Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Florida, a disabled parking permit (placard) is issued under section 320.0848 of the Florida Statutes. You qualify if you are legally blind or can’t walk 200 feet without stopping to rest because of a listed condition, and a certified practitioner signs your certificate of disability. A long-term permit lasts up to 4 years and expires on your birthday. A temporary permit lasts up to 6 months and costs $15. Apply at your county tax collector’s office, which handles motor vehicle services for FLHSMV.
Who qualifies for a Florida disabled parking permit?
You must be legally blind, or unable to walk 200 feet without stopping to rest, because of one of these:
- you can’t walk without a brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, other assistive device, or another person’s help
- you permanently need a wheelchair
- lung disease to a set level: forced expiratory volume under 1 liter in 1 second, or arterial oxygen under 60 mm/Hg at rest
- you use portable oxygen
- a heart condition classed as Class III or IV by the American Heart Association
- a severe walking limitation from an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition
Who can sign the certificate of disability?
- physicians (medical, osteopathic and chiropractic physicians licensed in Florida)
- podiatric physicians
- optometrists
- advanced practice registered nurses, under a physician’s protocol
- physician assistants
- out-of-state physicians with similar licensure, with proof of license and a form showing they know Florida’s criteria
Eligible veterans can use VA Form Letter 27-333, or equivalent, in place of a certificate.
Types of permit, fees and validity
| Permit | How long it lasts | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term | Up to 4 years, ending on your birthday | A fee applies (check the amount with your tax collector), paid no more than once in 12 months |
| Temporary | The period your practitioner states, up to 6 months | $15 |
| Lifetime | For permanent dismemberment or amputation; does not need renewal | Check with your tax collector |
| Lost or stolen replacement | Same as the original | $1 (waived with a police report for theft) |
Renewing
If you were previously certified as having a permanent disability, you can renew for 4 years without a new certificate. After that, you need a certificate issued in the last 12 months.
How to apply, step by step
- Get the FLHSMV disabled parking permit application from your county tax collector or the FLHSMV forms page. The form number is reported as HSMV 83039; confirm the current form with your tax collector.
- Have your practitioner complete the certificate of disability.
- Take or send it to your county tax collector’s office with ID and the fee.
Can a learner or teen driver use a placard in Florida?
- If the permit is issued to you, you can use it in any car you are driving or riding in, including on a learner’s license.
- A parent’s permit is for their use. Unlawfully displaying another person’s permit is an offense, so never use it to park when you are driving on your own. If you regularly drive the permit holder, ask your tax collector or FLHSMV how the rules apply.
- Your learner’s license rules still apply: see learning to drive in Florida.
Penalties for misuse in Florida
- False statements on an application or certificate: a first-degree misdemeanor. The application warns of up to 1 year in jail or a $1,000 fine, or both.
- Fraudulently obtaining a permit, unlawfully displaying someone else’s, or using an unauthorized copy: a second-degree misdemeanor.
- A repeat fraud conviction bars you from applying for a new permit for 4 years.
Other states: disabled parking placards for new drivers. More: US guide to driving with a medical condition or disability.
Sources
- The Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes section 320.0848 Persons who have disabilities; issuance of disabled parking permits” (leg.state.fl.us)