How to ask OMC to waive the West Virginia card fee
The Office of Medical Cannabis can waive the $50 patient application fee for applicants in financial hardship. OMC sets the line at household income below 200% of the federal poverty level, and you prove it with a copy of an income document. The request goes in with your application, and you send no payment with it.
Our cost page lists every fee in the program. This guide covers only the waiver: who fits, what to upload, and what happens if OMC says no.
Who qualifies
OMC's registration checklist and its FAQ use the same test: income below 200% of the federal poverty level. The checklist does not print a dollar figure, and we do not either, because the line depends on household size. If you think you are close to it, call OMC at (304) 356-5090 and ask which figure applies to your household before you decide whether to pay or to ask.
The waiver turns on income alone. We found no separate discount for veterans or any other group in OMC's materials or in the statute.
The Medical Cannabis Act as passed in 2017 says the state "may waive or reduce the fee if the applicant demonstrates financial hardship." OMC's current materials describe a waiver only, with no partial reduction. If that difference matters to you, check the current code or ask OMC.
What counts as proof
OMC asks for a copy of an acceptable proof of income. Its examples are:
- A W-2
- Recent pay stubs
- Proof of benefit eligibility
OMC's list ends with "etc.", so other income documents may be accepted. If yours is not one of these, ask OMC before you upload it.
Make the copy easy to read. Your name, the dates and the amounts should all be visible. A cropped phone photo of a pay stub only invites a follow-up question and more waiting.
How to ask, in order
- Get certified by an MD or DO registered with OMC. The waiver applies to the state fee; the physician sets the price of the visit.
- Open a patient application in the Complia portal at wv-public.mycomplia.com.
- Upload your photo ID, a passport-quality digital photo, proof of West Virginia residency and your certification.
- Upload your proof of income with the rest of the documents.
- Send no payment. No ACH transfer, no check, no money order.
The last step is where people slip. OMC's checklist puts it plainly: "Please do not send a payment if you are requesting the fee waiver." Paying anyway only confuses the request. The application guide walks through the uploads one by one.
Rather not drive to an appointment?
Online evaluations are available for West Virginia residents. Before you pay, ask how the physicians handle the in-person part of continuing care that the state law mentions. Code DRWDY85872 takes 5% off.
Book my evaluation →If OMC says no
If OMC denies the waiver, it will contact you and ask for the $50. Pay it the way OMC accepts payment: ACH, or a mailed check or money order made payable to WV Department of Health. Payment apps such as Chime, Venmo and CashApp may not be used.
Keep the timing in mind. OMC asks you to allow at least 30 days from the time it has both your application and your payment, so a denied waiver followed by a late payment pushes your wait back. Paying by ACH when OMC asks keeps mail days out of it.
We did not find a written appeal process for a denied waiver. If you believe OMC misread your documents, call and ask what else it needs to see.
Caregivers can ask too
The $50 caregiver fee can also be waived for financial hardship. OMC's caregiver instructions include a proof of financial hardship field that is only available when you are requesting that waiver.
Caregivers also go through fingerprinting at IdentoGO. OMC does not state that vendor's fee and does not say the waiver covers it, so budget for it either way. When a parent applies as caregiver for a child, the family is looking at two state fees. If you qualify, request the waiver on both applications. The caregiver guide lists the rest of what a caregiver needs.
Next year's renewal
A West Virginia card lasts one year. Renewal means a new physician certification and another payment through the portal. We did not find OMC guidance on whether a waiver granted this year carries over, so do not count on it. Keep this year's proof of income and ask OMC before you file your renewal.
Before you spend anything
The waiver helps only with the state fee, not with the physician visit. Check that your diagnosis is on the qualifying conditions list before you book. Then put your newest W-2, pay stubs or benefit letter next to your photo ID, so everything is in reach when you open the portal.
Questions people ask
What income counts for the WV fee waiver?
OMC's test is household income below 200% of the federal poverty level. You show it with a copy of proof of income, such as a W-2, recent pay stubs or proof of benefit eligibility.
Should I pay the $50 while the waiver is reviewed?
No. OMC says not to send a payment if you are requesting the fee waiver. If the waiver is denied, OMC will ask you for the fee.
Is there a veterans fee waiver?
We found no veterans discount on the state fee in OMC's materials or in the statute. The financial hardship waiver is the only official reduction.
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Sources
This page explains West Virginia rules in plain language and is not medical or legal advice; the Office of Medical Cannabis and your certifying physician have the final word.