Whether it’s for work or even if it’s for fun, preparing for an out-of-state vacation can be hectic.

The last thing you want to worry about is how you will get your medicine. If you’re running low on medical cannabis, you don’t want to have to rush out of the house at the last minute and pick up everything you need before it’s time to hit the road. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could bring what you have with you and simply not worry about that after you arrive? 

The good news is if you are a medical cannabis cardholder planning a visit to Utah, you can shop Utah dispensaries using a temporary card. Once you’re approved by the state, your card is valid for 21 days, which ought to give you plenty of time to get what you need while you’re away. You are allowed to apply for a temporary card twice per calendar year , and it will only cost you $15 to apply.

How do you get a temporary card? Simple! We’re going to walk you through the steps so you can check one more thing off your travel list.

How to Apply

To apply for your temporary Utah medical cannabis card, please visit evs.utah.gov. This takes you to a login screen where you will click on “Create an account” to establish your Utah-ID username and password. Submit your email, and the following screen will prompt you to validate by entering a code sent to the email address you provided. 

From there, you will be asked for your first name, last name, and desired username. After that, create a password, which must meet all the listed requirements.

After you have established an account, sign in to access the Utah Department of Health Medical Cannabis Electronic Verification System. Here, you will select “Patient Registration,” which takes you to the application. Fill out all the fields and be sure to choose “Non-Utah Resident” under “Registration Type.”

Once you’ve completed your registration, you’ll be taken back to the home page containing the application. Move your cursor over to “Tracking Inbox,” then select “Patient,” and then “New Patient.” This takes you to the patient registration record, where you will be prompted to click either “I am applying for myself” or “I am applying for my minor child.” Make sure you enter all required information on this page. 

Toward the end of the application, there is a blue “Browse” button, which is where you can upload a scanned copy of your home-state medical cannabis card. When you’re all finished, click on the blue “Save” button at the bottom-left corner of the page. Should you run into any issues after clicking this button (for example, incomplete fields), you will need to upload your medical card once more.

Ensure any pop-up blocker is deactivated, then open the payment tab and select the “Click here to pay” button. This will bring up a second window where you can input your payment details for the $15 application fee. Once your payment is submitted, you will be taken back to the payment listing page. There, you can click on the blue” Patient”  link to reach a confirmation screen that will show you the date of payment, the amount paid, payment type, status, and a payment approval number. You should expect to see “Awaiting State Review” under “Payment Status” until your application has been accepted. Once approved, temporary Utah medical cannabis cards are issued via email. Upon receipt, you are free to print a copy or save it to a mobile device. From there, you are ready for a visit to a Utah medical cannabis dispensary.

How Do I Qualify

Non-residents must abide by Utah state law when purchasing cannabis products. Only patients with the following medical conditions may legally purchase cannabis:

  • HIV or transmitted immune deficiency syndrome 
  • Alzheimer’s disease 
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 
  • Cancer 
  • Cachexia 
  • Persistent (?)  
  • Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis 
  • Epilepsy or debilitating seizures 
  • Multiple sclerosis or persistent and debilitating muscle spasms 
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder  
  • Autism 
  • Chronic pain 

The following individuals are also entitled to purchase medical cannabis products in the state of Utah:

  • Terminally ill patients who have a life expectancy that is less than six months 
  • Patients receiving hospice care 
  • Patients who have been diagnosed with a rare condition or disease found in fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States, as defined by federal law, that cannot be properly treated using conventional medications (aside from opioids or opiates) or physical interventions

If you or someone you are caring for falls into one of these categories, be sure to apply so you can visit a Utah dispensary as soon as you arrive.    


For more information, visit Bloc Pharmacy