No, a caregiver cannot get a handicap parking permit issued in their own name. Every state issues the placard to the person with the qualifying disability, not to a driver, spouse, or caregiver. What a caregiver can do is use the permit holder’s placard legally whenever that person is riding in the vehicle. The permit follows the person, so when you are driving them somewhere, you can display the placard and park in an accessible space. When they are not in the car with you, the placard goes back in the glove box.
When You Can Use the Permit as a Caregiver
The rule is the same in every state: the placard authorizes accessible parking only when the disabled permit holder is a passenger in the vehicle or is being picked up at that location. It does not matter whose car you are driving. The placard is not tied to a specific vehicle, which is exactly why it can move with the permit holder between your car, a family member’s car, or a medical transport.
Hang the placard from the rearview mirror once you have parked, so it is clearly visible from outside. Most states require you to take it down before driving, because a placard swinging from the mirror can obstruct the driver’s view and draw a citation on its own. Hang it when you park; remove it before you pull away.
What You Cannot Do With the Permit
The most common trap for caregivers is running errands “for” the permit holder without them in the car. Picking up their prescription, grabbing their groceries, or dropping off their paperwork while they stay home does not qualify, even if the errand is entirely for their benefit and you will be back in ten minutes. If they are not physically in the vehicle, the placard cannot be displayed in an accessible spot.
Using the placard of someone who has died is a separate and serious problem. When the permit holder passes away, the placard should be returned to the state motor vehicle agency. States cross-reference death records against active placards, and continuing to display one is treated as fraudulent use.
Lending the placard to anyone else is also off-limits. Being trusted to hold or carry the placard does not give you general permission to use it. The only person it authorizes is the person named on it.
Penalties for Misusing a Placard
Fines vary widely by state but commonly run from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000 per violation. Some states add mandatory community service. Repeat offenses can bring escalating fines and revocation of the placard itself.
More serious conduct — forging a placard, altering an expiration date, or submitting false medical information on an application — can be charged as a misdemeanor. Depending on the state, a conviction can carry jail time along with the fine. That applies to caregivers and family members who submit fraudulent medical documentation, not just to strangers counterfeiting permits.
Permits for Care Facilities and Professional Caregivers
If you are a professional caregiver working for an organization that regularly transports people with disabilities, there is a separate route. Many states issue institutional parking permits to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day programs, and similar organizations that can demonstrate a genuine need for accessible parking when moving clients or residents. The permit is typically tied to a specific vehicle registered to the organization, not to any one resident.
This is the practical answer for a facility van or bus carrying several disabled passengers, where displaying one person’s placard would not make sense. If you drive fleet vehicles as part of your job, ask your administrator whether institutional permits have already been obtained for those vehicles.
Handling the Application on the Permit Holder’s Behalf
Even though the permit will be issued in the disabled person’s name, you may be the one handling the paperwork. Applications come from the state Department of Motor Vehicles or its equivalent, and most states let you download the form online.
The form has two parts. The applicant section requires the disabled person’s identifying information. The medical certification section must be completed and signed by a qualifying healthcare provider — most states accept physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and chiropractors, and optometrists for vision-related claims. That certification usually needs to be recent, often within the previous six to twelve months.
Eligibility standards track federal baseline criteria that cover conditions such as an inability to walk 200 feet without resting, reliance on a brace, cane, crutch, wheelchair, or another person, certain lung and cardiac conditions, and severe orthopedic, neurological, or arthritic limitations.1eCFR. Title 23 CFR Part 1235 – Uniform System for Parking for Persons With Disabilities Many states also recognize legal blindness and loss of one or more limbs.
Applications go in by mail or in person. A growing number of states accept online submission for renewals, but first-time applications almost always require a paper form with an original medical signature. Many states issue permanent placards free; temporary placards and replacements sometimes carry a small fee. Processing typically takes a few weeks and can stretch to two months during busy periods.
Renewals, Expired Placards, and Returning the Permit
Permanent placards are not truly permanent. Renewal cycles commonly run every four to six years. Some states send a notice and only ask for verification of identity; others require updated medical certification. Many now allow renewal online or by mail, which is convenient when you are managing this on someone else’s behalf.
Temporary placards, which are typically valid for about six months and up to a year in some states, expire on their face date and cannot simply be renewed. If the disability continues past the original timeframe, a new application with fresh medical certification is required. This is a common slip: the person still has the qualifying condition, but the expired placard is no longer valid, and using it can trigger the same penalties as using someone else’s permit.
When the permit holder dies or no longer qualifies, return the placard to the issuing agency. Keeping an invalid placard around creates both temptation and legal risk, and turning it in promptly closes the loop.
Traveling Out of State
Most states honor disability placards issued by other states, so a valid placard generally works when you drive the permit holder across state lines. A few jurisdictions have extra rules, such as a temporary travel placard for longer stays, so it is worth checking the destination state’s DMV website before a trip. The underlying rule does not change: the permit holder still has to be in the vehicle when the placard is displayed.