How To Get Disability Plates And Placards In California

One thing that’s integral to being successful in driving is accessibility. Everyone deserves the right to convenient access, so those with disabilities should be aware of just how to make sure their transportation is as smooth and legally streamlined as possible in order to avoid any mixups or miscommunications.

Drivers with disabilities have options, but these aren’t always as clear when put in government terms or mixed with complicated jargon. For those who are disabled and living in California, there are options when it comes to parking and driving. Here’s how you can get California disability plates and placards for your vehicle.

A person with disabilities can apply for disability parking placard or a special license plate through the California DMV, also known as the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Three Different Types Of Plates And Disabled Placards

When applying, know that there are three different types of plates and disabled placards, so be aware of which one will most comfortably fit your needs. The three types of placards are permanent placards, disabled person (DP) license plates, or disabled veteran (DV) license plates.

1. Permanent Placards

Permanent placards are for those seeking a license plate to fit their permanent disabilities. These are people with disabilities that will last, so they can not reapply and are not based on certain timestamps.

2. Disabled Person (DP) License Plates

The DP placard (disabled person placard) is for those with cars registered in their names. People with disabilities can apply for these if there car’s registration clearly identifies them, in order to prove that the motor vehicle is theirs. If this is proven, you will be able to obtain a disabled parking placard.

3. Disabled Veteran (DV) License Plates

The next type of parking placard is for disable veterans. This parking permit comes with DV plate requirements, There must be proof of federal service based on the veteran administration, with government accreditation. Those who qualify based on the VA’s standards are eligible for service-connected disability, meaning their disabilities are directly related to combat, giving them veteran preference and eschewing many of the typical fees.

Temporary Parking Placard

Now, there are also temporary parking placards, which are valid for up to six months. These types of handicap placards also require a doctor’s certification, which should also include the expected length of the injury or difference of ability.

Travel Placards

You can also apply for travel placards, which are temporary. These function nation-wide and are valid for 30-days if you’re a California resident traveling outside of the state, or 90 days if you’re visiting California from another state. This disability parking placard is for those with a permanent disability.

Now that you know what you can apply for, you should know what you need for applying in completion.

What To Bring

You can apply in person for your placard or plate, or you can do it by mail. Either way you’re going to need a medical certification with proof of your disability. To be eligible for an issued handicapped permit, each of the forms must be filled out in the application with notoriety from a physician, surgeon, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, chiropractor (if disabled in lower extremities), or optometrist (if visually impaired). This may also require changes to your driver’s license, depending on the nature of the disability and how it affects your driving skills.

Once you have a physician statement, you can move forward with the application process. If you’re filing in person, it is highly recommended that you make an appointment prior to heading to the DMV. Be ready to pay the associated fees. For a new permanent placard, it’s free. A temporary placard is $6. Disabled person license plates free as long as vehicle registration fees are paid. A travel placard is also free.

When you receive your disability placard or plate, it will give you the opportunity to park in the most accessible parking space available, including on-street parking and off-street parking and those spots with a parking meet. That said, park in the spaces, not the adjoining spaces with the crosshatch patterns. Make sure to purchase an accompanying placard holder for your new handicapped placard, with the wheelchair symbol on it. Fasten the tag to the rearview mirror. Those with disabled veteran status will have a veteran license plate with another identifying symbol as well.

Park in the spaces, not the adjoining spaces with crosshatch patterns.

Everyone deserves accessibility in their driving so that they feel comfortable and able to focus on their safety. Make the process as simple as possible so that you can continue your journey on the road.

Handicap Parking Permits In NY

As many of our CDPAP patients know, it is important to have a handicap parking permit if you have a disability.

In this guide we will break down the process for obtaining a handicap permit as well as the rights of handicap permit drivers in New York.

Rights of Handicap Parking Drivers in New York State

First things first, is working to get a handicap parking permit really worth the effort? What are the rights if you obtain one? Do you just get that special parking space or is there more to be aware of? The primary right of handicap parking is to provide you with the ability to park in parking spaces that are designated. Marked as disabled parking anywhere in the state of New York. Many states have allowances within these rules that also allow disabled parking drivers to park in spaces that are metered in an on-street location.

