Georgia Handicap Parking Permit: MV-9D Form and Placard Types

To apply for a Georgia handicap parking permit, download Form MV-9D from the Georgia Department of Revenue website, complete your portion, have a licensed healthcare provider certify your qualifying disability, and take or mail the finished form to the County Tag Office where you live.¹ The placard costs nothing, and many offices issue it during the same in-person visit.²

Who Qualifies

Georgia’s qualifying conditions are set out in O.C.G.A. § 40-6-221. You may qualify if any one of the following describes you:³

You cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
You need a brace, cane, crutch, wheelchair, prosthetic device, or another person’s assistance to walk.
Your forced respiratory volume is less than one liter per second on a spirometry test, or your resting arterial oxygen level falls below 60 millimeters of mercury on room air.
You use portable oxygen.
You have a cardiac condition classified as Class III or Class IV under American Heart Association standards.
An arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition severely limits your ability to walk, including complications from pregnancy.
Your corrected central visual acuity is 20/200 or worse in your better eye, or your visual field is 20 degrees or narrower.

The Department of Revenue also recognizes hearing impairment, defined as hearing that is totally gone or so limited that you cannot understand normal conversational speech.² A licensed healthcare provider has to confirm on the form that your condition fits one of these criteria.

Filling Out Form MV-9D

Form MV-9D is a one-page PDF on the Georgia Department of Revenue website.¹ It has two halves: yours and your provider’s.

Your half asks for your full legal name, residential address, and Georgia driver’s license or state ID number. Copy those directly from your actual ID. A mismatched name or a wrong ID number is the fastest way to get the form kicked back.

Your healthcare provider fills out the medical certification. Georgia accepts signatures from doctors of medicine, osteopathic physicians, podiatrists, optometrists, chiropractors, licensed advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants.⁴ The provider names the disability, marks whether it is temporary or permanent, lists a medical license number and office address, and signs and dates the form. Without that certification, the application will not be processed.

Before you leave the provider’s office, check that every box is marked, the signature is legible, and the temporary-versus-permanent box is filled in. Leaving that one blank is a common reason forms come back for correction.

Submitting the Form

Take the completed Form MV-9D to the County Tag Office in the county where you live, or mail it to that office. Either way, include a copy of your valid Georgia driver’s license or state ID. There is no fee for the placard.²

In person is faster. Many tag offices verify the form and hand you the placard on the spot. If you mail it, the placard arrives at your home address within several business days, depending on the office’s workload.

Which Permit You Will Receive

What your provider checks on the affidavit determines which placard the tag office issues.

Temporary Permit

A temporary placard is red and used for conditions expected to resolve. Its expiration date matches the provider’s projected recovery timeline and cannot exceed 180 days from issuance.⁴ If your condition outlasts the estimate, you need a new affidavit and a new application.

Permanent Placard (Blue)

The standard permanent placard is blue and valid for four years from the issue date.⁴ It covers disabilities expected to last more than 180 days. To renew, submit a fresh MV-9D with new medical certification to your County Tag Office.

Special Permanent Placard (Gold)

Georgia issues a gold placard to two groups: people who drive vehicles equipped with hand controls for the brake and accelerator, and people who have lost the use of both upper extremities.⁴ It carries the same parking privileges as the blue placard and also entitles the holder to self-service pricing at gas stations that sell both service levels, provided the driver is alone or with only a passenger who is also mobility-impaired or under 16. The gold placard is also valid for four years.

Disabled Person’s License Plate

You can also apply for a disabled person’s license plate instead of, or alongside, the placard. The plate is attached to one specific vehicle, so it only works for accessible parking when that car is being used. Applying for the plate requires the MV-9D affidavit, a completed Form MV-1 Tag and Title Application, proof of insurance, and a $20 annual license plate fee.² The plate renews with your regular vehicle registration.

Displaying and Using the Placard

When parked in a designated accessible space, hang the placard from the rearview mirror or lay it on the driver’s side of the dashboard, facing outward.⁴ Remove it before driving so it does not block your view.

The placard belongs to you, not to a car. You can use it in any vehicle you are driving or riding in.² A friend or family member can drive you and park in an accessible space as long as you are in the car. Nobody may use your placard when you are not present.

Penalties for Misuse

Georgia’s misuse penalties come in two tiers under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-226:⁵

Obtaining a placard through fraud, counterfeiting a placard, or knowingly making a false statement on the application or medical affidavit is a misdemeanor.
Using someone else’s placard when the holder is not in the vehicle, or parking in a disabled space without proper authorization, carries a fine of $100 to $500.

A vehicle parked illegally in an accessible space marked with a “Tow-Away Zone” sign can also be towed at the owner’s expense.⁵ Most misuse charges come from well-meaning relatives running errands with a family member’s placard while the holder is at home, so it is worth being clear with anyone who borrows your car.

1
Georgia Department of Revenue. MV-9D Disabled Person’s Parking Affidavit
2
Department of Revenue. Disabled Person’s License Plates and Parking Permits
3
Justia Law. Georgia Code 40-6-221 – Definitions
4
Justia Law. Georgia Code 40-2-74.1 – Temporary, Permanent, and Special Permanent Parking Permits for Persons with Disabilities
5
Justia Law. Georgia Code 40-6-226 – Offenses and Penalties