ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Public Health announced Nov. 3 that it is raising the price of a five-year medical cannabis card to $75, effective Dec. 5, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. The new fee applies to new cards and to renewals of existing cards, according to the department. The change affects patients and caregivers across the state, including those in the Columbus area. The department has not said what the fee is today, so readers should check the registry page for the current price before paying.

The agency's release does not state the current fee and does not give a reason for the increase. It also does not say how many Georgians hold cards. Those details are left out of this report rather than guessed at.

What the new price means

The $75 fee is for a five-year card, according to DPH. Patients who pay online face two extra charges, a $3 transaction fee and a $1.88 processing fee, which brings the total to $79.88. Patients who pay by money order owe no additional fees, according to the department.

The department says cards can be paid for through an online portal and mailed to the patient's or caregiver's home. Details are posted on the Medical Cannabis Patient Registry page of the DPH website. The program's help line is 770-909-2765, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the page.

Who can get a card

DPH says physician certification is the only legal way to access medical cannabis in Georgia. The certifying physician must be licensed by the Georgia Composite Medical Board and have a primary practice in Georgia. The department's registry page also says annual physician certification is required.

A patient must have one of 18 qualifying conditions, according to the registry page:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Alzheimer's disease
• Autism spectrum disorder (adults) or severe autism (under 18)
• Any cancer except skin cancer, unless it is metastatic skin cancer
• Epidermolysis bullosa
• Patient in a hospice program, inpatient or outpatient
• HIV, when diagnosed as stage III
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Intractable pain
• Lupus
• Mitochondrial disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Severe peripheral neuropathy
• Post-traumatic stress disorder from direct exposure to or witnessing trauma (adults only)
• Seizure disorders related to epilepsy or trauma-related head injuries
• Sickle cell disease
• Tourette's syndrome

What a card holder may possess

According to the registry page, registered patients and caregivers may possess up to 12,000 milligrams of THC. The page does not describe product types or daily limits beyond that figure. Patients with questions about what is allowed should ask their certifying physician or the program office rather than rely on this summary.

The department directs readers who want to find dispensary locations to the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, whose site is gmcc.ga.gov. That commission is separate from DPH. This report did not verify which locations are open near Columbus, so readers should check the commission's site directly.

Key dates and numbers

The change is a short-notice one by calendar: the announcement came Nov. 3, and the new price takes effect on a Saturday about a month later. The department has not said whether there is any grace period or whether applications received before Dec. 5 but processed afterward will be charged the old or new price. That is a question worth asking the program office before paying.

• Announced: Nov. 3, 2026
• Effective: Dec. 5, 2026, at 12:01 a.m.
• New fee: $75 for a five-year card
• Online total: $79.88
• Money order total: $75
• Qualifying conditions: 18
• Possession limit listed: up to 12,000 mg of THC
• Program line: 770-909-2765, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• DPH main line: 404-657-2700

Where to send questions

DPH lists its mailing address as 200 Piedmont Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30334, and its main line as 404-657-2700 for general questions. Its communications director, Nancy Nydam Shirek, is listed as the media contact on the release. The department's offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, according to the release. The Columbus Times will update this report if DPH publishes more on the fee, the reason for it or how pending applications will be handled. Georgia's Medical Cannabis Patient Registry page, at dph.georgia.gov/medical-cannabis, remains the place to check for the current fee and application steps. Readers should rely on that page, not on third-party sites, for the final word on the price.