Patients often use "getting certified" and "getting the card" interchangeably. They are two separate steps, issued by two separate parties.
The physician certification
A certification is a physician's documented statement that you have an established doctor-patient relationship, that you have been examined, and that you have a documented diagnosis that appears on Georgia's qualifying conditions list. Georgia law also asks the physician to judge that your symptoms can reasonably be expected to be relieved by medical cannabis and that the potential benefits outweigh the potential health risks. It is a clinical decision, and it is not a prescription. The fee for the telehealth evaluation is paid to the practice.
The state card
The Medical Cannabis Card is issued by the Georgia Department of Public Health after a certification is on file. The state charges $30 plus a $3.75 portal service fee, paid separately to the state, and the card arrives in the mail. The card is valid for five years.
The part that confuses people
The card lasts five years, but the physician certification is renewed annually. The two clocks are different. Keeping your certification current is your responsibility even while the card in your wallet has years left on it.
What it does and does not allow
Marijuana is not legal in Georgia. The registry permits registered patients to possess medical cannabis products as state law allows. Smoking remains illegal. For official program details, see the Georgia Department of Public Health.