How To Get A Handicap Parking Permit

Living with mesothelioma on a daily basis is extremely tiring. Anything that helps to conserve your much-needed energy is a valuable service.

Being able to use a handicap permit or disability placard and park close to entrances can make trips to the doctor, the store, or anywhere else a little more manageable.

But how do you get one of these placards? Read on to find out.

The Process: Step-by-Step

Applying for a handicap permit varies from state to state, but the steps involved are basically the same.

Get an Application: You will need to find out which agency supplies disability applications in your state. They are often provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the tax collector’s office, or other agencies. Most states have also put their applications online for easy access. Complete With Your Doctor’s Help: After you complete your part of the application, ask your doctor to fill out the designated area to confirm that you have a disability. Submit Your Application: Submit your completed application to the appropriate agency. Your placard should arrive within several weeks. Types of Disability Parking Permits

There are two main types of handicap or disability parking permits. Although these designations may vary from state to state, the criteria involved will follow a similar format.

Temporary Placard: Issued to people with disabilities expected to last under 6 months. A temporary placard can be renewed if the disability lasts longer than this time. Permanent Disability Placard: Issued to people with disabilities that last longer than 6 months. Check your local state guidelines as to when these placards must be renewed, as each state has different rules.

For mesothelioma patients, these various permits are helpful because the permit type can be changed as your treatment and your physical needs change.

Display and Use of the Placard

Your placard needs to be displayed from the rear-view mirror of your car while parked. Some states have laws that don’t allow the placard to hang from the mirror while driving. As always, please refer to your local DMV for the rules and regulations.

The placard allows you to park in any parking space designated for a person with disabilities. It is important to note that these permits are issued to a specific person and not to a vehicle. Therefore, the placard can be used only if you are in the vehicle.

Ask The DMV: Disability Placards

Ask the DMV: Do I need to reapply for my disability placard?

Q: I was issued a Handicap blue placard back in February 2018. Is this an automatic renewal or do I have to reapply? The placard expires on Feb. 28.

- Hope, Cranston

A: Having a blue disability placard means that it is a long term disability placard or it is a permanent disability placard. I checked your record. You have a long term disability placard.

If you feel you still need your long term disability beyond the expiration date, you will need to fill out another Disability Application and have your doctor fill out the second sheet on the back of that application.

Once your application has been filled out completely by you and your doctor, please mail it back to us or drop it off at the Cranston DMV’s Drop Box. Once we receive your application, we will process it and send out your new sticker and your new certificate. Please make sure that we have your current address. Information when you are filling out your application. You can change your address online with us or you can fill out a Change of Address form. Mail it or drop it off to us along with your renewal application.

Long term disability placards are for the time period of one to three years and permanent means just that, it is permanently assigned to the person and does not need their doctor’s signature for renewals.

The DMV also has red disability placards that are for short term use which is needed for up to 12 months.

Short term and long term disability placards do not receive renewal notices but if the placard is needed beyond the initial approved time frame, a new application will need to be filled out by the customer and their doctor and resubmitted to the DMV.

We also have disability placard applications for disabled veterans and for R.I. group care facilities. It is for the use of the person who it is assigned to. Can be used in any vehicle the person is in. Unauthorized or improper use of these placards may result in revocation.
- The disability placard certificate should be carried on the person who the placard is assigned to.
- The placard is to be used and placed on the vehicle’s rear view mirror only when the vehicle is parked and not while the vehicle is in motion.
- If the placard is stolen, it must be reported to the DMV by filling out the Affidavit For Lost Parking Placard.
- If your placard is damaged, you can mail it or drop it off at the Cranston DMV and we will issue a replacement.
- If you no longer need your placard, please return it to the Cranston DMV by mail or drop it off.
All our disability forms on our website: www.dmv.ri.gov under the Forms & Fees tab and Disability Forms.

Chuck Hollis is assistant administrator of the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. Please email your questions to cars@providencejournal.com with “Ask the DMV” in the subject field.

Disability License Plates & Placards

If you have a qualifying disability, you can apply for temporary or permanent placards or disability license plates for handicapped parking from the North Carolina DMV. Applications require medical certification and a fee. Placards and plates must be renewed, and you can request a replacement if yours is lost, stolen, or damaged.

