A Guide to Disabled Parking in New Jersey
Driving in New Jersey can be tough – especially in the winter! That’s why it’s so important for you to do everything you can to make things easier for yourself. One way to do that is by getting a New Jersey disabled parking permit. As long as you have a medical condition that makes mobility difficult for you, you can get a handicap placard that will provide you with more convenient and more accessible disabled parking in New Jersey. For more information, read on for how to get a disabled parking permit in New Jersey.
Step 1: Figure out if you have a qualifying condition.
To be eligible for disabled parking in New Jersey, you need to have a qualifying medical condition. These conditions can include:
- Having lost the use of one or more limbs as a consequence of paralysis, amputation, or other permanent disability
- Being severely and permanently disabled and unable to walk without the use of or assistance from a brace, cane, crutch, another person, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or other assistive device
- Suffering from lung disease to such an extent that your forced (respiratory) expiratory volume for one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than one liter, or the arterial oxygen tension is less than sixty mm/hg on room air at rest
- Requiring the use of portable oxygen
- Having a cardiac condition to the extent that your functional limitations are classified in severity as Class III or Class IV (according to standards set by the American Heart Association)
- Being severely and permanently limited in the ability to walk because of an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition (or not being able to walk 200 feet without stopping to rest
- Having a permanent sight impairment of both eyes (as certified by the NJ Commission for the Blind)
If you have one of these disabilities, you can certainly qualify for a New Jersey handicap parking permit.
Image by rawpixel on Pixabay: Visit with your doctor to see if you have a qualifying medical condition.
Step 2: Get your condition medically certified.
You will need a medical professional to fill out part of your application. To do this, make an appointment with your doctor so they can verify that you could benefit from a disabled parking permit. If they think you need a handicap placard, have them fill out the medical certification part of your application and then sign it. If you don’t have a medical professional who can do this for you; you can always head to Dr. Handicap. You’ll get connected virtually to a licensed physician who can determine if you do have a qualifying condition. If you do, they can also help you complete the medical portion of your application (without you ever having to leave your home!).
Step 3: Finish and send in your application.
You’ll need to complete the rest of the application by filling in some personal information (your name, address, date of birth, driver’s license number, etc.) and signing and dating it. There is no fee for a disabled parking permit in New Jersey. You’ll also need to indicate if you’re applying for a permanent or a temporary placard. Permanent ones expire every three years, while temporary placards are issued for six months and can be renewed only once. Temporary placard applications are different from permanent ones and must be submitted in-person to a Municipal Chief of Police. You’re also required to pay $4 with a check or money order for a temporary placard.
To submit your application for a permanent placard, you can drop it off at a Motor Vehicle Commission agency or in the mail at:
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
Special Plate Unit
225 East State Street
PO Box 015
Trenton, New Jersey 08666-0015
If you’re applying for a disabled license plate, you will need to include a copy of your vehicle registration.
Image by LNLNLN on Pixabay: Travel more easily around New Jersey cities with your handicap placard in hand.
Step 4: Comply with New Jersey regulations.
In order to make sure your placard is always up to date, you should renew your permanent placard (with a new medical certification) every three years. You can mail in a recertification application or you may visit a motor vehicle agency in person. There is no fee to recertify. With your placard, you can park in any space designated for disabled parking in New Jersey as long as you have your placard and your ID card with you. You are not allowed to lend your placard to any friends or family. You must be either the driver or the passenger in the vehicle when you use the placard. Any abuse of your placard can result in the immediate revocation of the ID card. There are also serious consequences for providing misinformation on your application. You can be convicted of this offense with a fine of up to $10,000 and a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months!
You’ll also need to hang your placard from your rearview mirror whenever your vehicle is parked and then remove it when the car is in motion. As long as you follow these rules of the road, you should be good to go when using your New Jersey disabled parking permit!