A Reference Guide to Handicap Passes in California
In the State of California, one out of every eight California drivers is using a handicapped car placard. Handicapped drivers are allowed to park in special disabled-only parking spots, but they also don’t need to pay parking meter fares.
Disabled individuals should be able to take advantage of this system to make their errands and parking easier while contending with a disability, but the system has been abused to the tune of nearly 600 misdemeanor citations issued for improper placard use last year.
Qualifying for a Disabled Parking Permit
A disabled parking placard is relatively easy to obtain form can be downloaded from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website, and your healthcare provider needs to sign off for the qualifying disability. Those with temporary injuries, like a broken ankle or leg, can obtain disabled parking permits for a limited time. Those with a long-term disability can obtain permanent disability permits with corroboration from their doctors.
Disabilities that qualify an individual for disabled parking privileges include:
Lung and respiratory conditions
Cardiac complications or diseases classified as Class III or IV according to American Heart Association standards
Any disease or disorder that causes substantial reductions to mobility
Any disability that requires the use of an assistive device such as crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs
Any impairment to the feet or legs, including the loss or loss of use of the lower extremities through amputation or paralysis
Loss or loss of use of the hands
Impaired vision
The condition or disability must be confirmed by an appropriate medical professional, such as a physician, surgeon, chiropractor, optometrist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or certified nurse midwife.
Taking Advantage of the System
The ease of access to these permits is a double-edged sword. On one hand, disabled individuals who deserve the permits shouldn’t have to jump through unnecessary hoops or deal with an overly complex process for obtaining one. On the other hand, since the process for obtaining a permit is fairly simply, it makes it easier for dishonest people to take advantage of the system or use it illegally by forging doctors’ signatures, stealing placards, or using someone else’s placard.
The biggest incentive for those who misuse disabled placards seems to be free parking. Disabled placard holders do not have to pay parking meter fares. Due to the high rate of disabled placard use in California, some state legislators are considering charging handicapped placard holders the parking meter fare again. A similar situation happened in Michigan—when they started charging everyone at parking meters and removed the incentive, demand for disabled placard dropped 90%.
Honesty Is Always the Best Policy
Although it may be tempting to try and take advantage of the system to make parking easier and save money on parking meter fares, don’t apply for a disabled placard unless you truly need it. If you have or think you have a qualifying disability and your life will be a bit easier by having a handicapped placard, speak to your doctor about it.
If you’re found to be using a disabled placard illegally, you face fines and misdemeanor charges. However, the fear of legal repercussions shouldn’t be the only thing to deter you from taking advantage of the system.
While a disabled parking permit may be easy to obtain, by using one unnecessarily, you’re depriving handicapped people from a parking spot they truly need and inflating the statistics of disabled placard use. If the numbers grow too high, legislators will have no choice but to remove the free parking incentive to discourage people from abusing the system.