Renewing Your Washington State Medical Marijuana Authorization

Washington State medical marijuana authorizations are valid for one year from the date of evaluation. When your authorization expires, you lose your tax-exempt status and higher possession limits — so renewing on time matters. Here's everything you need to know about the renewal process.

When to renew

Green Wellness sends email reminders 60 days before your authorization expires. We recommend booking your renewal appointment within that window. You can renew up to 60 days before your expiration date — your new authorization will start from the day of your evaluation, not from your old expiration date, so renewing early doesn't cost you any coverage time.

If your authorization has already expired, you can still renew — you'll just have a brief gap in coverage.

Returning patient vs. new patient

Renewal appointments are shorter and less expensive than initial evaluations because your provider already has your history on file. At Green Wellness, returning patient renewals are $140 (vs. $175 for new patients) and are available via telehealth — so you can do it from home in about 15 minutes.

What happens at a renewal

Renewal appointments follow the same general structure as an initial evaluation, but move much faster:

1. Your provider reviews your history and any updates you've made in the intake form
2. Brief check-in on how you've been using cannabis and whether it's been helpful
3. Discussion of any changes to your condition, medications, or goals
4. New written authorization issued immediately

Telehealth renewals are conducted via a secure video link sent to your email before the appointment. You must be physically located in Washington State at the time of the call.

Updating your DOH registration

After your renewal, log into the WA DOH MMED portal and upload your new written authorization to keep your database registration active and your tax exemption continuous.

What if I miss my renewal window?

If your authorization has already expired, you'll need to renew as soon as possible. You can use cannabis recreationally during the gap, but you won't have tax-exempt status or higher possession limits until your new authorization is issued and your DOH registration is updated.

Book your renewal — from $140 →