How to get a handicap parking permit in Virginia (VA)

Virginia handicapped parking sign with details of the penalty for offenders

Virginia handicapped parking sign with details of the penalty for offenders

Eligibility
How to obtain a permit
Fee
Validity / expiration of permits
Renewals
Lost, stolen, or damaged placards
Where to hang the placard
Miscellaneous

Who’s eligible?

Persons whose ability to walk is limited, impaired, or creates a safety condition while walking are eligible for a disabled parking placard. Specific conditions include, but are not limited to:

  • cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest;
  • uses portable oxygen;
  • cannot walk without the use of or assistance from any of the following: another person, brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or other assistive device;
  • has a cardiac condition to the extent that functional limitations are classified in severity as Class III or Class IV according to standards set by the American Heart Association;
  • is severely limited in ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition;
  • is restricted by lung disease to such an extent that forced (respiratory) expiratory volume for 1 second, when measured by spirometry, is less than 1 liter, or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 millimeters of mercury on room air at rest;
  • has been diagnosed with a mental or developmental amentia or delay that impairs judgment including, but not limited to, an autism spectrum disorder;
  • has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia; or
  • is legally blind or deaf.
How to obtain a permit

Applicants must complete a Disabled Parking Plates or Placard Application (MED 10), which  must include certification of their disability by a medical professional. The application may be submitted in person at any DMV customer service center or by mail:

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
P. O. Box 85815
Richmond, VA 23285-5815
Fee

All placards cost $5.

Validity/expiration of placards/permits

Permanent placards (blue) are valid for 5 years. Temporary placards (red) are valid for up to 6 months.

Renewing placards

Recertification of disability is not required to renew a permanent placard. Renewal should be done no more than 2 months before the placard’s expiration and no more than 2 months after its expiration date. Applicants can choose any of the following methods for renewal:

Temporary disabled parking placards are valid for up to six months and cannot be renewed. To receive another temporary placard, applicants must follow the same procedure at initial issuance of the placard.

Lost placard/replacement

Applicants who wish to replace their lost, stolen, or damaged placards must  follow the same procedure at initial issuance of the placard and check off the relevant box on Form MED 10.

Where to hang the placard/permit

The placard must be hung from the rear view mirror when the vehicle is parked in a disabled parking space. The  placard holder must be the driver or a passenger in the vehicle. In addition, the placard holder is required to carry the Disabled Parking Placard Identification Card issued with the placard and to present it to a law enforcement officer upon request.

Miscellaneous

Until the time applicants receive a placard (typically within 15 days of the application submission date), they are provided with the receipt to hang on the rear view mirror. Certification from a physician is not required when the applicant holds a disability parking license plate.

Difficulty

Source URL

Renewing a Disabled Parking Placard
Information on Parking Placards for Virginia Citizens
Description of Parking Placards
Applying for a Disabled Parking Placard

 

Things You’ll Need

Applicable Fee: $5.00 for disabled parking permit
Computer with Internet Access: Favorable but not mandatory
Physician Certificate: Physician to certify disability in the application form
Mail Original Documents: Original application to be submitted in person or by mail
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