When your card expires
An Ohio patient registration expires one year after it is issued, on the last day of the month it was issued. A card issued on March 10, 2026, for example, runs through March 31, 2027. That rule comes from OAC 1301:18-10-01, the DCC's patient registration rule, in effect since December 20, 2024.
Your registration and your recommendation are two separate clocks. The recommendation can cover up to a 90-day supply with three refills, 360 days in all, and each 90-day fill period starts from the date the active recommendation was issued. You need both to be active to buy.
The renewal calendar
| When | What happens | Your move |
|---|---|---|
| 45 days before expiry | The DCC sends a renewal notice. Your physician's Registry screen shows a RENEW RECOMMENDATION button once your recommendation is within 45 days of expiring. | Book the yearly visit. |
| 30 days before expiry | The renewal window opens. | Once the new recommendation is in, sign in and click RENEW CARD. |
| Last day of the issue month | Registration expires. | If you have not renewed, stop buying. |
| Within 7 calendar days after expiry | Disposal deadline for any medical cannabis you still have. | Dispose of it, then renew after a new recommendation. |
Step 1: The yearly visit
The DCC's renewal page puts it simply: get a new recommendation from your recommending physician, then sign in to the Registry and renew your card. Ohio requires an in-person or telemedicine visit at least once a year, and the follow-up can be by video. See how online visits work in Ohio if driving to an office is a hassle. If your physician has retired or no longer holds a Certificate to Recommend, look for another CTR physician in the State Medical Board's search and ask about a new recommendation.
Book early in the 45-day stretch. The physician has to enter the new recommendation before the Registry will let you renew.
Need the recommendation part done?
In Ohio the physician starts your Registry file, so the visit comes first. Online evaluations are available for Ohio residents, and code DRWDY85872 takes 5% off. Registration itself is free.
Start my Ohio evaluation →Step 2: RENEW CARD in the Registry
Sign in at ohiomedicalmarijuanaregistry.com and click RENEW CARD. The state charges nothing. The DCC FAQ lists no renewal cost, so if anything asks for payment, check with the DCC helpline (1-833-464-6627) first. The cost page has the fee history.
If you already lapsed
You are not starting from zero. Ohio lets you renew after a new recommendation is issued even when the registration has expired. Two things to handle right away:
- Dispose of leftover product within 7 calendar days of expiration.
- Do not buy as a patient until the renewal goes through. If you are 21 or older, adult-use purchases are legal in the meantime, with the 10% excise and adult-use limits.
Lapsed cards are common in Ohio. On August 31, 2026, the DCC counted 475,281 registered patients and only 73,096 with both an active registration and an active recommendation. Our look at why so many Ohio cards lapse covers how the rules create gaps and how to avoid them.
Caregivers and minors
Caregiver registrations follow the same one-year, end-of-month rule and carry no state fee. A minor patient must have a registered caregiver, so keep both registrations current and renew them together. Details are on the caregiver page.
Set it up now
Look up your expiration date in the Registry today. Count back 45 days and put "book renewal visit" in your calendar, then 30 days for "click RENEW CARD." If you are changing physicians, check the State Medical Board's CTR physician search before you book.
Questions people ask
Can I renew without seeing a doctor?
No. Ohio requires a new recommendation from a recommending physician each year, after an in-person or telemedicine visit. Only then can you renew in the Registry.
My card already expired. What now?
You can still renew after a new recommendation is issued. In the meantime, the rules require you to dispose of any medical cannabis within 7 calendar days of expiration.
Does renewing early cost me days?
The DCC pages we read do not say how the new expiration date is calculated for early renewals. Renewing inside the 30-day window keeps you from having a gap, which is the main goal.
Do caregivers renew the same way?
Caregiver registrations also last one year and end on the last day of the issue month. Caregivers renew in the Registry, and the state charges no fee.
Next on your checklist
Sources
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This page summarizes Ohio rules in plain language and is not medical or legal advice; the Division of Cannabis Control, the State Medical Board of Ohio and your recommending physician have the final word.