Your physician has certified you. Now what? Certification starts the state process; it does not end it. Between the end of your appointment and your first legal purchase, your information moves through the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), you pay a state fee, and your card is shipped. Knowing who handles each step, and who to contact when something stalls, saves time and frustration. This guide walks through the post-appointment journey from registry submission to legal possession. If you have not been evaluated yet, start with our Do You Qualify page.
The Short Answer
After certification:
- Your physician submits your information to the Georgia Medical Cannabis Patient Registry.
- DPH verifies it and contacts you if anything is missing.
- DPH emails you payment instructions. You pay the state card fee within 60 days.
- DPH ships your card after payment is processed.
- You can buy from a licensed seller once your card is in your possession.
One point confuses many patients: the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission (GMCC) regulates dispensaries and products, but it does not manage cards. The GMCC notes that patient and caregiver cards and the patient registry are managed by DPH.
Who Handles What After Your Appointment
| Question | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Did my physician submit my certification? | Your certifying practice |
| Does DPH need more information from me? | DPH contacts you; respond to DPH |
| Where is my payment email? | DPH Patient Registry Unit |
| What is my card status? | DPH card status lookup or the Patient Registry Unit |
| My card was not delivered | DPH Patient Registry Unit |
| My card is lost or has wrong information | DPH Patient Registry Unit |
| Adding or changing a caregiver | Your certifying physician |
| Which dispensaries are licensed? | GMCC |
| Is a product in stock? | The dispensary or pharmacy |
DPH Patient Registry Unit (Georgia Medical Cannabis Program):
- Phone: (770) 909-2765
- Email: THCRegistry@dph.ga.gov, as listed by the GMCC
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., per DPH
- Status lookup: DPH card status page
Step 1: Your Physician Submits Your Certification
According to DPH’s physician guidance, the certifying physician completes the Medical Cannabis Certification and enters your information into the registry, along with photos of the front and back of your ID. If you have a caregiver, the caregiver’s information and ID are entered too. The physician files the certification in your medical record.
You also sign the state waiver required by Georgia law. It acknowledges that cannabinoid and THC products are not FDA-approved, that their clinical benefits are unknown, and that they may cause harm.
At Elevated Health MD, the physician completes your certification and waiver during or right after your visit, and our team handles the registry records filing.
What you can do: confirm with your practice that your certification was submitted, and make sure the practice has your correct email and mailing address.
Step 2: DPH Processes Your Registration
According to the DPH patient and caregiver page, once your physician uploads your information and documentation, DPH verifies that it is accurate and complete. If DPH has a question or needs additional documentation, it contacts you.
How long it takes. DPH does not publish a standard timeframe for this step.
Common reasons for delays, per DPH:
- An expired ID or an ID that is not an accepted form
- An ID without your current Georgia address and no separate proof of residency
- Late payment after the payment email arrives
What you can do:
- Watch your email, including spam and promotions folders
- Respond quickly if DPH asks for anything
- Check the DPH status lookup
Step 3: Pay the State Card Fee
When DPH verifies your information, you receive an email with a link to DPH’s secure payment portal.
- Card fee: $30
- Online service fee: $3.75 when paying through the portal
- Money order option: if you cannot use the portal or do not have email, DPH accepts a $30 money order by mail to the address on its patient page
- Deadline: payment must be submitted within 60 days. After 60 days, DPH cancels the card and you must contact your physician to reinstate it.
- Insurance: DPH says health insurance does not cover the card fee
Each caregiver card is a separate $30. See our Georgia medical cannabis card cost guide.
Pay the day the email arrives. It is the simplest way to shorten your wait.
Step 4: Card Delivery
After your payment is processed, DPH ships your card.
- Carrier: UPS, to your mailing address on file
- Signature required: someone must be present to sign
- Timing: DPH asks patients to allow up to 10 business days from the time payment is processed
- Missed deliveries: after three attempts, the package returns to DPH, and you must contact the department to have it shipped again
- P.O. boxes and no secure address: DPH ships the card to the health department nearest your residence and contacts you when it is ready. Bring a valid ID to pick it up.
- Someone else picking up at a health department: DPH allows it with a signed authorization form. That person must bring their own ID and the cardholder’s ID.
Electronic cards. SB 220 authorizes DPH to issue electronic cards, physical cards, or both at the patient’s election, subject to state appropriations. DPH’s patient page currently describes physical cards shipped by UPS. See our timeline guide for updates.
Step 5: Your First Purchase
Once your card is in your possession, you can buy from any licensed seller in Georgia: a dispensary licensed by the GMCC, or an independent pharmacy licensed by the Georgia Board of Pharmacy.
