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If you live in the state of California and you are permanently or temporarily disabled, you may qualify for a placard or license plate that will allow you to park in spaces designed for disabled individuals. Read on to find out whether you are eligible and how to apply for a disabled parking permit.

How Much Does a Disabled Parking Permit Cost?

California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues two types of disabled person parking permits: permanent and temporary. 

Permanent permits

Permanent disabled person (DP) placards and license plates are intended for people with long-term disabilities. Qualified individuals may obtain new and replacement permanent disabled person placards for all their vehicles for free. 

Temporary permits

Temporary DP placards are designed for anyone who has a short-term disability. These can be individuals with an injury like a broken leg, people recovering from an operation, and pregnant women. If you are eligible to obtain a temporary placard, you will be required to pay a $6 fee. A replacement placard costs $21.

Eligibility for a Disabled Person Parking Permit

You may qualify for a disabled person placard or disabled person license plates if you have impaired mobility due to one of the following reasons:

• You have lost one or both arms or legs.
• You don’t have complete use of one or both legs or arms.
• You have a diagnosed disease that significantly impairs or interferes with your mobility.
• You are unable to move without the aid of an assistive device like a wheelchair, crutches, or Zimmer frame.
• You have specific, documented visual problems, such as lower-vision or partial-sightedness.

Qualifying disabilities in California include a wide range of conditions that may affect movement, including: 

• Rheumatoid arthritis and arthritis
• Severe cardiac conditions that require the use of a wheelchair
• Respiratory diseases that require the use of a portable oxygen tank
• Illnesses like asthma, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, COPD, and others that prevent the patient from walking long distances
• Parkinson’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Sight problems
• Acute sunlight sensitivity
• Having a prosthetic limb (arms, legs, hands, or feet)
• Chronic illnesses such as lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity that can affect the ability to walk far distances
• Any health condition that requires the use of an assistive device.

The final decision on whether someone is eligible for disabled parking in California is made by a medical professional.

Invisible disability and DP parking permit

If you have an invisible disability, you may want to talk to a physician to see whether you could benefit from getting a disabled person parking permit. Some of the conditions that may qualify you for disability parking include: 

• Chronic pain
• Muscular disorders
• Neurological disorders
• Seizure disorders
• Bone disorders
• Organ transplant.

Read on to find out more about the difference between disabled person placards and disabled person license plates. 

Placards vs. License Plates

Disabled parking permits in California are available in two different formats: placards and license plates. The main difference between disability placards and license plates is their placement in the vehicle. 

A placard is displayed in a visible place in your car but is not permanently affixed. This means that it may be used in multiple cars, which makes them a good option for a caregiver who transports a disabled person. License plates, on the other hand, must remain permanently attached to the vehicle for which they are issued. 

Parking privileges

Disabled person placards and license plates give the same parking privileges. They allow you to park your vehicle in the following spaces:

• Parking spots with the International Symbol of Access (wheelchair symbol)
• An area that requires a resident or merchant permit
• Next to a blue curb authorized for persons with disabilities parking
• Next to a green curb that indicates limited time parking. You can park here for an unlimited period of time.

According to the California Vehicle Code, you are also allowed to park in any on-street metered parking space without being required to pay parking meter fees.

Furthermore, the California DMV indicates that anyone with a disabled placard or license plate may park in any designated disabled parking space, whether it is reserved or not.

Other privileges

In addition to parking privileges, if you have a disability placard or license plate, service stations are required to refuel your vehicle at self-service rates unless the facility has only one employee on duty.

Eligibility criteria

The qualifying medical conditions are the same for both DP placards and license plates. However, if you have a temporary disability, you can only be issued a temporary placard, as there are no temporary license plates available.

Types of Disabled Persons (DP) Placards

The California DMV issues three different types of disabled parking placards: permanent, temporary, and travel placards.

Permanent placards

Permanent DP placards are intended to be used by drivers with permanent disabilities. In California, permanent placards are valid for two years and expire on June 30 of every odd-numbered year. You are allowed to have only one permanent placard at any given time.

Temporary placards 

Temporary DP placards can be used by anyone who has a temporary disability certified by a medical professional. These placards are valid for up to six months or until the date noted on your medical certificate, whichever time frame is shorter. They can be renewed up to six times.

Travel placards

Travel placards are meant for permanently disabled individuals who are traveling outside their home state, whether it’s Californians visiting other states or out-of-state residents traveling to California. 

Travel placards for residents

This is a travel parking placard for California residents who have a permanent DP parking placard, DP license plates, or disabled veteran (DV) license plates. It is valid for 30 days from the date of the issue.

