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Disabled Georgia State residents can qualify for handicap parking permits granted they qualify under one of the eligible disabilities. In this guide, we will go through all of the information you may need regarding Georgia State handicap parking permits, placards, and license plates. Make sure to contact a medical professional, such as your doctor, if you have questions regarding the eligibility of your short or long term disability to receive a special parking permit.
Disabled Person’s Placards
If you or a loved one is suffering from a temporary or permanent disability which has negative effects on the health and/or mobility of the person, and are a resident of the state of Georgia, you are eligible to receive a disabled person placard. Read on for more information.
What is a Disabled Person’s Placard?
A disabled person’s placard is a small placard which can be hung up on the rearview mirror of a car when parked in order to indicate that a disabled person is using the vehicle and requires additional assistance to go in or outside of the parked car.
Who is Eligible for Handicap Parking Placards in Georgia?
You may wonder exactly who is eligible to receive a handicap parking placard in the state of Georgia. A person can receive a placard if they have a disability which impedes on their mobility or general health condition. There are two kinds of placards available depending on the person’s condition: a placard for persons with a permanent disability, and one for those with a temporary disability.
A Permanently Disabled Person is Defined as Someone Who:
You can find a list of eligible conditions on the official Georgia State DMV website. As a general rule of thumb, if you or your loved one are affected by a permanent physical condition which makes moving in and out of a vehicle more especially difficult, it may qualify as a permanent disability to receive a placard. The list of conditions include:
● Impaired hearing, meaning hearing that is severely diminished or total deafness
● Impaired mobility, defined as impacting the person so they are unable to walk 200 feet without taking a rest break
● Is in constant need of an additional device to help with mobility: such as “a brace, a cane, a crutch, another person, a prosthetic device a wheelchair, or any other assistive device”
● Is affected by a lung disease “to such an extent that their forced respiratory volume for one second, when measured by Spirometer, is less than one liter, or when at rest their arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 millimeters of mercury on room air
● Requires portable oxygen at all times
● Suffers from and whose mobility is affected by a cardiac condition “in severity as Class III or Class IV according to standards set by the American Heart Association”
● Does not have proper vision: “a vision impaired individual whose central visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses or whose visual acuity, if better than 20/200, is accompanied by a limit to the field of vision in the better eye to such degree that its widest diameter subtends an angle of no greater than 20 degrees”
● Has a reduction and limitation in mobility “due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition or complications due to pregnancy
It is important to remember that to qualify as a permanent disability, the disability must be expected to affect the person for at least 6 months, or 180 days. In most cases, the signature and affirmation of a medical professional will be required by the DMV in order to process the request for a disabled permit or placard.
A Temporarily Disabled Person is Someone Who:
A temporarily disabled person is defined as someone whose mobility, physical, or mental capacities are affected and limited for a short, determined period of time due to an accident or surgery. Temporary disabilities may include:
● Broken limbs
● Short-term concussion
● Short term loss of mobility after undergoing surgery
If you are unsure whether your short-term disability qualifies you for a temporary disability parking permit, contact your doctor or another medical professional so they may help you answer any questions you may have.
How to Apply for a Handicap Parking Permit in Georgia?
If you are looking to apply for a handicap parking permit in Georgia, you will need to follow a few steps in order to successfully complete your application. It is important to read through all of the information provided by the DMV as well as each form so you don’t miss out on any crucial steps, which may delay or impede on your application process.
● You will need to fill out this Form MV-9D Disabled Person’s Parking Affidavit
● Make sure the form is signed by a medical professional such as a doctor of medicine, osteopathic medicine, a podiatrist, an optometrist, and chiropractor
● Submit the form to your local Tag Country Office, which you can find here
What Colors are Each Type of Permit?
Each permit has a special color to indicate what type they are. The three main categories of disabled parking permits are permanent, temporary, and special equipment permits. The three colors designated as follows:
● Blue – Permanent
● Red – Temporary
● Gold – Special Equipment
When do the Handicap Permits Expire?
Once you have received your permit, you should receive all of the necessary information regarding expiry dates with it. In the state of Georgia, a permanent handicap and special equipment permit is valid for four years. You will then need to renew it if the disability persists. A temporary disability permit is valid for 180 days, or 6 months.
How Much Do Handicap Placards Cost?
If you are wondering how much handicap placards cost, the answer is simple – it is free! Although a disabled person’s license plate comes at a fee, the placard does not. If you suffer from limited mobility and may qualify for a placard, it is a good idea to contact your doctor because the placard is at no cost to you and may help you in the short and long term.
Can I Move the Permits to Whatever Car I Am in?
It is important to keep in mind that disability parking permits are not attributed to a vehicle, but to a person. This means that the permit is valid in whatever vehicle so long as the person to whom is attributed the permit is present in the vehicle.
This also means that the disabled person need not be the driver of the vehicle. It is illegal for someone to use another person’s disability permit without the disabled person present in the vehicle when being operated. If you use a disabled person’s permit without the person being present in the vehicle, it is not only a sign of disrespect, but illegal, and could lead to you receiving a fine.
What is a Special Equipment Disabled Person Parking Permit/Placard?
