Caregivers
Qualified patients are authorized to designate a caregiver to assist them with the purchase and/or administration of medical marijuana products.
Requirements of Caregivers
Florida law has specific requirements of caregivers who assist with a qualified patient's medical use of marijuana. Learn more below.
Certification Course
Florida law requires caregivers to complete a certification course every two years. Click the link below to learn more about the course and view the Study Guide.
Background Screening
All Non-Close Relatives applying for a caregiver Medical Marijuana Use Registry (MMUR) identification card must complete a level 2 background screening through a Livescan Service Provider. Learn more below.
Patients are authorized to designate a caregiver to assist them with the purchase and/or administration of medical marijuana products.
If a qualified patient is younger than 18 years of age, only a caregiver may purchase or administer medical marijuana for the qualified patient. Patients who are minors may not purchase marijuana.
The patient's qualified physician is the only person able to add a caregiver to a patient's profile in the Medical Marijuana Use Registry.
Forms & Applications
Caregiver ID Card Application (Initial and Renewal)
Caregiver Background Screening Instructions
Close Relative Acknowledgment Form
Caregiver Background Screening Acknowledgment (for Non-Close Relative Caregivers)
Caregiver Fingerprint Retention Fee Form
Requirements of Caregivers
A Caregiver must:
- Be a Florida resident
- Be 21 years of age or older
- Not be a qualified physician
- Not be employed by or have economic interest in a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) or a certified marijuana testing laboratory (CMTL)
- Successfully complete the caregiver certification course within the Medical Marijuana Use Registry every 2 years
- Pass a background screening, unless the patient is a close relative of the caregiver
- Obtain and be in immediate possession of a Medical Marijuana Use Registry Caregiver identification card at all times when in possession of marijuana or a marijuana delivery device
- Not receive compensation, other than actual expenses incurred, for any services provided to the qualified patient
A caregiver may be registered to no more than one qualified patient, unless:
- The caregiver is a parent or legal guardian of more than one minor who is a qualified patient
- The caregiver is a parent of legal guardian of more than one adult who is a qualified patient and who has an intellectual or developmental disability that prevents the patient from being able to protect or care for himself or herself without assistance or supervision
- All qualified patients the caregiver has agreed to assist are admitted to a hospice program and have requested the assistance of that caregiver with the medical use of marijuana; the caregiver is an employee of the hospice; and the caregiver provides personal care or other services directly to clients of the hospice in the scope of that employment
- All qualified patients the caregiver has agreed to assist are participating in a research program in a teaching nursing home pursuant to s. 1004.4351, Florida Statutes.
Caregiver Certification Course
Florida law requires caregivers to successfully complete a Caregiver Certification Course every two years. The course is built into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry and is free of charge. Caregivers are not required to take any other course or examination to be registered as a caregiver.
The OMMU Caregiver Study Guide is available. This Study Guide is a study tool for the Caregiver Certification Course. Click the link below to view the guide.
Please note: The Study Guide is a study tool to help individuals prepare for the Caregiver Certification Course. Completion of the Study Guide does not count towards the completion of the Caregiver Certification Course training.
Background Screening
Section 381.986(6)(b)6., Florida Statutes, requires caregivers to provide proof that they successfully passed the level 2 background screening pursuant to section 381.986(9), Florida Statutes, unless the patient is a close relative of the caregiver. Therefore, caregivers that do not qualify as close relatives must successfully complete a level 2 background screening. Caregivers that currently have a Medical Marijuana Use Registry Caregiver Identification (ID) Card must comply with the new caregiver background screening requirement when they renew their ID card.
How It Affects NEW Caregivers (Initial Application):
| Close Relative | Non-Close Relative |
| Complete and submit the Close Relative Acknowledgment Form (CRAF) to the OMMU. The CRAF can be submitted in the MMUR, via email at MMUR_Applications@FLHealth.gov, or mailed to P.O. Box 7618, Tallahassee, FL 32314 for review and approval. |
Complete and submit the Caregiver Background Screening Acknowledgment and Information form to the OMMU via email at MMUR_Applications@FLHealth.gov. *Please note, the OMMU must receive the completed Caregiver Background Screening Acknowledgment and Information form BEFORE the caregiver has their fingerprints collected. |
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Once approved, the caregiver applicant will receive an email from the OMMU informing them that they may now apply for a caregiver MMUR ID card. *For more information on applying for a caregiver MMUR ID card, visit our Registry Identification Cards page. |
Submit a full set of fingerprints to a Livescan Service Provider. At the time of submission, give to the Livescan Service Provider the ORI number FL924890Z (DOH – OFFICE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE), ATTN: Caregiver. Locate a Livescan Service Provider near you. What is a Livescan background check? |
| Upon successful passing of the background screening pursuant to section 381.986(9), Florida Statutes, the caregiver applicant will receive an email from the OMMU informing them that they may now apply for a caregiver MMUR ID card. |
How It Affects CURRENT Caregivers (Renewal Application):
| Close Relative | Non-Close Relative |
| Before renewing your caregiver MMUR ID card, complete and submit the Close Relative Acknowledgment Form (CRAF) to the OMMU. The CRAF can be submitted in the MMUR, via email at MMUR_Applications@FLHealth.gov, or mailed to P.O. Box 7618, Tallahassee, FL 32314, for review and approval. |
Before renewing your MMUR ID card, complete and submit the Caregiver Background Screening Acknowledgment and Information form to the OMMU via email at MMUR_Applications@FLHealth.gov. *Please note, the OMMU must receive the completed Caregiver Background Screening Acknowledgment and Information form BEFORE the caregiver has their fingerprints collected. |
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Once approved, the caregiver applicant will receive an email from the OMMU informing them that they may now submit a renewal application for a caregiver MMUR ID card. *For more information on renewing a caregiver MMUR ID card, visit our Registry Identification Cards page. |
Submit a full set of fingerprints to a Livescan Service Provider. At the time of submission, give to the Livescan Service Provider the ORI number FL924890Z (DOH – OFFICE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE), ATTN: Caregiver. Locate a Livescan Service Provider near you. What is a Livescan background check? |
| Upon successful passing of the background screening pursuant to section 381.986(9), Florida Statutes, the caregiver applicant will receive an email from the OMMU informing them that they may now submit a renewal application for a caregiver MMUR ID card. |
Fingerprints of all caregivers required to undergo the level 2 background screening will be retained in the Applicant Fingerprint Retention and Notification Program (AFRNP). The annual fee for participation in the AFRNP is $6.00 and will be the responsibility of the caregiver to pay. There is no retention fee for the first year of participation.
Caregivers will be notified via email 180, 90 and 45 days before their yearly background screening retention fee is due. If a caregiver does not pay the $6 retention fee by the due date, they will be required to submit new fingerprints and complete a new background screening to qualify as a caregiver.
Caregiver close relative documentation examples can be found here, and caregiver background screening instructions and forms can be found here.
Please note that non-close relative caregiver applications may take longer to be reviewed/approved than close relative caregiver applications.
Patient & Caregiver Helpline
If you have questions or need assistance, please call:
(800) 808-9580
Have a question for the Office of Medical Marijuana Use? View our most frequently asked questions by caregivers to see if your question has been answered.