Travel placards for non-residents

This travel parking placard is meant for the use of non-residents with a permanent disability placard or license plate who are traveling in California. It is valid for up to 90 days from the date of the issue.

Below, we tell you more about applying for a disabled person placard or license plate. 

Applying for a DP Placard or DP License Plates

To apply for a disabled person placard or license plate, you must first consult a medical professional who will verify that you require disabled parking. The consultation can be done either in person or via teleconsultation with any medical professional who is knowledgeable about your particular disability. It can be a licensed physician, surgeon, physician assistant, chiropractor, optometrist, nurse practitioner, or certified nurse. 

If your medical provider deems you suitable for a DP placard or license plate, they will complete and sign the California DMV Application for Disabled Person Placard or Plates (REG 195) where they will indicate the nature of your disability and the type of permit you are eligible for.

Exemptions from medical certification

In some cases, there is no need to obtain a medical certification to apply for a DP placard or license plate, for example, if you have lost one or both legs or both arms. In this case, you can simply visit your local DMV office and fill out the application for a disability placard in person.

In addition, individuals who have a disabled veteran license plate or a permanent California disabled person placard can also obtain a disabled person placard or license plate without additional medical certification. 

Additional requirements

If you are applying for a disabled person parking permit, you must prove that the vehicle is owned by and registered to you by providing appropriate documents such as your current registration card. 

In addition, you have to surrender the license plates that are currently on your vehicle to California DMV before you can start using your disabled person plates.

Completing the application process

After your application is complete, you can submit it to the California DMV. There are two ways to submit the application: in person or by mail.

Applying in person

If you would like to submit your application in person, it is recommended to make an appointment ahead of time by calling (800) 777-0133.

Applying by mail

To apply for your placard or license plate by mail, you need to download the DP disabled parking permit application form, have it signed by a medical professional, and post it along with any payment (only if you are applying for a temporary placard) to the following address:

DMV Placard
PO Box 932345
Sacramento, CA 94232-3450.

You can expect to receive your disability parking placard approximately four weeks after submitting the application.

Limitations of DP Placards and Plates

DP placards and license plates give you the benefit of using the parking spaces that are specifically designated for disabled individuals. However, there are certain limitations as to where you are permitted to park with a DP placard or plate. 

You are not allowed to park in the following spaces: 

• Spaces marked with a crosshatched pattern next to a parking space with the International Symbol of Access (wheelchair symbol). These spaces are designed to enable people with mobility issues to get in and out of their vehicles.
• Next to red curbs, which indicate no stopping, standing, or parking.
• Next to yellow curbs, which are intended for commercial vehicles that load and unload passengers or freight.
• Next to white curbs, which are meant for loading and unloading passengers or depositing mail in an adjacent mailbox.
• Private spaces that are marked with a name or license plate number. 

Using another person’s placard

You have to make sure that you are the only person who uses your placard or license plate for parking and when getting assistance at service stations. It is illegal to: 

• Use someone else’s placard
• Lend your placard to a friend or family member
• Forge a medical professional’s signature on the DP placard or license plate application
• Offer false information in order to obtain a DP placard or license plate
• Use or display counterfeit placards or license plates
• Alter a DP placard or identification card in any way.

If you do any of the above, the California DMV can decide to cancel and revoke your placard, and you could be cited and fined under the California Vehicle Code.

Replacing DP Placard

If your DP placard or license plate gets lost, stolen, or damaged, you will have to replace it. To apply for replacing your placard, you need to complete and sign the California DMV Application for Replacement Plate, Stickers, Documents (REG 156).  You can either make an appointment and bring your completed application to your local DMV office or mail the completed application to the following address:

DMV Placard
PO Box 942869
Sacramento, CA 94269-0001.

You will also need to pay a fee for a substitute placard if you’re replacing a temporary permit, whereas replacement permanent and travel placards are issued with no fee. If the placard is damaged, you’ll be asked to return it to the DMV as soon as you obtain a new one.

In most cases, replacement permits are issued within four weeks from the date of submitting the application.

Renewing an expired DP placard

In California, permanent disabled person placards are valid for two years. You are not required to renew your permanent placard. The DMV will automatically mail you a new one together with your identification card, to your home address. 

Note that this applies only to the first two renewals. For the third renewal, you will have to apply again, although there is no requirement to obtain a new medical certificate from your health care provider. 

If you have a temporary parking placard, it will expire after six months or on the date that your physician specified on the application, whichever period is shorter. To get a new placard, you will be required to submit a new application signed by a medical professional. This type of permit can be renewed up to six times.

Address changes

If you change your home address, you should notify the California DMV by mailing them a Notice of Change of Address form.