new address, name, email, and phone
- Medical Cannabis Program contacted about outdated card information
- Answers from the program written down with the date and name
- Card status checked with the DPH lookup
- DPH’s registry email added to your contacts
- Caregiver information updated, if you have a caregiver
- Card and ID packed somewhere you will not lose them
- New nearby dispensary or pharmacy located
Updating Your Information With Elevated Health MD
If Elevated Health MD certified you, updating is simple.
- Tell our team. Call or message our Atlanta team with your new address, name, email, phone, or caregiver changes.
- Send your documents. A photo of your updated ID, or a proof-of-residency document if your new ID is on the way. We check it against what DPH accepts.
- Registry update. Your physician updates your registry information as DPH directs.
- Next steps. We tell you whether anything else needs to happen with the program.
Moving is also a good moment to check your dates. If your card or annual certification is coming due, we can handle it at the same time. Our Georgia-licensed physicians see patients by telehealth anywhere in the state, so your new zip code does not change a thing.
New to Elevated Health MD, or haven’t been certified yet? Get started with a pre-qualification review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a new Georgia medical cannabis card if I move within Georgia? DPH does not say a move within Georgia requires a new card. It directs cardholders to contact the Georgia Medical Cannabis Program if the information on their card is wrong or outdated. Call the program to ask whether your situation calls for a corrected card.
How do I change my address on my Georgia medical cannabis card? Update your Georgia ID with DDS, tell your certifying physician so your registry information is updated, and contact the Georgia Medical Cannabis Program at (770) 909-2765 or by email.
How long do I have to update my Georgia driver’s license after moving? DDS gives existing Georgia license and ID holders 60 days to change their address. The first name or address change during your original license term is free, and later address changes cost $10.
How do I fix a wrong name or date of birth on my card? Contact the Georgia Medical Cannabis Program to request a correction, and tell your certifying physician so the registry record matches.
Is there a fee to replace a Georgia medical cannabis card? DPH’s patient page does not list a replacement fee. Ask the Georgia Medical Cannabis Program when you request the replacement.
What happens if my card is shipped to my old address? DPH ships cards by UPS with a signature required. After three failed delivery attempts, the card returns to DPH and you must contact the department to have it reshipped.
What if I move out of Georgia? Georgia’s registry is for Georgia residents, and DPH directs physicians to cancel cards for patients who move out of state. Your Georgia card does not authorize possession in another state.
Final Thoughts
A move within Georgia takes a few quick updates and nothing more. Update your Georgia ID with DDS, tell your certifying physician, and contact the Georgia Medical Cannabis Program about anything on your card that is now wrong or outdated. Keep your email current so you never miss a payment link, and keep your card and ID together through the chaos of moving day. Do those few things, and your access follows you to your new front door.
Elevated Health MD: Georgia physicians, Georgia law, and your card information current wherever you land in Georgia.
This article is for general information only and is not medical or legal advice. Georgia registry procedures, DDS rules, and fees can change. Confirm current steps with the Georgia Medical Cannabis Program and DDS. Information current as of September 2026.