In New York, this exception is not such. Having a disabled parking permit does not automatically allow people to park in these spaces for no charge. However, at the same time, it is up to each individual jurisdiction to determine whether they would allow an exception. Be familiar with the jurisdiction you are visiting. Whether or not they host an exception. If all else fails, err on the side of caution since the state has no exception for metered on-street parking. For example, in New York City, you can obtain a city permit for on-street parking for free because there are no on-street handicap parking spaces.

Qualification for a Handicap Parking Permit in NY

Qualifying for a handicap parking permit in New York has a lot of open ability. There are a wide range of disabilities that qualify for disabled parking. Here are some of the primary qualifying disabilities.

● Unable to walk 200 feet without rest

● Cardiac health conditions that are Class III or IV according to the American Heart Association

● Lung disease

● Individuals who use portable oxygen tanks

● Unable to use your legs or have limited leg usage

● Unable to walk for orthopedic, neurological, or arthritic conditions

● Neuromuscular dysfunctions

● Etc.

The stipulation of qualifying disabilities does not relate only to these fields. The law is open enough to mention that any physical or mental disability that makes it challenging for a person to get around may qualify.

In the state of New York, people can also be granted temporary disabled parking permits for individuals who might experience a temporary disability or a temporary mobility issue. This temporary situation might come from something like a broken limb or perhaps a surgery that leaves you using crutches or a wheelchair to get around.

In order to qualify, individuals must receive a medical examination from either their doctor or a specialist in associated fields. Medical professionals for the exam can be licensed in any state so even telemedicine options can be utilized. The only exception is a podiatrist, which specifically must be registered in New York to be used.

The medical professional used is required to complete the medical certification portion of the application. Individuals may also obtain an official letter on letterhead for medical certification.

How to Apply for a Handicap Permit in New York

The application process is fairly simple. You will need to complete the application form. Obtain the medical certification that is part of the form as well. The application can be downloaded from online. It comes with instructions for completion. It is known as Form MV-664.1. It is also available in languages besides English as well to help with processing and understanding of the form.

You must print the form and complete it. Don’t forget to also complete the medical certification portion of the form so that it is complete with every aspect needed to be processed. When you have completed the form, you can submit it to your local DMV. Be sure to look up their processes for accepting forms.

If you are unable to print the form, it is available at most local offices or you can request one from the call center as well. The primary thing to be aware of is that some of the local offices actually require their own form. New York City has their own form that they use, which is available online in multiple languages.

No matter which form your local DMV requires, the qualifications and the application process are the same and still require the medical certification to be completed as well.

Permits for disabled persons are issued with no fee attached.

How to Renew Your Handicap Parking Permit

Temporary handicap parking permits may be valid for up to 6 months. Permanent handicap parking permits must be renewed on a regular basis. The renewal period might vary depending on your local authority.

When you apply for and are approved for handicap parking permits in New York, your permit is marked with a clear expiration date. When it is time for your permit to expire, you will need to complete a new application form in order to be able to renew the parking permit.

This includes completing the application and obtaining a new medical certification as well, using the form and process of your local DMV office and their requirements. Remember that this can vary depending on your location so be sure to check into the requirements for your local office. We’ve walked through the process itself. Who qualifies for handicap parking permits in New York. We have some common questions for the topic to also share with you for additional information.

Do NYC Handicap Drivers Need to Pay Meters?

The decision to require handicap drivers is left up to each city as the state does not specifically claim an exception in this regard. New York City does make an exception for handicap drivers to use metered or paid parking but there are steps to achieve this exception.

Drivers who want to be able to utilize this exception must obtain a city permit from New York City in order to be eligible. With the city permit, you can use no parking spaces, metered parking, paid parking, authorized vehicle spaces, and loading/unloading zones throughout the city.

Can I Use My Disabled Placard in Another Car?

In some states, handicap parking permits are specifically tied to a vehicle and must be used on that vehicle only or be transferred to another vehicle for use. However, in New York, the handicap parking permit is specific to the person and not the vehicle. This allows any person who has completed the application. Obtained a handicap parking permit to use their permit in any vehicle in which they may be riding in. It is recognized that they may not own their own vehicle or may be unable to drive. Therefore might be riding in any vehicle as needed.

How Long is a Permanent Handicap Placard Good For?

Each handicap parking permit in New York is issued with an expiration date. Different locations have different lengths of time for which the placard is good for. In New York, a handicap parking placard may be good for up to 5 years. Refer to your expiration date to know when you should renew.

Can I Use an Out of State Handicap Placard in NYC?

