After your appointment: once a registered physician certifies a qualifying condition, it goes straight to the OMC. Your part is a short online application in the OMC portal — a photo ID, a document showing your West Virginia address, and either the $50 fee or a hardship waiver request.

Working in a safety-sensitive job? Look over your employer's drug policy first. Your status as a patient is protected under state law; being impaired at work isn't.