Qualified patients are authorized to designate a caregiver to assist them with the purchase and/or administration of medical marijuana products.
Florida law has specific requirements of caregivers who assist with a qualified patient's medical use of marijuana. Learn more below.
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.
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.
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.
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.
*Please note, the OMMU must receive the completed Caregiver Background Screening Acknowledgment and Information form BEFORE the caregiver has their fingerprints collected.
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.
What is a Livescan background check?
Livescan Service Providers are businesses that use a device that electronically takes your fingerprints and other information. The Livescan Service Provider then uploads that information to the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement (FDLE) who in turn sends them to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a fingerprint background check.
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.
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.
What is a Livescan background check?
Livescan Service Providers are businesses that use a device that electronically takes your fingerprints and other information. The Livescan Service Provider then uploads that information to the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement (FDLE) who in turn sends them to the FBI for a fingerprint background check.
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.