If you are visiting from another state and have a handicap placard, you can use your placard in NYC to park in any handicap marked or handicap accessible parking spaces. Out of state handicap placards cannot be used for on-street parking. Are only allowed for marked handicap parking spaces.

Can You Get a Handicap Sticker for Being Short?

Unfortunately, being short is not a sufficient reason to substantiate receiving a handicap parking permit in New York, or any other location most likely. If being short has led to a specific mobility issue or health issue that might fall into a disabled category, then you may be eligible but the ultimate reason will not be for being short.

Where Should You Hang Your Handicap Placard?

Handicap placards are designed to be hung from your rear view mirror so that they will be easy to identify and see. It is required that the registration details as well as the expiration date be visible in a clear manner through your windshield so you will want to be sure it is visible and turned appropriately. Obtaining a handicap parking permit in New York is a simple. Straightforward process if you qualify. The application form is readily available and there are several options for obtaining medical certification for the application as well.

SOS - Disability Parking

A person with a qualifying disability is eligible for a disability license plate or a temporary or permanent disability parking placard. To obtain a disability plate or placard, Michigan law requires that people be blind or have any condition that significantly limits their ability to walk or requires a wheelchair, walker, crutch or other assistive device.

A person may have both a disability license plate and a placard. Free parking is provided only to vehicles displaying a disability placard with a yellow free-parking sticker. The requirements for obtaining a free-parking sticker are more narrowly defined than for a disability license plate or placard. NOTE: Green placards, issued to organizations, aren't eligible for the free-parking sticker.

If you have a qualifying disability or live with someone who does, you may apply for a disability license plate. To be eligible for a disability license plate, the condition must be permanent.

> Request a disability plate

> Learn more about disability plates

Permanent disability parking placards

> Make an appointment for a permanent disability parking placard

> Learn more about permanent placards and renewing

Temporary disability parking placards

A first-time temporary disability parking placard may be obtained at any Secretary of State office. Appointments provide expedited service but are not required for first-time placards. Temporary disability placards are valid from one to six months. Are issued to individuals whose condition is expected to improve. Green parking placards, issued to organizations that transport disabled individuals, are valid for four years.

Why Would He Have?

I’ve been reading a great deal of Jane Austen lately, which is odd, because I’ve never considered myself a fan of the grande dame of English letters. All of her plots are so damn predictable, and well-how shall we put this-quaint. And then there are those maddeningly handsome gentlemen and far-too-fetching ladies-a surfeit of able bodies walking about the fields and grounds and estates that unfold throughout her works. The more mature literary critic would look past these ostensible deficits to Austen’s development of free-indirect discourse, her representations of fully-fleshed out characters-especially, women butting up against misogyny-the way she captures the rapid movement of characters’ thoughts, as Rachel Cohen beautifully emphasizes, the polyphony of so great a novel as Pride and Prejudice, to borrow from Afar Nafisi. The list continues. But for a long while, this mature I was not.

And then I started reading her-actually, reading her. (Not just experiencing Austen through Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility, which we watched in high school, or the Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley.) First for a course on eighteenth-century fiction: Persuasion (1817), Austen’s famously autumnal novel. And then I slowly wended my way through four of the books that preceded this one on Audible. They became my release at the end of the day, after hours of burying my head in scholarship I needed to know for my Ph.D. coursework. And then something strange happened: everywhere, I started noticing characters like me-not always with a cane or brace (like the ones I use because of my spinal cord injury) but so-called “invalids,” “cripples,” and those who are dubbed vexatious malingerers, but who anyone who’s ever struggled with chronic illness knows are just doing the best they can with relentlessly unstable, mercurial bodies.[1]

Let’s look at only three examples. In Persuasion, we meet the protagonist’s-Anne Elliot’s-sister Mary, who is always complaining of ill-health, and yet who bristles when she is excluded from family walks. She is just as much a lover of a good stroll as anyone else. We also encounter Mrs. Smith, who’s rheumatism has laid her low, but who-to Anne’s astonishment-has found immense contentment with her nurse and, more importantly, companion Mrs. Rooke, and who plays a pivotal, if debatable, role in the plot, proving to be more of a mother to Anne than her more obvious maternal figure Lady Russell.

