Disability Plates and Placards in Florida

Florida Drivers with Disabilities

Disabled person parking placards are issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) through your local county tax collector's office.

The DHSMV provides both temporary and permanent placards and license plates.

Read below for more information about parking permits for the disabled, including how to apply for, renew, and replace placards in Florida.

Florida Disabled Placards

If you are a disabled driver or passenger in Florida, you can apply for:

  • A permanent disabled parking placard, valid for up to 4 years.
  • A temporary placard, valid for up to 6 months.

Placards are available to:

  • Disabled people who meet the application requirements.
  • Organizations that transport people with disabilities.

Multiple placards can be issued to:

  • Applicants who travel often.
  • Quadriplegic applicants.
  • Organizations with multiple vehicles.

License Plates for Disabled Drivers

You can request a Florida wheelchair license plate when you submit your placard application.

You must renew this license plate just as you would renew other plates and car registration.

NOTE: If you receive a disabled license plate, you must surrender your existing plate.

Handicap Parking Rules & Restrictions

To use your Florida disability parking placard correctly, you must:

  • Use ONLY the placard issued to you.
  • Hang the placard from your rearview mirror with the decal and expiration date visible from the front of the car.
  • Have your placard registration document with you.
  • Park legally in marked spaces. You CANNOT park in:
    • Zones for buses or emergency vehicles.
    • Striped areas next to disabled spaces.
    • Any area labeled with “no parking."
    • Limited time spaces for longer than the designated time.

NOTE: You CAN park in metered spaces for up to 4 hours for free. Some towns and cities in Florida may allow more time.

How to Get a Florida Disabled Placard

You must apply for a disabled parking placard in person at a local county tax collector's office in Florida.

You can apply by mail if you have submitted application materials within the past 12 months and are re-applying.

To apply for a handicap parking permit, you will need:

  • A completed Application for Disabled Person Parking Permit (Form HSMV 83039).
  • Medical certification ON the application, dated within the last 12 months and signed by any of the following:
    • General physician.
    • Osteopath.
    • Podiatrist.
    • Chiropractor.
    • Optometrist (can certify visual disabilities ONLY).
    • Nurse practitioner.
    • Physician's assistant.
  • Your FL driver's license OR ID card, UNLESS your doctor certifies that you are physically unable to go to a driver's license office to get one.
  • Payment for the appropriate fee:
    • Temporary permit: $15.
    • Permanent placard: Free.

Take or send your application materials to your local local county tax collector's office.

Handicap Placards for FL Visitors

If you are visiting Florida from another U.S. state, you can use your home state placard for disabled parking in Florida.

If you are visiting from another country, you can apply for a temporary placard. You will need:

  • A copy of your disabled parking permit from your home country.
  • A form of identification, such as your passport.
  • Payment for the $15 fee.

Take these items to the nearest tax collector's office.

How to Renew a Florida Disabled Placard

The FL DHSMV will send you a renewal notice before your disabled placard expires.

The expiration date depends on the type of permit you have:

  • Temporary permits expire on the date indicated by your doctor, and are valid for no more than 6 months.
  • Permanent permits for individuals expire on your birthday every 4 years.
  • Permanent permits for organizations expire on June 30 every 4 years.

To renew your placard, you'll need to take or mail the following to your local local county tax collector's office:

  • A completed Application for Disabled Person Parking Permit (Form HSMV 83039).
    • Your application must include medical certification, dated within the last 12 months and signed by an approved medical professional.
  • A form of ID:
    • Driver's license.
    • ID card.
      OR
    • Your doctor's certification that you cannot go to a driver's license office for a driver's license or ID.
  • Payment for the appropriate fee:
    • Temporary placards: $15.
    • Permanent placards: Free.

NOTE: An additional temporary placard issued within 12 months of the original is $15.

Replace a Handicap Parking Placard

If your FL disabled parking placard is lost, stolen, or damaged, you must apply for a replacement.

The replacement application process is the same as applying for your original placard. Follow the instructions in "Apply for a FL Disabled Placard" above.

Forms

HSMV 83039
Application for Disabled Person Parking Permit
Use this form to apply for a Florida disability parking permit (not permanent).
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