The Alabama Motor Vehicle Division issues placards and license plates to disabled people who meet the necessary qualifications on the handicap parking application. You can apply for both permanent and temporary disabled placards, depending on the severity of your disability. Permanent placards are valid for no more than five years, while temporary placards are valid for up to six months. However, there are some handicap placard rules you need to be aware of prior to applying for one.
Laws
A physician must be able to certify your disability in order to get a handicap permit. And depending on your disability, you could receive one of a few different options, including:
- One plate and one placard for a permanent disability
- Two placards for a permanent disability if you don’t get a license plate
- One placard for a temporary disability
- One license plate if your disability is related to military service
In order to comply with handicap placard rules in Alabama, you must have the placard hanging clearly from your rearview mirror or have it placed on your dashboard. Failure to properly display your placard could result in fines or citations.
Parking Pass Requirements
As mentioned, a physician must be able to verify your disability in order to be approved for your handicap parking application in Alabama. There are some general eligibility requirements you must meet, but some of the more specific requirements to be verified by a physician include:
- Being restricted by some sort of lung disease
- You aren’t able to walk more than 200 feet without taking a break
- Your walking is limited because of an orthopedic, neurological or arthritic condition
- You use portable oxygen
- You cannot use one or both legs
- You cannot walk without an assisting device: braces, crutches, prosthetics, etc.
- Have a cardiac condition
- And many others
How to Apply
In order to successfully receive a handicap permit in Alabama, you must apply in person at your nearest Alabama Motor Vehicle Division office. Be sure to bring with you:
- A filled out handicap parking application, which can be downloaded online
- The certification of your disability by your physician
- Payment of $23 for the license plates (free if you’re only applying for a placard)
If you are a disabled veteran, you still need to fill out an application, but you only need to bring your disability rating certification and your veteran ID card.
Other Information
Renewing your placards and license plates involves the same process as applying for new ones. The only difference is you don’t need to have a physician certify your condition for renewal.
If you happen to lose your handicap permit, you can get a replacement by filling out the replacement section of the Application for Disability Access Parking Privileges form and returning it to the Alabama Motor Vehicle Division office.
For other information about applying for a handicap permit in Alabama, feel free to contact us at any time for answers to all of your questions. We have qualified physicians in every state ready to evaluate your eligibility.