And then there’s Sanditon (1817), an incomplete novel about two characters, Mr. Parker and Lady Denham, who try to make their small town into a famous seaside health center without giving so much as a damn about the people who migrate to Sanditon for help. It’s difficult to tell how good this novel would have been since only about 100 pages of it were written before Austen died (after a long struggle with Addison’s disease). Even so, my favorite lines in all of Austen come from this book, when young Charlotte, as close to a headliner as its ensemble cast has, encounters Mr. Parker’s sister Diana for the first time with a crass excuse for her shock: “I dare say I do look surprised [to see you] … because these are very great exertions, and I know what Invalids both you and your Sister are” (52). “Invalids, indeed,” Miss Parker confirms. “I trust there are not three People in England who have so sad a right to that appellation!-But my dear Miss Heywood, we are sent into this World to be as extensively useful as possible, and where some degree of Strength of Mind is given, it is not a feeble body which will excuse us-or incline us to excuse ourselves.”[2]

Charlotte obviously has preconceived expectations about what an invalid is capable of. Very clearly, they are wrong.

I am reading Sanditon at the height of the storm, after the snow has cast itself onto the streets and sidewalks of Princeton, New Jersey, for the past eighteen hours, from Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon. By the looks of it, I won’t be heaving myself anywhere except the kitchen or bathroom until at least Thursday, when the National Weather Service predicts there will finally be a lull in the action. Deciding when to step out again after some wintry turbulence is no mean feat for anyone, really, but the stakes are higher for those of us who identify as crips, who wheel or hobble or limp our way from place to place. While my peers have been sending giggly texts to each other the entire weekend about what time they should meet up to go sledding, I am left wondering: how will I forge ahead, how will I manage with my cane and brace without falling, how will I keep my balance. Yet again, fun seems to be an ablebodied person’s game.

But this isn’t a story about that. Not primarily, anyway. This is a story about misguided expectations, the assumption that disability can only exist in the most circumscribed of areas: the hospital, for instance, or nursing home. Certainly not at an elite university-where you rarely see wheelchair users, for instance-or in the pages of Jane Austen.

***

By Thursday, the weather has indeed subsided, and the fact that I have gone nowhere for the previous 96 hours is starting to wear me down; there is also a COVID sample to be submitted. So I don my boots, mutter a silent half-prayer that I wouldn’t slip on the ice which lurks beneath the snow, and venture into a gelid parking lot where one false pace could mean an accident. Something pulls at my line of sight, a tug, then a yank. Pittering, pattering, by my car, not walking so much as baby-stepping, I force myself to glance over at the white slip of paper that has fallen into the mound of powdery crystals below, occluded, concealed, consumed in a heap of hoary albescence. A ticket. $250. This is a great deal of money. No note, explanation. Never, in a year-and-a-half of parking in this lot, has this happened. And then I see the sign, the reserved-for-disabled-drivers sign, and not so much the sign as the penalty, in bold, black letters, first offense and a pecuniary denomination. $250. Here, we have a culprit. I have become Dupin, Holmes, Marple, Marlowe, at last investigating myself.

But this makes even less sense: I have a placard. The placard. It’s in the car! But on the dashboard, and the windshield, of course, has been occluded just like the ticket itself, iced, frosted, covered over. The public safety officer hasn’t seen it. Why would he have? He hasn’t seen it, but he was so sure that I couldn’t possibly be disabled-that disability is out of place in this kind of rarefied, active, vigorous space, where so many people jog and exercise and stay fit-that he had decided to give me a ticket anyway.

I’ve thought about this every which way, and it’s the only conclusion I can possibly come to. Because let’s assume for a moment that the officer in charge had wanted to make sure that these spots were saved for those who truly needed them, I’m all for that-truly. Bravo. Still, he might have considered the fact that had there been a placard, he wouldn’t have been able to obtain visual proof of its existence-or that the same car is always parked in the same place, never arousing suspicion before.

It was unnecessary to afford me this benefit of the doubt, however, because the default is to assume the presence of ability over disability. Always. In this case, the car could not be one that’s owned by someone with a disability-or driven by one for that matter. (“You can drive?”-with the concomitant gasp-is a reaction I get enough to know that most people assume disabled folks can’t operate a vehicle to begin with, except with the most extreme accommodations, which, in any case, would be obvious to someone peering inside.) I trust that this officer, when actually presented with the all-important placard, can accept the presence of disability, but without obvious, explicit, incontrovertible proof, his instinct-society’s instinct-is to doubt our interpolation into spaces not specifically marked for us, despite disability being the most fluid identity category of them all.

