DMV offers parking placards and plates for customers with temporary or permanent disabilities that limit or impair their mobility. They are also available to customers with a condition that creates a safety concern while walking (examples are Alzheimer's disease, blindness or developmental amentia).
These placards and plates entitle you to park in special parking spaces reserved for individuals with disabilities. Institutions and organizations that operate special vehicles equipped to carry people with disabilities may also obtain parking placards and plates entitling them to special parking privileges.
Types
DMV offers temporary, permanent and institutional placards and disabled plates. To find out more and view sample images of these placards and plates, see Descriptions of Disabled Parking Placards and Plates.
Getting, Renewing or Replacing a Placard or Plate
- Apply for a disabled parking placard or license plate
- Renew or replace a disabled parking placard or license plate
Proper Use
The placard must hang from the rearview mirror when the vehicle is in a disabled parking space.
The placard holder, i.e., the person who was issued the disabled parking placard, 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.
Virginia's disabled parking placards and plates display the International Symbol of Access and are valid in all 50 states and other countries. Disabled parking privileges allow you to park in any parking space designated for a disabled person and park for up to four hours in metered or time-restricted spaces without paying a fee (unless prohibited by the locality). To read about rights and privileges, refer to Disabled Parking Placard and Plate Privileges. Placards and plates do not allow you to disobey state or local parking regulations.
It is a serious misuse of placards and plates when someone other than the person with a disability uses the placard or plate to park in a handicapped space. Anyone found guilty of this offense could face fines of up to $500 and/or the revocation of your disabled parking privileges, requiring you to surrender your placard or plates.
To report expired placards or suspected misuse or alteration of placards or plates, call (804) 367-6602.
Privacy for Placard Holders
The name, birthdate and gender of the placard holder are not displayed on temporary and permanent placards issued after July 1, 2010. If you hold a temporary or permanent placard issued before July 1, 2010, you may use removable tape to cover your name and birthdate on your placard. You must remove the tape if requested by law enforcement.
Returning the Placard
The placard must be returned
- When you are applying for a new placard
- When it expires or
- When it is no longer needed by the disabled person
Disabled Parking Forms
- Disabled Parking Plates or Placard Application (MED 10)
- Institutional/Organizational Permanent Placard Application (MED 11)
- Disability Parking Application Information (MED 12)
Placard Delivery Status
Find out your placard's delivery status using the Disabled Placard Delivery Status transaction.
Additional Information
If you have questions about disabled parking placards and plates, please contact us.