To register as a personal caregiver in Massachusetts you ask the patient for a four-digit PIN, get your ID and photo ready and apply online. The Commission charges no fee. This page follows the Commission's four steps, then covers the card, the temporary card, the yearly renewal and changing caregivers. For a quick version, see the caregivers page.

Before you start

You must be 21 years of age or older, and the patient has to be registered first. The Commission says you and your patient must both keep an active registration, and the patient must keep an active certification, for you to be protected under Massachusetts law. A patient can be 18 or older.

The four steps

  1. Get your PIN Ask the patient for your four-digit PIN. You need it to register online as a Personal Caregiver. See the state steps
  2. Get your ID ready A state driver license, a state ID card, a U.S. passport, a U.S. military ID or a Permanent Resident Card. With a passport, military ID or Permanent Resident Card, you also upload a document that proves your primary residence. See the ID list
  3. Get a passport-style photo If you use a Massachusetts license or photo ID, the system may find your photo from the RMV record. If it cannot, upload a color photo taken in the past six months against a plain white or off-white background. See the photo rules
  4. Apply online Log in to the Medical Use of Marijuana Program Online System and apply. A paper form is available, but the Commission says paper applications take considerably longer. Open the patient portal

The card

If you are approved, the Commission says you will receive your registration card in the mail within 10 to 15 business days. In the meantime you can print your temporary registration card, which expires four weeks from the date your registration is approved. If you do not receive the card within three weeks, contact the Commission. Carry the card whenever you have marijuana for medical use.

Fees

The Commission says there is no fee to register as a caregiver. A replacement card costs $10, and the same hardship waiver applies.

Renewing each year

Registration cards are issued annually on the anniversary of your registration, and you must renew every year to stay active. You can renew up to 60 days before expiration. Log in with the username and password you used to register. The Commission sends an email reminder before the card expires. If the ID you used has expired, upload a new one.

Changing caregivers

The Commission says a patient can change their personal caregiver. The new caregiver applies for a registration card and the old caregiver surrenders theirs. A patient can add a caregiver in their online account or by mailing a printed application to the Commission.

A certifying provider cannot be the caregiver

A certifying provider cannot serve as the personal caregiver for a patient they certified. See the page on buying for a patient for the full list of limits.

Short answers

How old do I have to be to register as a caregiver?

You have to be 21 years of age or older.

Does registering as a caregiver cost anything?

No. The Commission says there is no fee to register as a caregiver. A replacement card costs $10.

How long until my caregiver card arrives?

The Commission says within 10 to 15 business days of approval. You can print a temporary card that expires four weeks after approval.

Do I renew every year?

Yes. A caregiver must renew every year, and can renew up to 60 days before expiration.

More for patients

Sources

Read on October 31, 2026. The state can change its rules, so confirm on its pages before you act.

This page explains how a state program works. It is not medical or legal advice, and it makes no claim about what marijuana does for any health condition. Ask a health professional about your health.

Age Verification

Are you 21 years of age or older?