My eyes sting, and not just from the cold; a spiky, sparkly feeling emanates from my deficient spine toward my head, threatening to expand, expound, explode. I’ll deal with this, I think, let me just finish work. And then class, something else, and something else after that. Pains and aches and occasionally spasms-doctor’s appointments to confirm, scooter logistics to work out. We’re also approaching midterms, and I’ve got enough on my mind. Plus, I don’t want to explain myself, sort through the quagmire of misunderstandings. This too is a pain. There’s no better way to put it, no need to adorn such a basic truth with the accoutrements of grandiose style.

When I finally do reach out, I’m told it’s been too long, that I could have had my placard on file, that the deputy director might not void the ticket. But a year hasn’t transpired. Not even a fortnight. Just five days since I found it, a ticket that, save for the weather, I wouldn’t have gotten in the first place-or would have discovered right away even if I had. My first inclination is to rage, to meet the tone in kind, to let go from my email account something I know I’ll wish could be retracted. I almost don’t care. And then I think about what I can do in the interim, what might ameliorate the bubbling, boiling frustration I feel with every new example of ableism I encounter.

Read more-disabled authors, disability history, authors we might not expect to be engaging with disability. Read more Austen. Write about her characters. Write about how their experiences are ones that remain relevant to our own time. And why this matters. Oh, Mary, Mrs. Smith, Miss Diana Parker, how I wish I could meet you. How I wish they could meet you, for I feel I already have. That’s Austen’s magic, after all, the sense of vivacity she imparts through the written word, the prescience for which she’s still not given enough credit.

Four days later, the public safety liaison gets back to me with good news. The deputy director has decided, at last, to downgrade the ticket to a warning. For what, I don’t ask, because I already know. Not making my disabled presence as legible as would have been appreciated. There is the clear expectation-in the tone of her words, in the way she mentions what has needed to happen so that I would not be charged $250, how irresponsible I have been-that I should be thankful for this bureaucrat’s immense largesse. I am not.

Life is always full of surprises, or so they say. I keep reading Austen, now, because she reminds me that I am one of them-but that there’s a power in this reality too, in being a part of the crip community she subtly draws together in her works, a character who upsets commonplace-boring, facile, intellectually bereft-expectations. My only hope is that I can start doing so with her signature wit and disregard for convention.

Works Cited

Rachel Cohen, Austen Years: A Memoir in Five Novels (New York: FSG, 2020).

Diane Driedger, “Jane Austen and Me: Tales from the Couch,” The Routledge History of Disability, ed. Roy Hanes, Ivan Brown, Nancy E. Hansen (New York: Routledge, 2017), 48-55.

Jason S. Farr, “Sharp Minds / Twisted Bodies: Intellect, Disability, and Female Education in Frances Burney’s Camilla,” The Eighteenth Century 55.1 (2014): 1-17.

Lawmaker Wants To Crack Down On Disabled Placard

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA - State Senator Jerry Hill wants to stop Californians from abusing the use of state-issued disabled placards and license plates. To do so, he's introducing new legislation to help the DMV reign in abuses of the system from those who may be using a permit that wasn't their own or obtained the placard illegally.

"Taking unfair advantage of our state's disabled placard program is an act of fraud," said Senator Hill, D-San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, in a news release. "We must ensure that the DMV is equipped with the tools to effectively oversee the program so that it properly serves disabled drivers and works to eliminate abuse of the system. My legislation will help the DMV tighten its oversight by setting new accountability requirements for the disabled placard and license plate program."

According to Hill's office, the special placards and plates give the holder access to reserved disabled spots and allows them to park in metered spots without paying.

Here's more from Hill's office about problems with abuse of the program, and the proposed bill:

While there has long been speculation about abuse of the disabled placard program, an April 2017 report published by the California State Auditor was the first to quantify the problem. The audit found that:

Find out what's happening in San Mateo with free, real-time updates from Patch.

