Accessible parking permits, or disability parking permits, are special cards given to people with certain health conditions. For the longest time, it was assumed that you could only obtain one of these cards if you were legally classified as disabled. While people living with disabilities will still be eligible for these permits, a host of additional health conditions can also qualify for one.
Why does this matter to you? Because having a disability parking permit can change your life. If you find that going out is difficult because you struggle to get out of the car or the long walk from your parking spot to your final destination takes it out of you, then accessible parking is extremely beneficial. You can park in larger spaces with more accessibility, and they’re usually closer to buildings, elevators, etc.
With all of that in mind, how do you know if your health condition qualifies for an accessible parking permit?
Your Condition Must Be Permanent
You can’t get a proper disability parking permit if your condition is temporary. For example, you suffer from mobility issues as a result of injury recovery. The DMV is unlikely to give you anything (though temporary permanents do exist) because you’re going to recover from this problem within a few weeks or months.
On the other hand, if you have chronic knee pain or arthritis that limits your mobility permanently, then you will likely qualify for an accessible parking permit. That’s one of the reasons you see lots of elderly people with these permits; they have permanent mobility restrictions.
This also creates instances where many health conditions qualify for these permits without you realizing it. People with chronic pain or back injuries might not seem visibly disabled, yet the DMV will approve these sorts of permanent issues. It’s worth undergoing a disability parking permit evaluation if you have a chronic health condition of any kind because you may be approved.
Your Health Concern Must Be Debilitating
As well as having a permanent health condition, you need one that’s debilitating in one way or another. Most of the time, this will revolve around mobility, for obvious reasons. However, people with health conditions that affect their vision may qualify for these permits, as will people with severe neurological impairments.
This means that certain long-term health conditions won’t qualify. For example, you can’t get an accessible parking permit for allergies. Despite suffering from allergies throughout the year, and for your whole life, it’s not considered debilitating enough to warrant this type of parking permit.
Can You Get Temporary Permits?
We mentioned that temporary permits do exist, though they’re not always handed out to people with injuries. These permits are typically reserved for pregnant women or individuals who are recovering from things like cancer treatments or serious surgeries. If you’re in a wheelchair or need crutches, then you could get a temporary permit.
It helps to know if your health condition qualifies for this parking permit because it can change your life for the better. You don’t appreciate how helpful having a bigger parking space within shorter walking distances is until you have one. Many people find it helps them get out more and improves their quality of life. If you have a chronic condition that impacts your life and makes it hard to do things, then there’s every chance you’re eligible.