A special equipment disabled person parking permit/placard may be issued to a disabled person who uses a vehicle equipped with special equipment to accommodate the disabled person’s needs. It may also be, according to the Georgia DMV website, issued to someone who is “physically disabled from the loss of, or loss of use of, both upper extremities.”
How Do I Receive One?
The permit is of gold color, is free of charge, and expires every four years. In order to apply for a special equipment disabled person parking permit/placard, you will need to submit the MV-9D Disabled Person’s Parking Affidavit Form to your local County Tag Office. You can contact the DMV if you have any technical questions about the application process or about your eligibility to receive one.
Disabled Person’s License Plate
If you are looking to apply for a disabled person’s license plate, this part of the guide will provide you with all of the information you may need regarding the rules and facts surrounding disabled person’s license plates, as well as the various application steps needed to receive one in the state of Georgia.
Who qualifies to get a Disabled Person’s License Plate?
If you are a Georgia resident with a disability, or the child, spouse, or legal guardian of a disabled Georgian resident who either owns or rents a vehicle, you may qualify for a disabled person’s license plate in Georgia. If you are unsure whether your condition qualifies, contact your doctor to ask them for more information.
How to Apply for Disable Person’s License Plate
There are several steps to complete, including a list of forms to have filled out, in order to have your application considered. Once completed, you will need to submit the application to your local County Tag Office. According to the Georgia DMV, in your application you will need to include:
● Either a renewal notice or an MV-1 Tag and Title Application Form
● A MV-9D Disabled Person’s Parking Affidavit form filled out and “signed by a license doctor or osteopathic medicine, a podiatrist, an optometrist, or a licensed chiropractor, stating the vehicle owner or their spouse, ward or child is a person with disabilities whose disability or incapacity can be expected to last for more than 180 days, and stating the specific disability.”
● Proof of insurance, either sent in by the insurance company directly to the DMV, or an insurance binder which proves you have liability coverage
● Taxes
● Paid fee of 20$ (annually recurring)
If you are requesting a disabled person’s license plate for a business, you will need to fill out the MV-9DB Disabled Person’s License Plate Affidavit for a Business Form. All of the instructions are located on the form. If you have any more questions or concerns, you can contact your local DMV for more information.
How Much Does a License Plate Cost?
Unlike a disabled person’s placard which is free, a disabled person’s license plate has a $20 annual fee. If you are wondering how to apply for a Georgia State disabled person’s driver’s license, you can look at the instructions listed above.
License Plate Facts
Just as when you receive a regular license plate, a special disability license plate comes with a set of facts and rules which are important to be aware of so you may avoid any issues with the law. According to the Georgia DMV website, these include:
● The permit can only be issued to “a private passenger motor vehicle or motorcycle, a truck weighing 14,000 pounds or less, or a recreational vehicle used for personal transportation that is owned or leased by the applicant.”
● The plate can be attributed to the vehicle owned by the disabled person or to a vehicle co-owned by the disabled person
● It cannot be used by anyone other than the disabled person to who it is attributed
● A person who does not suffer from one or any of the disabilities listed in the disability qualification list cannot receive a disability license plate
● The plate cannot be transferred after the death of the disabled person to whom it was attributed to another person
● In the case of the permit-holder’s death, the “license plate shall be canceled and the owner of such motor vehicle must apply for a regular category license plate for the vehicle.”
● If the person purchases a new vehicle, the license plate may be transferred to the vehicle so long as it is properly registered and that the last vehicle “is no longer owned by the disabled person, their spouse, child or ward.”
It is most important to remember that a permit or license cannot be used by anyone other than the person to whom the permit is attributed. Using another person’s disability permit can result in a fine or worse. It is also a sign of disrespect to disabled people who may be in significant need of extra support when going in and out of their vehicle.
The Following are Considered Criminal Offences in Regards to Handicap Parking Permits:
Just as if you are a driver it is important to know all of the laws and regulations regarding driving and operating a passenger vehicle in your state, it is crucial that you be aware of all of the legality surrounding a handicap parking permit.
There is a list of actions which are considered criminal offences in the state of Georgia which you can find on its DMV website. These actions include:
● Falsely claiming that you qualify for a disability parking permit when you do not
● A medical professional falsely claiming that you have a disability which qualifies for a disabled parking permit
● Owning the vehicle which has a disabled person’s license plate on it which is not your own
If you do not suffer from a disability you should not use someone’s else’s disabled person parking permit. It is disrespectful to disabled persons, and may block people from having access to the assistance they may need if no adapted parking is available. Along with this, it is of course illegal, and can result in fines.
Conclusion
In this guide, we went through everything you may need to know about Georgia handicap parking. If you are a Georgia State resident, there are different options you have to receive assistance with your parking. You can receive a permanent, temporary, or special equipment permit to allow you to park in reserved handicap parking spaces.
The application process is relatively simple: just make sure, as stated above, that you take the time to compile and complete all of the necessary forms to avoid any unnecessary hassles or delays with your application. Above, you will find the application process for both a disabled parking placard as a handicapped license plate. For questions regarding your condition, contact your doctor. For questions regarding the application, contact the DMV.
It is equally important to remember that if you are not disabled, or don’t have a disabled parking permit, you are not allowed to use the parking spaces indicated specifically for handicapped individuals. It is disrespectful and illegal to do so. Remember that the parking spaces are there for a reason, and it can be a lifesaver for a person with limited mobility.