- The DMV does not appropriately cancel placards of people who die. There are an estimated 35,000 placards in use that are tied to individuals who have died. In addition, DMV records indicate that more than 26,000 people older than 100 have the placards, but only 8,000 of them are known to live in the state.
- The DMV does not limit the number of replacement placards a person may receive, and placards are automatically renewed every two years -- making it easy for a person to get multiple placards. The State Auditor identified two people who received 20 replacement placards in a span of just three years.
- The DMV does not take adequate steps to make sure applications are legitimate, such as regularly auditing applications to ensure that a driver's disability is thoroughly described and that the medical provider's signature is authentic. For example, 73 percent of applications reviewed by the State Auditor did not provide sufficient details about applicants' disabilities. Doctors' signatures are not verified, and the medical providers' eligibility to certify disabilities aren't checked either. Eighteen percent of the applications reviewed by the State Auditor had questionable signatures, potentially calling into question more than 260,000 applications in a three-year period.
- When the DMV conducts sting operations, it generally finds that 15 percent of the placards examined are not being used legitimately.
The State Auditor made several recommendations to the DMV, which the department has agreed with and says it is implementing. The auditor's report recommended that the Legislature tighten oversight of the department and its program for disabled driver placards and plates.

Senator Hill's bill will implement those recommendations by:

- Requiring the DMV to conduct quarterly audits of applications and work with state health boards in analyzing the applications to ensure that information from medical providers is complete and the individuals providing it are authorized to do so.
- Require the DMV to use the Social Security Administration's Death Master File to cancel placards whose permit holders have died.
- Require all permanent placard holders to reapply every four years.
- Require applicants to provide proof of their name and date of birth, such as a driver's license or birth certificate.
- Limit the number of replacement placards that can be obtained within a two- year period to two placards. If more replacements are needed, placard holders would need to reapply for a permit.
- Add podiatrists to the list of medical providers able to certify applications related to disabilities of the foot or ankle.
"These changes to state law, along with program changes made by the DMV, will go a long way toward reducing fraud and abuse of the DMV's placard program," Senator Hill said. "We must make sure the drivers who need this important program have access to the benefits it provides - and block scofflaws and fraudsters from gaming the system."

The legislation will be amended into what is currently Senate Bill 611 this month. SB 611 will retain its existing provisions as a technical follow-up to Senator Hill's SB 1046 -- the bill that extended. Expanded California's pilot program requiring DUI offenders statewide to install ignition interlock devices. Governor Brown signed SB 1046 into law last year.

Get DMV Handicap Parking Permits Online

Disabled motorists may get a DMV handicap parking permit online after being evaluated by a licenced doctor. Your paperwork, physical health, and DMV forms will be evaluated by our doctors, and they will aid in the process of obtaining a handicapped parking permit. Using HandicapMD is simple, quick, and most importantly, convenient!

Become a Member on the Internet

Request an Appointment with a HandicapMD Physician

Inquire about Your Qualifying Status.

Approved, Your Permit Is Sent to You through Email

START NOW

DMV Disabled Persons Placard Qualifiers based on Types of Disabilities

State-specific requirements for Handicap Parking licenses vary, but here are a few common ones.

Assess your eyesight to see whether you're in need of any corrections.

Vision

Learn more about the cardiovascular/heart credentials available

Cardiovascular

Find out whether the doctor has experience dealing with respiratory disorders.

Respiratory

Physical / Muscles & Joints

Identify whether or not you are eligible for assistance for people with disabilities

There are issues with mobility.

How to Apply for a California DMV Handicap Parking Placard / Disability License Parking Plate

To get a parking placard or license plate for a handicapped individual. If you have many cars, this may be done for each of them. In order to be approved, you must be a truly handicapped individual. The good news is that additional handicap placards or plates do not incur an additional charge.

To see whether you're eligible, please continue reading this article. It provides all the details you'll need to get your Disabled parking permits. In addition, you may purchase new or replacement placards from the comfort of your home.

Disabled parking permits or placards are available in California for those who qualify.

Your approved medical provider/doctor, etc., must verify your handicap and determine whether you fulfill qualifying standards before you may submit an application. The following are the criteria for qualification:

You're unable to move about because of an illness or ailment.

A spirometry, which measures your forced air volume after 1 second and is less than 1 liter or your arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg at rest, confirms that you have a lung illness that restricts you.

You've lost one or both of your hands.

Your limbs are gone, either completely or partially.

Your eyesight is impaired because of a problem with your eyes.

Even your hands have been rendered useless by the disease.

You've been diagnosed with an illness that makes it difficult for you to move about.

Devices are needed to assist you go about.

You can't see everything with your eyes.

During the course of your application, your doctor will go into great depth about any and all of these concerns.

How does the California Disabled Person Parking Permit application process work?

The first step is to go to your local California DMV office and get an application form. When you visit the DMV's website, you may download and print an application form.

