How to Get a Utah Medical Cannabis Card

Last verified: April 2026

Eligibility Basics

• Utah resident (Utah-issued ID or driver license)
• Age 21 or older — minors require Compassionate Use Board approval
• One of the 15 qualifying conditions listed at §26B-4-201 (or a CUB-approved non-listed condition)
• An active UtahID account (the state’s single sign-on)

CDL holders cannot hold a Utah medical cannabis card. Federal trucking regulations preempt state authorization.

The Five Steps

Step 1 — Create a UtahID Account

UtahID is the state’s identity portal at id.utah.gov. The same login works across DMV, taxpayer services, and the medical cannabis EVS.

Step 2 — Register in the EVS

The Electronic Verification System (evs.utah.gov) is the patient and provider portal. Patients create a profile, attest to residency, and link to UtahID before scheduling a provider visit.

Step 3 — Schedule and Attend an In-Person Visit

The first appointment must be in person, with limited exceptions for terminal-illness, hospice, or facility-bound patients. The provider must be either:

• A registered Recommending Medical Provider (RMP) — an MD, DO, APRN, PA, or DPM who has registered with DHHS, holds a controlled-substance license, and has completed continuing-education requirements; or
• A Limited Medical Provider (LMP) — same license classes, but capped at 15 adult patients and unable to certify minors or non-listed conditions.

Provider visit costs vary widely — $10 to $500, averaging $190 for an initial visit and $129 for renewal. After SB 64 (2025) banned card-drives within 500 feet of a pharmacy, the cheapest pop-up evaluations disappeared.

Step 4 — Provider Files Certification in EVS

The RMP or LMP verifies the qualifying condition, enters the certification, and either sets dosing guidelines directly or defers dosing to the Pharmacy Medical Provider (PMP) at the patient’s chosen pharmacy. Once entered, the patient receives an EVS notification to pay the state fee.

Step 5 — Pay the State Fee and Receive the Card

Effective July 1, 2025, the patient card fee dropped from $15 to $8 per year. Payment goes through EVS. Standard cards issue within 15 days; minor cards and CUB-petition cases can take up to 90 days.

The Center for Medical Cannabis verifies the qualifying medical condition and issues a medical cannabis card to the qualified patient through the Electronic Verification System within fifteen days of receiving a complete application.

Utah Code §26B-4-202 — Patient Cards & EVS

Renewal Cycle

Utah uses a stepped renewal ladder designed to verify that cannabis is producing a documented benefit before extending the card term:

As of 2024 reporting, roughly 76,000 of 86,000 cards were on the 12-month cycle — meaning the typical Utah patient is past the initial verification stages and on stable annual renewals.

Telehealth Renewals

While initial visits are in person, renewal visits can be conducted via telehealth. The legislature permanently authorized telehealth renewals in 2023. This is the lowest-friction path for established patients.

Patient Demographics (January 2026)

The CMC publishes age-bracket distributions monthly. The current snapshot:

Designated Caregivers

A patient who is unable to obtain or administer cannabis themselves can designate a caregiver. Caregivers must:

• Be 21 or older
• Pass a background check (no felony drug conviction)
• Register through EVS
• Pay the $8 caregiver fee

Caregiver cards begin at 60 days, then renew every 6 months.

Explore Related Topics

Official Sources

• EVS Patient Portal
• UtahID Account Registration
• CMC — Patient Resources