Meet with a Virginia-licensed practitioner from anywhere in the Valley. If cannabis may help your condition, your written certification arrives digitally and works at any licensed dispensary in the state.
Virginia dropped its patient registration requirement, so once you're certified there's nothing else to file.
Appointments are with Virginia-licensed physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners who issue medical cannabis certifications.
Your practitioner reviews your history and decides whether you have a condition that may benefit. There's no state list to match against.
It's issued through the Cannabis Control Authority's portal. Present it with a government ID at a licensed dispensary.
Answer four quick questions. This only covers the state's baseline requirements — whether cannabis is right for you is a decision made with your practitioner.
Do you live in Virginia (permanently or temporarily)?
Are you 18 or older, or do you have a parent or guardian's consent?
Do you have a valid government-issued ID?
Are you managing a health condition or ongoing symptoms?
Nothing you click here is saved or sent anywhere.
Harrisonburg doesn't currently have a licensed medical dispensary of its own. Your certification works at any licensed location in Virginia, so Valley patients typically drive to a neighboring city or arrange delivery.
The Cannabis Control Authority keeps the official, up-to-date list of dispensary locations.
“Between work at the farm and two kids, driving to Charlottesville for an appointment wasn't happening. I did the visit on my lunch break and had the certification before dinner.”— Sarah L., Rockingham County
Virginia has no official list. A practitioner decides whether you have a condition or disease that may benefit — common examples include chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, and migraines.
Virginia allows temporary residents. If your ID doesn't show a Virginia address, a lease or utility bill can show residency at the dispensary.
Licensed MDs and DOs, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners jointly licensed by the Boards of Nursing and Medicine.
Up to one year. Your practitioner sets the exact length when issuing it.
No. Virginia no longer requires patients to register. Dispensaries scan the QR code on your certification and check your ID.
Established in 1780 and named for early settler Thomas Harrison, Harrisonburg is the seat of Rockingham County and the hub of the central Shenandoah Valley, home to James Madison University and framed by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. Residents follow the same statewide medical cannabis process as everyone in the Commonwealth.
Under Section 54.1-3408.3 of the Code of Virginia, licensed physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners may issue written certifications. The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority oversees the program and now issues certifications through its CCA Portal.
Adult-use retail sales are scheduled to begin July 1, 2027. Until then, certification is the only route to licensed dispensary purchases, and the medical program is expected to continue afterward. Updates are posted by the Cannabis Control Authority.
Virginia-licensed practitioners, video appointments.