Drivers With Disabilities

Services for Virginia Drivers With Disabilities

Customers with special needs or who require special assistance with applications or testing should notify a DMV staff member or manager upon arrival at any DMV location.

DMV offers parking permits for citizens with temporary or permanent disabilities that limit or impair their mobility. We also offer license plates for persons with permanent disabilities. These permits and plates entitle the holder to park in special parking spaces reserved for individuals with disabilities. Institutions and organizations who operate special vehicles equipped to carry persons with disabilities may also obtain parking permits entitling them to special parking privileges.

Parking permits, issued in the form of removable windshield placards and license plates, displaying the international symbol of access, provide authorization for special parking in all 50 states.

Temporary parking placards are valid for up to six months. Your physician, nurse practitioner, podiatrist or chiropractor must indicate the expected length of your disability. A podiatrist or chiropractor may only certify certain conditions that limit or impair your ability to walk. For more information, visit www.dmvNOW.com.

Permanent placards are issued to citizens with a disability that limits or impairs movement from one place to another, the ability to walk, or that creates a concern for safety while walking, as defined in Va. Code §46.2-1240, and has reached the maximum level of improvement and is not expected to change even with additional treatment. Applications for permanent parking placards must be certified by a physician or nurse practitioner. Permanent placards are valid for five years and may be renewed without a physician's or nurse practitioner's certification. They may be renewed by Internet (www.dmvNOW.com), mail, or at a DMV customer service center.

Institutional and organizational placards are valid for five years and may be renewed. No physician certification is required.

Placards should be hung from the rearview mirror while the vehicle is parked in spaces authorized for the disabled. The side that shows the placard holder’s identifying information must face the rear of the vehicle. Placard holders may use removable tape to cover their name and date of birth on the placard. The placard holder will have to remove the tape if requested by law enforcement for verification. Placards must be removed from the rearview mirror while the vehicle is in motion.

License plates must bear the International Symbol of Access (ISA) in order to entitle the holder to special parking privileges. When disabled license plates are issued to a vehicle registered to multiple owners, the registration card for that vehicle will indicate which owner is disabled. When disabled plates are issued to the parent or legal guardian of a person with a disability, this will be noted on the vehicle registration card. Disabled license plates may be renewed without a physician’s or nurse practitioner's certification.

License plates for hearing impaired drivers are available from any DMV office. No special privileges are given, but the plates help law enforcement officers recognize drivers who are hearing impaired. Hearing impaired citizens may contact DMV by teletypewriter at 1-800-272-9268.

A driver’s license indicator is available for drivers who are hearing and speech impaired or who are insulin-dependant. One of these indicators is placed on the driver’s license in order to identify the disability to law enforcement personnel.

Disabled Parking Privileges

Disabled parking privileges entitle the holder to:

• park in any parking space designated for a disabled person;
• park for up to four hours without paying a fee in any time-restricted parking space during the hours allowed for general parking (unless prohibited by the locality).
• Disabled parking privileges DO NOT entitle the holder to stop, stand or park in the following areas:
1. where parking is prohibited;
2. in spaces reserved for other special types of vehicles;
3. where it would clearly present a traffic hazard.
4. Private parking facilities, such as parking lots at airports, may restrict the time and free parking provisions for vehicles displaying disabled parking permits or plates.

Disabled Placard and Plate Holders May Not:

• allow a non-disabled individual to use his or her placard or plate unless they are transporting the disabled individual.
• park in a space reserved for disabled individuals without displaying a placard or plate bearing the International Symbol of Access.

Persons convicted of these violations may be fined up to $500 and, in some cases, may have their disabled parking privileges revoked for up to six months.

It is also illegal to:

• create or use a counterfeit replica of a disabled license plate or placard;
• alter a disabled license plate or placard;
• use another person’s disabled license plate or placard;
• make a false statement about a disability in order to obtain or assist someone else in obtaining a disabled license plate or placard.

Convictions resulting from these offenses could result in fines up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, and revocation of disabled parking privileges.

To report expired placards, suspected misuse or alteration of placards or plates, call (804) 367-6602.

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