Arkansas Medical Marijuana Caregiver Information 2026

According to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, the caregiver is a person authorized by the qualifying patient who has the authorization to possess, purchase from the licensed dispensary, distribute, and assist in the administration of the cannabis to the qualifying patient. Caregiver, therefore, is the legal representative of the patient as far as buying cannabis is concerned.

Qualifying patients who are under 18 years of age and those whose written certification states that they have been declared physically disabled by doctors alone are eligible to get help from caregivers. In case of minors, the caregiver must be either the parent, legal guardian, or custodian of the minor. It should be mentioned here that the usage of any medical marijuana purchased by the caregiver for his/her patient is considered illegal.

A caregiver may take care of many patients, but will require a separate registration card with a $50 registration fee per patient.

To become a designated caregiver as per the guidelines provided by the Medical Marijuana Program of Arkansas, the following requirements need to be met:

• One should be at least 21 years of age (there is no age requirement for parents of minors with a medical condition)
• Should be a resident of Arkansas, having an Arkansas driver’s license or identification card
• Must not have been previously convicted of any listed felony offense
• Must pass the criminal history background check (This criterion does not apply to parents of minor patients)
• Should have a qualifying patient who can be a minor or a physically disabled patient (attested by the physician). 

No members of the Arkansas National Guard or the US Army have the right to register as either caregivers or patients as per the Arkansas state law.

Applicants must visit the website mmj.adh.arkansas.gov and select Caregiver Registration. Applicants will need to submit his or her Arkansas photo ID copy, Physician Written Certification form signed by the patient, and pass the background check, if required. The background check cost is $37 while the application itself is priced at $50, making the total application fee amount to $87. If the caregiver is a parent of the patient, then the fee will be equal to the registration fee, which is $50. The ADH accepts checks, money orders, and card payments. It takes up to 14 business days to process the application.

No such public list of registered caregivers exists within the Arkansas Department of Health. If the patient needs a caregiver, the first thing to think about should be a close relative, who could be a spouse, a parent, a child, a grandparent, or any other suitable relative. The patients can contact a licensed healthcare provider or a close friend ready to assume the role of a legal caregiver. The person who is thinking of taking on the role of a caregiver for the person who is not his or her relative should think about the need to go through a background check and ensure that he or she will purchase marijuana only for the patient.

The designated caregiver is issued a registry ID card, which allows him/her to have possession of 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana for the benefit of his/her patient at one particular time. This is the same quantity of marijuana that is allowed for the registered patient. The limit of 2.5 ounces is determined through 14 days during which a purchase of cannabis will be considered within 14 days of the purchase date.

All designated caregivers possessing medical marijuana for their patients must have their registry ID cards with them. The cannabis should be obtained from a licensed dispensary in the state of Arkansas.

None. It is unlawful for anyone in the State of Arkansas, be it a patient or a caregiver, to possess any form of cannabis in the State of Arkansas. While there had been an initiative passed in 2024 to legalize certain home growing, the initiative failed, which means that in 2026, all the medical marijuana will have to be acquired from the licensed dispensaries in the State of Arkansas.

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