Qualifying Conditions For A Disabled Parking Placard In New Hampshire

If you’re a driver with a disability who lives in New Hampshire, you may be eligible to apply for a disabled parking permit. Not all conditions qualify for a permit, so to make it easier to determine whether you’re eligible, we’ve put together a handy guide. Below we’ll go through the most common qualifying conditions for a disabled parking placard in New Hampshire, and distinguish between those who qualify for a permanent placard and those who qualify for a temporary one. So, let’s start with the main question: what qualifies you for a disability placard in New Hampshire?

Who qualifies for a disabled license plate in New Hampshire?

There are several conditions that qualify for a disabled parking placard in almost all US states, and the Granite State is no different. In New Hampshire, these conditions are referred to as “walking disabilities” as they generally reduce or affect a person’s mobility. These are conditions or disabilities that interfere with daily life and may make driving and parking more difficult.

According to the New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles, a person is eligible for a disabled parking permit if they:

• Cannot walk without the use of, or assistance from, a brace, cane, crutch, another person, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or other assistive device
• Are restricted by lung disease to such an extent that the person’s forced (respiratory) expiratory volume for one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than one (1) liter, or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg on room air at rest
• Use portable oxygen
• Have a cardiac condition to the extent that the person’s functional limitations are classified in severity as class 3 or class 4 according to the standards set by the American Heart Association
• Are severely limited in the ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, orthopedic, or other medically disabling condition

As you can see from the list above, these are general categories under which many disabilities or medical conditions can fall, so if you’re at all unsure of your eligibility for a disabled parking permit, we’d recommend speaking to a licensed medical professional in New Hampshire. During this consultation, your physician can assess whether you would benefit from a permit. Dr Handicap can help with the organization of this consultation via virtual chat, so you don’t even need to leave your home to complete this step of your application.

Depending on the severity and the longevity of your medical condition, your physician will decide whether you should receive a temporary or permanent placard. Temporary placards are valid for up to six months, whereas permanent ones will last a maximum of five years, but if you are renewing your driving license before this date, you will need to renew your permit at the same time. Even permanent placards have an expiry date, so be sure to renew prior to this to avoid any issues.

If you prefer plates that are attached to the outside of your vehicle, you can apply for these if you have a permanent disability.

How do I get a disability placard in the state of New Hampshire?

Now that we’ve gone through the qualifying conditions for a disabled parking placard in New Hampshire, it’s time to answer another important question: how does disability parking placard application in New Hampshire work?

New Hampshire has a well-developed disabled parking program, so the application process is fairly simple. Once you’ve filled out the New Hampshire Application for Walking Disability Privileges form (available from the DMV website) with all the relevant information, you need to get your physician’s certification. The physician with whom you complete the necessary medical consultation will fill out their part of the form, stating that you have a disability that qualifies for disabled parking and giving the details. Once the entire form is filled out, you’re ready to submit your application.

To submit, you will need to mail the completed form and the relevant fee to the State of New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of Motor Vehicles in Concord. You can alternatively hand in the form and the fee at your local DMV office. At the time of writing, both temporary and permanent placards incur a $5 fee, while plates cost an additional $8.

We hope that this post has made the application process for a New Hampshire disabled parking permit more clear, and that it has shed some light on the accepted qualifying conditions in the Granite State. Remember, Dr Handicap can help you to organize your medical consultation via telemedicine, so get in touch with us today!

Featured image by Suraj Gattani on Unsplash