The $6 charge for temporary parking placards is waived if you are applying for a permanent placard or plate for the handicapped. You've completed the second step. The application is being filled out by your doctor.

After that, you may either drop it off at your local DMV office or send it in. Your application includes this form. It must be completed by a medical expert who has been given the go-ahead. They must be aware of this medical caretaker. Don't be afraid to admit that you have a handicap. If you're looking for a medical practitioner, you have a few options:

a doctor who has a valid medical license

Surgeon

Chiropractor

Optometrist

Assistant to the doctor

Licensed practical nurse

Nurse midwife with a diploma in childbirth education

Personal information, such as a name, address, and medical license number, must be provided by the individual you pick from that list. Then, they'll have to determine what kind of handicap you have. A short description of your handicap is required. This element of the application may be submitted after the applicant has completed and signed it. That section of your application may be completed by businesses like handicapMD.com if you don't have a medical practitioner who is authorized to do so. In order to determine whether you are eligible, you will be connected through the internet to a medical specialist who will assess your impairment. This simplifies the application procedure for this section. Traveling to appointments is easier when you don't have to go far. Vs. License plates: Which is better? There are a few variances between the two alternatives when it comes to disability parking rights. You can't lose your plates, which is a big difference. They're permanently attached to your vehicle. When you're not paying attention, it's easy to lose track of the placard. A plate, on the other hand, cannot be transported from one vehicle to another. That's where placards win out over plates in this comparison. You may use the placard in any vehicle, whether you're a passenger or a driver. Moving it from one rearview mirror to the next doesn't take long at all.

types of parking permits for the handicapped

This is for individuals who have a long-term disability and is valid for two years. Every odd-numbered year, on the 30th of June, the placard expires. There is a maximum of one permanent placard for each individual.

#2. Temporary – this choice is for persons who are temporarily disabled and will soon be able to return to normal activities. For six months or until the day your doctor specifies, you may wear the plaques you get there. That day might be within the next six months... This option has a drawback since it can only be renewed six times in a row.

If you are a resident of California and have a permanent disability placard, you may use this option. Placards or plates may be used for this. From the date of issuing by the DMV, it is valid for up to 30 days

Non-Californians going to or through the state will need a non-resident travel placard. To be eligible for one, you must have a permanent disability parking permit issued by your state of residence. If your doctor specifies a shorter time frame, the non-resident travel permit is only valid for that period.

You must be a handicapped veteran and have an acknowledged disability to be eligible for a permanent disabled veteran license plate. Vehicle registration and licensing payments may be waived for those who qualify.

Contact your local California DMV office to learn more about these several types of disability placards. You may also go to their official website. Look up the relevant webpage on the internet. The procedure isn't too tough. It's possible to do this using the internet. The only thing you need to do is visit your state's Department of Motor Vehicles website. Apply for a parking placard for a handicapped individual. It's also possible to download the application and send it in via postal mail.

Go to your local DMV office, pick up an application form, fill it out, and return to that office to complete the application process. Parking spaces and sections need to be correctly marked and filled out. That implies seeing a doctor who has been pre-approved by you. Fill out the appropriate sections on the form with their input. The paperwork should be signed by both of you as well.

Make sure you have your driver's license and checkbook on hand when you apply for a temporary placard. At the time of application, you'll have to pay the fees. Those who are receiving treatment for a work-related injury are also eligible for parking permits.

To get a disability parking permit.

The procedure for removing this placard is the same as for removing the one on the windshield. You must fulfill the eligibility standards and have your doctor fill out and sign their component of the application before you can begin the process.

The application may be downloaded, printed, or picked up, depending on your preference. You must now supply your vehicle registration card or complete a vehicle registration form with the relevant information, which differs from the placard procedure.

Afterwards, you must pay any registration costs that have accrued, as well as hand over your old plates.

A unique license plate for drivers who have a doctor's certification of handicap.

To be eligible to fill out this section of the application, you already know that the person who does so must be a licensed medical professional (such as a doctor, certified nurse midwife, chiropractor, surgeon, or eye doctor). If a person has lost the use of one or both legs or suffers from major mobility restrictions, a professional chiropractor may certify the impairment.

A doctor or surgeon who specializes in eye illnesses may also sign and submit the medical component of your placard application if you have a visual condition. When one or both of your limbs have been amputated. You go to your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office. When you come in, make sure you have the completed application with you.

There is no need for you to apply for a new California DP placard or license plate. Part A of your application should include your license plate number.

