How to Complete the Wisconsin Disabled Parking Permit Application: MV2548 or MV2933

To apply for a Wisconsin disabled parking permit, download the correct form from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, have a licensed healthcare provider certify the “Eligibility” section, and mail the completed application to the Special Plates Unit in Madison. The permanent placard is free, the temporary placard costs six dollars, and both use forms that live on the WisDOT website.

Pick the Right Form First

Wisconsin uses a different form for each situation, and sending the wrong one is the most common reason applications come back.

Choose a placard if you want a portable permit you can carry between vehicles. Choose plates if you want the authorization built into one vehicle. You can hold both: a person with disabled parking plates may also receive one placard, and a person without plates may hold up to two placards.5Wisconsin State Legislature. Chapter Trans 130

Do You Medically Qualify?

Wisconsin law covers a person “with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk,” and defines that broadly. You meet the threshold if any one of the following applies:6Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 340.01(43g)

  • You cannot walk 200 feet or more without stopping to rest.
  • You cannot walk without help from another person or a brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, or wheelchair.
  • Your forced expiratory volume in one second is less than one liter, or your arterial oxygen tension is below 60 mmHg on room air at rest.
  • You use portable oxygen.
  • Your cardiac condition is classified as Class III or IV under American Heart Association standards.
  • You are severely limited in your ability to walk by an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.

The same list applies to every form. Anyone who meets the ADA definition as it applies to walking limitations also qualifies.

Get the Medical Certification Signed

Every application requires a licensed healthcare professional to certify your eligibility. Under Wis. Stat. 343.51, the certifier can be a physician (MD or DO), advanced practice registered nurse, public health nurse, physician assistant, podiatrist, chiropractor, or a Wisconsin-resident Christian Science practitioner listed in the Christian Science Journal.7Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 343.51 Effective September 1, 2026, 2025 Wisconsin Act 17 adds physical therapists to the list. The provider must be licensed in any U.S. state, not necessarily Wisconsin. For veteran plates, a VA healthcare specialist certifies instead.

The provider completes the “Eligibility” section: check the qualifying condition, indicate whether the disability is permanent or temporary, then sign and date. For a temporary permit, the provider also states the expected duration of the disability, and the placard will not be issued for longer than six months from certification. A missing signature, missing date, or unchecked condition box will get the application rejected, which means another trip to the provider. WisDOT also offers an online Disabled Parking Certification System where providers can submit the eligibility portion electronically.

Fill Out Your Section

You complete the applicant portion yourself. Enter your full legal name, date of birth, and residential address exactly as they appear on your Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID. If you are renewing a permanent permit, check the “Renewal” box on MV2548. If you are asking for a second placard, note that on the form.

MV2162 has additional fields the placard forms don’t. You must identify who owns or leases the vehicle receiving the plates: the person with the disability, a regular caregiver, an employer, or a trust with the person as beneficiary. You’ll also need the VIN and current plate number. Only permanent disabilities qualify for plates.

Sign the bottom. Your signature attests that the information is truthful. Check every field before you seal the envelope; a transposed digit or a blank signature line is enough to bounce the form back.

Where to Send It and What It Costs

Placard applications (MV2548 and MV2933) go to:8Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Disabled Parking Identification Permit (Permanent Disability)

WisDOT
Special Plates Unit – DIS ID
P.O. Box 7306
Madison, WI 53707-7306

License plate applications (MV2162) go to a different box:

WisDOT Special Plates Unit
P.O. Box 7911
Madison, WI 53707-79119Wisconsin Department of Transportation. License Plate Availability

Sending a placard application to the plates address, or the reverse, will delay processing. If a fee applies, include a check or money order payable to “Registration Fee Trust.”

You can also submit in person at a DMV customer service center that handles DIS ID permits. Not every location does, so check the WisDOT site or call ahead. In-person submissions add a three-dollar counter service fee.10Wisconsin Department of Transportation. DMV Fees

Fees at a glance:

After You Submit

WisDOT mails placards to your home address. Processing times fluctuate; the department recommends checking current turnaround on its website. For disabled parking plates, allow four to six weeks after you receive your certificate of registration. If you apply in person, the clerk may issue a temporary paper authorization so you can use disabled spaces while the card is on its way.

Your package will include the placard and an identification card. Keep the ID card with you or in the vehicle, because officers may ask to see it to verify the placard is yours. If you request a replacement or second placard, WisDOT requires you to keep a copy of the completed application on your person or in the vehicle and show it to any officer who asks.

Renewals and Replacements

A permanent blue placard expires after four years. Renewing means submitting a new MV2548 with fresh medical recertification, mailed the same way as the original. Check the “Renewal” box. WisDOT does not waive recertification, even if your condition is obviously permanent.

For a lost, stolen, or damaged permanent placard, submit a new MV2548 marked as a replacement. You do not need new medical certification as long as your current permit has not expired; WisDOT has your eligibility on file. Replacements by mail are free.

Temporary placards can’t be renewed. If your recovery runs long, submit a new MV2933 with a fresh certification. Each temporary placard is capped at six months, and consecutive six-month applications are allowed as long as your provider keeps certifying the need.

Display Rules Once It Arrives

When you park in a disabled space, hang the placard from the interior rearview mirror with the registration information and expiration date facing out through the windshield. It must be readable from outside the vehicle; tucked on a visor or laid face-down on the dashboard does not count.5Wisconsin State Legislature. Chapter Trans 130

Take it down before you drive. Leaving the placard hanging while the vehicle is in motion obstructs the windshield, and you can be fined up to $100. The placard is legitimate; displaying it at the wrong time is what turns it into a ticket.