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Disabled parking

Requirements

A licensed physician, licensed physician assistant, or licensed registered nurse practitioner must determine if you qualify for disabled parking privileges.

Types of conditions that qualify

You may receive disabled parking privileges if you have a disability that meets at least 1 of the following criteria:

  • You can’t walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
  • Your ability to walk is severely limited due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.
  • You’re so severely disabled that you can’t walk without the use of or assistance from a brace, cane, another person, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or other assistive device.
  • You use portable oxygen.
  • You’re restricted by lung disease to such an extent that forced expiratory respiratory volume when measured by spirometry is less than 1 liter/second or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg on room air at rest.
  • You’re impaired by cardiovascular disease or cardiac condition to the extent that your functional limitations are classified as Class III or IV under standards accepted by the American Heart Association.
  • You have a disability resulting from an acute sensitivity to automobile emissions which limits or impairs your ability to walk. Your physician, physician assistant, or advanced registered nurse practitioner must document that the disability is comparable in severity to the others listed above.
  • You’re legally blind and have limited mobility.
  • You have acute sensitivity to light associated with a form of porphyria that would significantly benefit from a decrease in exposure to light. Porphyria refers to a group of inheritable metabolic disorders in which exposure to light can result in burning, blistering, swelling, and scarring of the skin.

How to apply and renew

To learn how to get or renew the type of disabled parking privileges you need, choose an option below:

  • Permanent (for individuals with a permanent disability)
  • Temporary (for individuals with a temporary disability)
  • Organizational (for organizations that transport individuals with disabilities)

How to use disabled parking privileges

Who can use it

Anyone who qualifies for disabled parking privileges and has a disabled parking placard, tabs, or license plates may park in disabled parking spaces.

  • It’s illegal for anyone else to use your disabled parking placard, tabs, or license plates if you’re not in the vehicle. You can’t let your friends or family borrow them for their own use.

Where you can park

  • You can park:
    • On the street, for free, in any parking space that is time restricted (including metered parking). This doesn’t apply to privately-owned parking lots or areas reserved for special types of vehicles (fire lanes, loading zones, etc.).
    • In any specially-designated disabled parking space.
      • Note: Van-accessible spaces are designed for use by wheelchair vans. Please use them only if you drive a wheelchair van or no other disabled parking spaces are available.
  • You can’t park in zones or areas:
    • Where stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited.
    • Reserved for special types of vehicles (fire lanes, loading zones, etc.).

How to report abuse of disabled parking privileges

Contact your local police to report individuals who are abusing disabled parking privileges or parking in a disabled parking space illegally.

Questions?

If you have questions about disabled parking privileges, contact customer service.

Access Washington