D.C. Resolution Filed to Extend Temporary Medical Marijuana Cards, Eliminate Passport-Style Photo Requirement
- The District of Columbia proposed extending temporary medical cannabis patient cards from 30 to 90 days to prevent gaps in access while permanent cards are processed.
- The new rules would remove the requirement for applicants to submit a passport-style photo, relying instead on government-issued photo IDs for identity verification.
- Medical marijuana patient applications surged from 2,130 in July 2024 to 6,699 in December 2025, leading to processing delays under the current 30-day temporary card period.
- The proposal also updates application rules to allow submission of either a practitioner recommendation or an ABCA self-certification form and is currently under review by the Council Committee of the Whole.
District of Columbia City Hall.
A resolution filed last week in the District of Columbia would make several changes to the District’s medical cannabis program, including extending temporary patient cards and removing the requirement to submit a passport-style photo. The proposal, titled the Medical Cannabis Qualifying Patient Application Rulemaking Approval Resolution of 2026, would approve final rules adopted by the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board that extend the validity of temporary patient registration cards from 30 days to 90 days. The change is intended to prevent patients from losing access to medical marijuana while waiting for permanent cards to be processed.
The rulemaking would also eliminate the requirement that applicants submit a passport-style photo as part of their patient registration application. Instead, applicants would continue to provide a government-issued photo ID as proof of identity.
According to the rulemaking, the District saw a sharp increase in medical marijuana patient applications, rising from 2,130 in July 2024 to 6,699 in December 2025. Regulators say that surge has made it difficult to complete reviews and issue permanent cards within the current 30-day temporary window.
District officials say the longer temporary card period would give the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration more time to process applications while helping ensure patients do not face a gap in legal access. The rulemaking also says removing the separate photo requirement would reduce costs, ease privacy concerns and simplify the application process.
In addition, the proposal would update the application rules to reflect the District’s self-certification system, allowing applicants to submit either a practitioner recommendation or an ABCA self-certification form.
With the measure now before the Committee of the Whole, it will move through the Council’s review process as lawmakers consider whether to approve the rule changes.