Disabled parking · state

Washington Disabled Parking Permit

Washington Department of Licensing (DOL)

DOL issues three categories of disabled parking permits: Permanent (1-2 blue placards, or 1 blue placard plus disabled parking plates or yellow tab), Temporary (1 red placard, valid up to 1 year from the physician-noted date), and Organizational (for organizations transporting people with qualifying disabilities). Applicants receive an "Individual with Disabilities Parking Privilege" ID card separately, mailed within 2-3 weeks. Permanent placards must be renewed every 5 years (DOL mails a renewal notice 45 days before expiration, requiring a new healthcare-provider attestation).

Visit the website

dol.wa.gov/driver-licenses-and-permits/get-or-renew-disabled-parking-permits

Who qualifies

A licensed physician, physician assistant, or registered nurse practitioner must confirm that the applicant meets at least one of these conditions. Cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest. Has severely limited mobility from an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition. Cannot walk without a brace, cane, prosthetic, or other assistive device, or without help from another person. Cannot walk and uses a wheelchair. Is legally blind with limited mobility. Uses portable oxygen. Is restricted by lung disease (FEV less than 1 L/sec or arterial oxygen tension less than 60 mm/Hg at rest on room air). Has a cardiovascular or cardiac condition of Class III or IV (American Heart Association). Has acute sensitivity to automobile emissions that limits walking. Has acute light sensitivity linked to porphyria. Temporary permits cover temporary qualifying conditions.

What it covers

You can use any parking space marked for disabled parking. You can park free on the street in any time-limited space, including metered spots. This does not include privately-owned lots or reserved zones such as fire lanes and loading zones. Your first placard is free. License plates and yellow tabs cost the standard plate fees.

Cost

Your first placard is free. Disabled parking license plates and yellow disabled parking tabs cost the standard vehicle-licensing fees. You renew a permanent placard every 5 years. A temporary placard is valid for up to 1 year.

How to apply

You and a healthcare provider fill out the Disabled Parking Application for Individuals. The provider gives an original signed prescription or electronic authorization. Photocopies are not accepted. Submit it at any vehicle licensing office, or mail it to: Special Plate Unit, Department of Licensing, PO Box 9043, Olympia, WA 98507. You can also apply online for a temporary permit.

Where to go from here

A Matter of Balance

Health promotion

A Matter of Balance is a structured eight-week class developed at Boston University and managed nationally by MaineHealth. Trained coaches lead small groups through discussion and gentle exercises that help participants reduce fear of falling, set realistic goals for activity, change environments to lower fall risk, and exercise to increase strength and balance. The CDC recognizes it as an evidence-based fall prevention program. In Washington it is hosted by Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers, hospitals, and faith communities.

ACRS Care Transitions

Transition support

ACRS Care Transitions gives short-term help to adults coming home after a hospital stay. Staff help them follow their discharge plan, manage medications, get to follow-up appointments, and connect with ongoing community resources. It works alongside the ACRS Health Home program, which offers longer-term Medicaid care coordination through a health plan built around each person's needs.

ACRS Case Management for Older Adults

Case management

ACRS case managers, who speak many languages, meet with homebound older adults and adults with disabilities to understand their needs and build a full care plan around them. The goal is to help older adults live safely at home with support from their families and caregivers. Staff pay close attention to the language and cultural needs of Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities.

ACRS Food Bank

Meals

The ACRS Food Bank gives out healthy foods that fit people's cultures, including rice, tofu, noodles, and fresh produce, matched to the diets of Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander families across King County. Anyone in the community can use it, but the food is chosen for Asian and Pacific Islander cooking that most food banks don't carry.

Not sure this one fits your situation? Your local Area Agency on Aging can check what you qualify for and point you to the right programs, for free. No one will sell your information, and no one will cold-call you.

More: Free services and support →

Source dol.wa.gov/driver-licenses-and-permits/get-or-renew-disabled-parking-permits