Federal Disability Parking Regulations: 23 CFR Part 1235

Federal disability parking regulations live in 23 CFR Part 1235, a set of uniform guidelines issued jointly by the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The rules define who qualifies for a disability parking identifier, what the placards and plates must look like, and how the spaces themselves should be designed.¹ Part 1235 gives states guidelines rather than absolute mandates, so fees, renewal cycles, and penalties vary. The core of the system, though, is the same everywhere, which is why a placard from one state is honored in another.

Who Qualifies Under Federal Rules

Section 1235.2 sets six medical criteria for a disability parking identifier. A licensed physician has to certify that the applicant meets at least one of them.²

You cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
You cannot walk without help from a brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, wheelchair, another person, or a similar assistive device.
You have lung disease with a forced expiratory volume for one second (measured by spirometry) of less than one liter, or arterial oxygen tension less than 60 mm/Hg on room air at rest.
You rely on portable oxygen.
Your heart condition is Class III or Class IV under American Heart Association standards, meaning physical activity is markedly or severely limited by symptoms.
You are severely limited in your ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.

That last criterion is the one applicants most often miss. It picks up conditions like advanced arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and orthopedic impairments that severely restrict walking but don’t fit the more specific tests.² Part 1235 itself does not address legal blindness or other visual impairments, though some states have added those to their own eligibility rules.

The Three Identifiers Federal Law Recognizes

Only three identifiers qualify a vehicle to use a disability parking space under Part 1235: a special license plate, a removable windshield placard, and a temporary removable windshield placard. Nothing else counts.³

Special License Plates

States must issue special disability plates for vehicles registered to a qualifying person. The plate carries the International Symbol of Access and stays with the car, so it works best when one vehicle is consistently used for the permit holder’s transportation. Getting a plate does not disqualify you from also having a removable placard.⁴

Removable Windshield Placards

The removable placard hangs from the rearview mirror and moves between vehicles, which matters if you often ride as a passenger or use more than one car. States have to provide for periodic renewal. If you don’t have special plates, you can request one additional placard, giving you two to split between vehicles or keep as a spare.⁵

Temporary Removable Windshield Placards

Temporary placards cover people recovering from surgery, dealing with a broken bone, or managing a condition expected to resolve. The physician certifies how long the disability will last, and the placard cannot be valid for more than six months from the date of issue.⁶ As with the permanent version, you can request one additional temporary placard.

Telling a Permanent Placard From a Temporary One

Both types are two-sided hanger permits. Each side has to show the International Symbol of Access at least three inches tall and centered, a unique identification number, an expiration date, and the seal of the issuing authority.¹

The one visual difference is color. Permanent placards show a white symbol on a blue background. Temporary placards show a white symbol on a red background. That color coding lets an enforcement officer separate a long-term permit from a short-term one at a glance, without reading the small print.

Display is spelled out too. While parked in a disability space, hang the placard from the rearview mirror so it’s visible from front and rear. If the vehicle has no rearview mirror, put it on the dashboard.¹ Leaving it hanging while driving can obstruct your view and may run afoul of state traffic laws, even though Part 1235 doesn’t address that directly.

Using Your Placard in Another State

Part 1235 doesn’t order states to honor one another’s placards in so many words. It achieves the same result by standardizing the identifiers. Because every state uses the same International Symbol of Access, the same color coding, and the same design elements, a placard issued in one state is recognizable and valid in the rest.³ In practice, all 50 states honor plates and placards from other states.

Foreign permits are a separate matter. No federal policy requires states to honor disability parking permits issued by other countries, and the rules for visiting overseas motorists vary by state. If you’re traveling into the U.S. with a foreign permit, check with the state DMV before you rely on it.

Applying and Renewing

Part 1235 defines the identifiers and the eligibility criteria, but the application itself runs through each state’s motor vehicle agency. The steps look about the same everywhere: fill out the state DMV’s application, get a licensed physician to certify that you meet one of the six criteria, and submit both to the issuing authority. Some states take applications online; others require mail or in-person filing.

For a temporary placard, the physician also has to state how long the disability is expected to last, up to the six-month federal maximum.⁶ Fees range widely. Permanent placards are free in most states, while temporary placards and special plates may carry modest fees. The doctor’s certification is a separate cost.

Permanent placards renew periodically, with validity running anywhere from about two to six years depending on the state. Some states require a fresh physician certification at renewal; others don’t. Most states do not send renewal reminders, so tracking the expiration date falls on you.

Misuse and Penalties

Part 1235 sets no federal penalties for misuse. Enforcement is entirely state-level, and that’s where the consequences sit. Every state prohibits using a disability placard when the person it was issued to is not in the vehicle. Lending a placard to a friend or relative who doesn’t qualify is the most common abuse, and it’s illegal in every state.

Fines for a first offense typically run from around $100 to $1,000 or more, depending on the state. Some states treat fraudulent use or selling placards as a misdemeanor that can carry jail time. Enforcement officers increasingly cross-check placards against databases and photo identification, and some jurisdictions run targeted operations in high-traffic areas.

The practical rule is simple: the placard is issued to a person, not a vehicle. You can use it in any car you’re riding in, but only when you’re actually in that car. The moment the permit holder gets out and someone else parks using the placard alone, that’s a violation.

A Note on Accessible Parking Spaces

Part 1235 also directs states to set design and construction standards for the spaces themselves, with signage that complies with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and spaces built or altered with federal funding have to meet the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.⁷ For spaces at facilities open to the public, a separate framework applies: the Americans with Disabilities Act sets minimum counts of accessible spaces based on lot size, along with requirements for van-accessible spaces and access aisles.⁸ If your question is about the placard on your dashboard, Part 1235 is the framework that answers it; the ADA rules govern the striped space you park in.

1
eCFR. 23 CFR Part 1235 – Uniform System for Parking for Persons with Disabilities
2
eCFR. 23 CFR 1235.2 – Definitions
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eCFR. 23 CFR 1235.6
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eCFR. 23 CFR 1235.3 – Special License Plates
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eCFR. 23 CFR 1235.4 – Removable Windshield Placards
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eCFR. 23 CFR 1235.5 – Temporary Removable Windshield Placards
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eCFR. 23 CFR 1235.7 – Parking Space Design, Construction, and Designation
8
U.S. Access Board. Chapter 5: Parking Spaces