North Carolina makes it easy for drivers with disabilities to obtain parking placards and license plates to make their lives easier. Keep reading for more details.

Types of NC Disability Placards & Plates

If you have a disability, you may be eligible to receive a parking placard or license plate from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for access to handicapped parking.

With a disability placard or license plate, you can:

- Park in any disability parking spot for unlimited time. - Park for longer than posted in any parking space in many jurisdictions.

Disability placards and plates can be used ONLY when the person they are issued to is the driver or passenger of the parked vehicle.

The NC DMV offers:

Temporary disability placards. Permanent disability placards. Permanent disability license plates.

The DMV also has handicap placards for organizations that transport people with disabilities on a regular basis.

NOTE: All states recognize each other's disability parking permits. If you visit NC, you can use the placard or plate from your home state.

How to Get a North Carolina Handicap Permit

You can apply for a disability parking placard or license plate:

By mail. OR

In person.

All disability permits require medical certification and a fee.

Disability Placard

To apply for a parking placard, you need:

- The Application for Disability Parking Placard (Form MVR-37A), including medical certification by: - A licensed physician. OR

- An eye doctor or a Division of Services for the Blind representative, for disabilities related to vision.

- Driver's license or state ID. - Birth certificate. - Social Security card.

You can submit your application in person to a North Carolina DMV license plate office or mail to the address on the form. You will receive BOTH a placard/s. A placard registration card that you must keep with your placard.

To apply for a disability license plate in NC, you need:

- The Application for Handicap Driver Registration Plate (Form MVR-37), including medical certification by: - A licensed physician. OR

- An optometrist, ophthalmologist, or a representative of the Division of Services for the Blind, if your disability is related to your eyesight.

- Driver's license or ID card. - Social Security card. - Birth certificate.

Submit your application either:

By mail to the address on the form. OR

In person at a NC DMV license plate office.

If you are new to North Carolina, you'll need to register your car in the state first.

Renew NC Handicap Placards & Plates

All disability placards and license plates expire and must be renewed or reissued.

To renew your disability placard or license plate, you must have:

Re-certification of your disability by a physician. Payment for fees.

Handicap Placard

A temporary parking placard is valid for up to 6 months and cannot be renewed. You can apply for a new disability placard by following the instructions in "Apply for a NC Disability Permit" above.

A permanent disability placard is valid for 5 years. Before your placard expires, you'll receive a renewal form by mail. You must:

- Get new medical certification on the renewal form. Pay the fee of $5 per placard. - Submit the renewal by mail or in person to the address on the form no more than 90 days before your placard expires.

Disability License Plate

If you have a disability license plate, you must renew your vehicle registration each year.

Replace Disability Placards & Plates

If your handicap parking placard is lost, stolen, or damaged, you will need the following to get a replacement:

- The Application for Disability Parking Placard (Form MVR-37A), with new medical certification. - Payment for the replacement fee: - Lost or stolen placard: $5 plus $20 to replace the accompanying disability registration card. - Damaged placard: Free.

How To Apply For A Permanent Disabled/Handicap License Plate

Before applying for a permanent disabled license plate, make sure you qualify with your state motor vehicle agency.

Although each state governs differently in regards to handicapped license plates, in most instances you will need to prove you have at least one of the following disabilities:

- Lack full use of a leg or both legs. - Lack full use of an arm or both arms. - Cannot walk a certain number of feet without stopping to rest (most states use 200 feet as the gauge). - Cannot walk without the assistance of a cane, crutch, brace, prosthetic device, wheelchair or another person. - You have an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition that severely limits your ability to walk. - Have a cardiac condition that's listed as Class III or Class IV in severity according to the American Heart Association. - Cannot walk without the aid of portable oxygen. - You have a lung disease from which the forced expiratory volume for one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than one liter, or from which the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg of room air at rest. - You are permanently blind or visually impaired.

How to Apply for a Permanent Handicap Plate

Complete your state's permanent handicapped license plate application. Get one from any DMV office, or download one from your DMV's website or our page for drivers with disabilities. Depending on the nature of your disability, the application will need to be certified from one of the following:

- A physician's assistant. - A licensed physician. - An Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). - A licensed optometrist. - A licensed opthalmologist.

After completing, mail it to the address listed on the application, or deliver it in person to your local DMV office (some states, like Connecticut, for instance, also allow the use of e-mail and fax). Many states do not charge for permanent disability license plates.

