New Hampshire • MEDICAL CARD GUIDE
How to Get Your New Hampshire Therapeutic Cannabis Card
New Hampshire is the last state in New England without an adult-use market, which makes the therapeutic card the only lawful route.
Every state bordering New Hampshire sells adult-use cannabis. New Hampshire does not, and its therapeutic cannabis program remains the only legal way for a resident to buy. The program is small, roughly 15,000 patients, and it runs through licensed alternative treatment centers. The condition standard is stricter than in most states, so the certification conversation matters more here than the paperwork does.
Quick Facts
Qualifying Conditions
New Hampshire uses a two-part test for most patients: a qualifying medical condition, plus a symptom or treatment side effect it produces. That structure is why certifications are declined here more often than in neighboring states.
- Cancer
- Glaucoma
- HIV or AIDS
- Hepatitis C during antiviral treatment
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Crohn disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Spinal cord injury or disease
- Traumatic brain injury
- Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
- Parkinson disease
- Alzheimer disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Moderate to severe chronic pain
- Opioid use disorder
Moderate to severe chronic pain and opioid use disorder were added later than the original list and now account for a large share of new certifications. For most other conditions the provider still has to document the associated symptom, such as severe pain, cachexia, wasting, nausea or seizures.
Finding a Certifying Provider
New Hampshire requires a provider with whom you have a genuine treating relationship. Physicians, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants may certify within their scope.
Your own provider
Standard office visit rateThe intended route. New Hampshire expects an established provider-patient relationship rather than a one-visit certification, so your regular practice is the natural place to start.
Certification-focused practices
Roughly 100 to 250 dollarsSome New Hampshire practices handle therapeutic cannabis certifications regularly. Ask upfront whether they will take you on as a patient for the underlying condition, because the relationship requirement is real.
Telehealth
Varies by serviceAvailable within an established relationship. Be skeptical of any service promising a same-day New Hampshire card with no prior treating history, because that is not how this program is structured.
Tip: Bring documentation of the symptom, not only the diagnosis. New Hampshire certifications turn on the qualifying condition producing a specified symptom, and that is the part providers have to attest to.
The Application Process
New Hampshire runs a state registry through the Department of Health and Human Services, following a written certification.
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Confirm New Hampshire residency
You need a New Hampshire driver license or state ID. The registry is for residents, though the state does recognize visiting patients for limited purposes.
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Get a written certification
Your provider certifies the qualifying condition and the associated symptom. This is the step that most often determines whether an application succeeds.
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Apply to the DHHS registry
Submit the application with the certification, identification and a photo. You designate an alternative treatment center at this stage, which is where you will buy.
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Pay the registry fee
New Hampshire charges a state registry fee, with a reduced rate available for qualifying applicants. The provider visit is billed separately.
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Buy in person at your treatment center
Bring your card and photo ID. Purchases are made in person at a licensed alternative treatment center, and delivery is not confirmed available in New Hampshire.
Costs and Fees
The state fee is moderate. The provider visit and the product carry the rest.
- DHHS registry fee A state fee, reduced for qualifying applicants
- Provider certification 100 to 250 dollars
- Caregiver registration Separate fee and background check
- Annual renewal Fresh certification plus the registry fee
- Treatment center products Retail pricing at your designated center
Total Estimate: 150 to 350 dollars for the first year
After You Are Approved
The New Hampshire program is functional and narrow. Knowing the limits avoids disappointment.
- Purchase at licensed alternative treatment centers with your card and photo ID
- Access to flower, edibles, tinctures, topicals and concentrates depending on the center
- Legal protection for possession within the program limits
- A designated caregiver may collect on your behalf if registered
- No home cultivation. New Hampshire is one of the few medical states that does not permit it
- No confirmed delivery service. Purchases are made in person
- No adult-use market to fall back on if your registration lapses
Renewal
New Hampshire cards run one year and renewal means another written certification plus the registry fee. Because there is no adult-use market here, a lapsed registration leaves you with no lawful source at all, which is a sharper consequence than in Massachusetts, Maine or Vermont.
Timeline: Start 45 days out. Provider appointments are the constraint, particularly if your certification depends on documenting an ongoing symptom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recreational cannabis legal in New Hampshire?
No. The House passed a legalization bill in January 2026 and the Senate tabled it in February 2026. New Hampshire remains the only New England state without an adult-use market.
How many patients are in the program?
Roughly 15,000 as of 2026, which is small relative to the state population and reflects the two-part condition and symptom test.
Can I grow my own?
No. New Hampshire does not permit home cultivation for therapeutic patients, which is unusual among long-running medical programs.
Is delivery available?
Not confirmed. Purchases are made in person at licensed alternative treatment centers, so plan the trip rather than expecting a drop-off.
Can I use delta-8 instead?
No. RSA 439-A:4 bans hemp products above 0.3 percent THC, including delta-8 and other isomers, so the workaround available in some states does not exist here.
Can I buy in Maine, Massachusetts or Vermont instead?
You can buy there as an adult 21 or older under their laws, but bringing it back into New Hampshire is unlawful here. Every neighbor being legal does not make transport legal.
Does New Hampshire recognize out-of-state cards?
New Hampshire recognizes visiting qualifying patients for limited purposes, but that is not the same as purchase access. Check the current rules before relying on it.
What is the fastest realistic route to a card?
Start with a provider who already treats your qualifying condition, and bring documentation of the associated symptom. That single step decides most New Hampshire applications.
More New Hampshire guides
The New Hampshire cannabis guide covers legal status, licensed retail by city, and neighborhood-level pages for this state.