Bring:
- Your registry card
- A valid, government-issued photo ID
- A payment method the location accepts
Before you go: call ahead to confirm hours, stock, and payment options. Botanical Sciences, our dispensary partner, lets patients order online for pickup at its dispensaries. Find locations on our Dispensary Locator.
See our first-visit dispensary checklist for labels, milligram limits, and questions to ask the staff.
Step 6: Understand Legal Possession
Your card gives you specific legal protection, and it has conditions. Georgia law requires all three of these at once:
- Your total medical cannabis products contain 12,000 mg of THC or less, with no package over 1,200 mg.
- You have your DPH-issued registration card, physical or electronic, in your possession.
- Products are in a pharmaceutical container labeled by the manufacturer with their THC content in milligrams.
If law enforcement asks. Georgia law allows DPH to confirm to peace officers and prosecutors whether a person holding a registration card is a registered patient. Carrying your card and keeping products in their labeled packaging is what shows lawful possession.
What your card does not allow:
- Smoking or combustion of medical cannabis, for anyone
- Vaporization by patients below the statutory age threshold
- Use in public places
- Home growing
- Purchases from unlicensed sources
- Impaired driving
See our guide to flower and vape rules for details on inhaled products.
Step 7: Stay Current
Annual certification. DPH’s physician guidance requires certifying physicians to complete an annual Medical Cannabis Certification and to explain the annual process to patients and caregivers. Ask your physician how it applies to you.
Five-year card. DPH says the card is valid for five years, with the expiration date printed on the front. Renew with your physician before it expires. See our card renewal guide.
Keep your information current. If your address, email, or name changes, or your card is lost or incorrect, contact the DPH Patient Registry Unit and tell your certifying physician.
Troubleshooting: When Something Goes Wrong
I never got the payment email. Check spam and promotions folders, then check the DPH status lookup. If nothing appears, contact the Patient Registry Unit at (770) 909-2765.
DPH asked for more documentation. Respond promptly. ID and residency problems are the most common issue. DPH accepts a Georgia driver’s license or state ID on its own. A passport, military ID, or out-of-state ID requires a proof-of-residency document such as a utility bill, phone bill, medical bill, or pay stub.
My 60-day payment window passed. DPH cancels the card after 60 days. Contact your certifying physician to have it reinstated.
UPS could not deliver my card. After three attempts, the card returns to DPH. Contact the Patient Registry Unit to have it reshipped.
My card has wrong information. Contact the Patient Registry Unit to request a correction, and tell your physician so the registry record matches.
I lost my card. Contact the Patient Registry Unit. Until you have a valid card in your possession, the possession protection it provides does not apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after a Georgia doctor certifies me for medical cannabis? Your physician submits your information to the registry. DPH verifies it and emails you payment instructions. After you pay the $30 fee, plus $3.75 online, within 60 days, DPH ships your card, and you can buy from a licensed seller.
Who manages Georgia medical cannabis cards, DPH or the GMCC? DPH. The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission regulates dispensaries and products, and it notes that patient and caregiver cards and the patient registry are managed by DPH.
How do I check my Georgia medical cannabis card status? Use the DPH card status lookup online, or contact the DPH Patient Registry Unit at (770) 909-2765, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
How do I contact the Georgia Medical Cannabis Patient Registry? Call (770) 909-2765 or email THCRegistry@dph.ga.gov, the address listed by the GMCC. DPH lists program hours as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
How long after payment will I get my card? DPH asks patients to allow up to 10 business days from the time payment is processed. Cards ship by UPS with a signature required.
Can I buy medical cannabis before my card arrives? You need a valid registration card in your possession to purchase and lawfully possess medical cannabis. Wait until your card arrives.
What if my card is sent back to DPH? After three failed UPS delivery attempts, the card returns to DPH. Contact the Patient Registry Unit to have it reshipped.
Final Thoughts
Certification is the start of the state process. From there, DPH verifies your information, you pay the state fee within 60 days, and DPH ships your card. Know who handles each step: your physician for the certification, DPH for the card and registry, the GMCC for licensed sellers, and your dispensary or pharmacy for products. Keep the Patient Registry Unit’s number handy, pay promptly, and bring your card and ID to your first purchase.
Elevated Health MD: Georgia physicians, Georgia law, and a clear path from certification to your first purchase.
This article is for general information only and is not medical or legal advice. DPH processes, fees, and timelines can change. Information current as of September 2026.
Ready to Take the First Step?
If you have not been certified yet, Elevated Health MD makes the physician side simple. We review your condition before you book, offer telehealth evaluations with Georgia-licensed physicians, and handle the registry filing if you are certified.