The permanent plate must be affixed to your vehicle. With it, you'll be allowed, in most instances, to park at spots specifically designated for people with disabilities and at parking meters.

Bear in mind that states are extremely particular about the use of these plates. A family member who is in perfect health, for example, cannot use your vehicle to park in designated handicapped parking spaces.

State Fed Up Parking Placard Abuse And Illegal Parking

Disabled placards usage has almost tripled in California over the last 15 years. The Department of Motor Vehicles issued more than 2.5 million of them this year, roughly 10 percent of the state's drivers and in 1994, it sent out only 875,000 of them. State officials warn that doesn't necessarily mean abuse is up. "As a society, we're not as healthy as we were 15 years ago, 20 years ago, or 30 years ago. Look at the incredible instances of diabetes," said Steve Haskins from the DMV. The state doesn't collect data from local parking enforcers, so it's hard to tell how rampant the problem is throughout California. Still, with only a couple of hundred enforcers for the entire state, DMV says it can't possibly keep up. "There are two and a half million placards out there and it's just not possible for us to have the number of feet on the pavement that it takes to track down these people," said Haskins. Ray Baroman, who has a prosthetic leg and back problems, thinks people should have to prove their inability to walk far to be able to get the placards. "There's a lot people that have the placard I see are walking fine. I don't know what their problem is, but should have it so that people can't walk or have a hard time walking," he said. Many cities hope the new law means more parking revenue for them. They lose out on that money because people illegally using the placards take advantage of free meters.

Apply For A Handicap Placard In California

Having a handicap placard in California has many benefits for people with disabilities. In addition to being able to park in the standard designated handicap parking spaces, you can also park:

- For no cost at metered parking spaces - In green curb spaces with no time limit - In areas designated for residents or merchants

We’ll help you through the California handicap placard application process, so you can enjoy the benefits as soon as possible. Applying for a disabled parking pass in California requires people to plan ahead a little bit, since there are several different requirements to meet. Once you meet all of the qualifications, the California Department of Motor Vehicles will issue you the placard or license plate.

Laws

The California Department of Motor Vehicles issues several different types of license plates and placards to people with disabilities:

Permanent placards - Your permanent disability must be verified by a physician. It placard expires in two years Temporary placards - Must be verified by a physician. It expires in six months, or the date specified by your physician. Disabled person license plates - Only available for people with a vehicle registered in their name Disabled veteran license plates - Only available for people who meet specific requirements related to their service Travel placards - Available to disabled people who are leaving or entering the state for a certain period of time

A handicap placard must be displayed on your rearview mirror when parked at a handicap sign, and removed when the vehicle is in motion. Fines, civil penalties or imprisonment are all possibilities if you violate handicap parking laws or abuse handicap parking privileges.

Parking Pass Requirements

In order to apply for a handicap placard and be granted a handicap parking pass in California, you must meet several requirements, including:

- Loss of use of one or both hands - Severe vision impairment - Restrictions by a specific lung disease - Lack of mobility due to a disorder or disease - Loss of use of one or both legs - The inability to move without assistance from a cane, walker or other mobility aid - And more…

Disabled Veteran License Plates are also available for disabled veterans who complete the Disabled Veteran Certification on the Miscellaneous Certifications (Form REG 256A). The three qualifications you need to meet are:

- Permanent blindness - Loss of use of one or more limbs - Inability to move without an assistive device

How to Apply

You can either apply in person at a California Department of Motor Vehicles Office or by mail by filling out the Application for Disabled Person Placard or Plates (Form REG 195). You will also need:

- Medical certification by your licensed physician detailing your disability - Payment, if applicable - Permanent placards are free - Temporary placards are $6 - Disabled person license plates are free, but vehicle registration fees are required - Travel placards are free

Renewing your permanent handicap placard is done automatically, and you do not need further certification from your physician. However, if you have a temporary handicap placard, you will need to re-apply after it expires and you will need your physician to re-certify your disability.

When you follow these steps, and meet the necessary qualifications, you shouldn’t have a problem filing a California handicap placard application. Our physicians are in California and ready to evaluate your eligibility, so feel free to contact us at any time. Click here to start applying for certification for your disability with a licensed California doctor.