Federal regulations provide a national framework for disability parking, while individual states and local jurisdictions control many details of the application process, permit duration, authorized medical certifiers, renewal requirements, fees, and parking privileges.
The Uniform System for Parking for Persons with Disabilities under 23 CFR Part 1235 establishes standards for disability parking placards and license plates. This includes standardized placard designs, the International Symbol of Accessibility, and mandatory interstate reciprocity.
If you want to get a handicap placard online, it is important to understand that ParkingMD can assist with the medical evaluation and certification portion when appropriate, while the actual placard is issued by the responsible state or local government authority.
Federal Functional-Limitation Criteria
Federal regulations focus on how a disability limits or impairs a person's ability to walk, rather than treating a diagnosis by itself as automatic eligibility.
Under 23 CFR §1235.2, the federal definition includes people who, as determined by a licensed physician:
- Cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest
- Cannot walk without a brace, cane, crutch, wheelchair, prosthetic device, another person, or another assistive device
- Have qualifying severe respiratory limitations
- Use portable oxygen
- Have a cardiac condition with Class III or Class IV functional limitations under American Heart Association standards
- Are severely limited in walking because of an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition
These criteria demonstrate why having a diagnosis alone does not guarantee eligibility. What matters is whether the condition creates the type and severity of functional limitation required under the applicable rules.
For people looking to get a handicap placard online, the medical evaluation should focus on these functional limitations rather than the diagnosis alone.
Learn more about what medical conditions may qualify for a handicap placard and how physicians assess mobility limitations.
State Handicap Placard Rules Can Be Different
The federal framework does not make every state's application process identical.
States determine many practical requirements, including:
- Which application form must be used
- Where the application is submitted
- Which healthcare professionals may provide certification
- Permanent placard expiration and renewal rules
- Temporary permit procedures
- Replacement requirements
- Applicable fees
- Meter exemptions and other parking privileges
That is also why applicants should not assume every disability parking application goes through a "DMV."
Most states use a DMV, motor vehicle department, Secretary of State, county office, or similar agency. In New York, for example, disability parking permits are generally issued through local issuing agents such as city, town, or village clerks rather than the New York DMV.
If you plan to get a handicap placard online, checking your state's exact requirements before starting can help you understand which documents, medical certification, and submission steps apply.
Check our state-by-state handicap placard requirements before submitting your application.
Who Can Certify a Disability Parking Application?
The federal framework refers to certification by a licensed physician. However, individual state laws may authorize additional qualified healthcare professionals to certify disability parking applications.
Depending on the jurisdiction and type of disability, this may include certain physician assistants, nurse practitioners, podiatrists, optometrists, or other authorized practitioners.
Always use the certification requirements listed on your state's current official application.
Permanent and Temporary Placards Follow Different Rules
Federal regulations require states to provide for periodic renewal of removable permanent placards, but they do not establish one universal expiration period for every permanent placard.
Permanent placard validity and renewal requirements therefore vary by state.
Temporary placards are more standardized under 23 CFR §1235.5. The physician certifies how long the qualifying disability is expected to last, and the temporary placard cannot be valid for more than six months from issuance under the federal framework.
If your condition continues after a temporary placard expires, check your state's rules before assuming it can simply be renewed. Some states require a new application or updated medical certification.
Can You Use a Handicap Placard in Another State?
Federal reciprocity rules require state systems to recognize qualifying disability placards, temporary placards, and special disability license plates issued by other states and countries for identifying vehicles permitted to use reserved accessible parking spaces.
However, recognition of your permit does not mean every parking privilege travels with it.
Rules involving:
- Free metered parking
- Extended parking times
- Residential zones
- On-street parking
- Local permits
- Time limits
can differ significantly by location.
Before traveling, read our out-of-state handicap placard rules.
Handicap Placards Belong to the Permit Holder
A disability parking placard is intended to provide accessible parking for the person to whom it was issued.
It should not be used simply because the placard happens to be inside a vehicle.
Unauthorized use may include lending a placard to someone when the permit holder is not being transported, displaying an invalid or altered placard, or continuing to use a permit after the authorized holder has died.
Penalties vary by jurisdiction and may include fines, placard confiscation or revocation, towing, and, in some circumstances, criminal penalties.
How the ADA Fits Into Accessible Parking
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) addresses the accessibility of parking facilities rather than deciding who medically qualifies for an individual handicap placard.
When covered state or local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations provide parking lots or garages, ADA standards generally require a specified number of accessible parking spaces based on the size and type of the facility.
Accessible spaces must include required accessibility features, and spaces serving a building or facility generally must be located on the shortest accessible route to an accessible entrance.
The ADA also establishes requirements for van-accessible spaces, access aisles, signage, slopes, and accessible routes.