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FAQs

Disabled parking placards and license plates provide you what?

It is possible to park in areas that are off-limits to other motorists using a placard, dp license plates, or dv license plates. You'd pull into a spot and park like you normally would. Following locations are permitted under these permits:

Disabled parking spaces marked with a wheelchair icon or with a notice indicating their presence.

Also allocated for handicapped individuals is a blue-painted curb with a yellow stripe.

People with a disability parking sticker or license don't have to worry about running out of time on the green-painted curb.

Parking meters may be found in most cities' downtown areas.

Restricted street parking for households and business owners

Also, if a gas station has more than one attendant on duty, you may receive full service gas at self-service costs.

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Is it possible for me to park anywhere with my disability parking permit?

Not at all. It's not a free pass to park anywhere you want with a disabled parking permit. There are still a few spots where parking your automobile is against the law.

Parking in a cross-hatched zone is not an option if you are not in a wheelchair. For those who are confined to wheelchairs, these are the only options.

No parking is allowed on the red-painted curbs at all times.

To facilitate loading and unloading of people, yellow painted curbs have been installed on the roadways in certain areas.

This is a loading and unloading zone for commercial vehicles, as shown by the white painted curbs. They may also be used by individuals who need to rapidly deposit a few letters in a postal box without wasting time.

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My disabled parking placard or license plates may I share with someone else.

You can't, I'm sorry. Disabled parking permits are just for your use. If you're travelling in the automobile of a friend or family member, you may still use the placard. Doing the following is illegal:

Allow a family member or acquaintance to use your placard.

Make do with someone else's sign.

Forge the signature of a medical practitioner.

Have or display a counterfeit placard or plate

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) may revoke your placard rights if you misuse your permit or plate. You may also be fined, sentenced to a brief prison term, or have your license revoked.

Do I need to reapply for a new parking permit?

In order to keep your parking permit, you don't need to do anything. As long as they have your current address on file, the DMV will take care of it for you automatically. Fill out a change of address form at your local DMV if you've just relocated.

This may be done in a variety of ways. For one thing, you may simply fill out a change of address card at your local DMV office and bring it in to be processed. Fill out the form on the DMV's website and print it. Fill out the form, then send it in.

In order to get a form, dial 1-800777-01333 and speak to their automated voice system. Fill it out and send it back after you've received it. As long as you have been granted disabled parking, you don't have to go through the process of having a doctor sign off on your application for the privilege again.

#5. In California, how long are handicapped parking permits valid?

As of June 30th in odd years, the duration for permanently disabled placards and plates is two years. As for example, in 2021, 2023, and so on.

Temporary disability placards are only valid for 180 days from the date on the application provided by your doctor. Up to six renewals are allowed on these placards in a succession.

If my parking permit is lost, stolen, or destroyed, how can I get a new one?

You'll need to fill out and sign an application for new plates, stickers, and documentation in order to acquire a replacement placard. If you still have the placard but it is damaged, you must deliver it to the DMV officer and pay the cost.

You may either go to your local DMV and arrange an appointment or send it in by mail to:

A mailing address of 942869.

California 94269-0001

After that, you'll have to wait up to four weeks to acquire a new placard.

7. My wheelchair lift blocks my back license plate visibility. Do you have any stickers for the windows?

Free decals or stickers are available from the DMV for cars that have a wheelchair lift or carrier installed. The decal has a white backdrop and black characters or numerals.. The vehicle's license plate has the same letters and numbers as these. The sticker is placed on the back window of the vehicle. Patients who have a disability placard are clearly eligible for this service.

To be eligible for a parking decal, you must:

Do you already have a DP placard?

How to move a disabled person who is wearing a placard

A placard or license plate is already attached to your vehicle.

Please fill out and submit the Statement of Facts form to: in order to get a decal.

Box 932345, D238 Post Office Box 932345

Sacramento, CA., 94232-3450

Please do not submit this application to the ZDMV office where you get your vehicle registered. It will take between six and eight weeks for your decal to arrive.

How can I find a DMV field office in California?

Find one near you by visiting the California DMV website or dialing 1-800-777-1033, which will direct you to a list of all of these offices.

a few closing remarks

It is important to note that these licenses are not available to all people with disabilities. Only those with actual disabilities are eligible to use these devices. In order to make the lives of those with disabilities just a little bit simpler, they go out of their way to assist them.