Michigan Form BFS-108 is the two-part application for a disability parking placard from the Michigan Department of State. You fill in your personal information on Part 1, a licensed medical professional certifies your qualifying condition on Part 2, and you submit the completed form by mail or in person at any Secretary of State branch office. Your first placard is free. Initial applications cannot be filed online; that option is reserved for renewals and replacements.
Do You Qualify
Michigan law ties eligibility to specific physical conditions that limit your ability to walk. You only need to meet one. The qualifying conditions on BFS-108 are:
- Inability to walk more than 200 feet without stopping to rest, due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.
- Blindness, certified by an optometrist, physician, or physician assistant.
- Severe lung disease, defined as a forced expiratory volume (FEV1) under one liter on spirometry, or arterial oxygen tension below 60 mm/hg at rest on room air.
- Persistent reliance on a portable oxygen source other than ordinary air.
- A cardiovascular condition at Class III or IV on the New York Heart Association scale, or one that prevents you from meeting a minimum cardiovascular standard set by the American Heart Association.
- An arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition that severely limits walking, even if you can cover more than 200 feet.
- Loss of, or loss of use of, one or both legs or feet.
The condition can be permanent or temporary. A temporary placard runs up to six months; a permanent placard covers longer-term or lifelong conditions.
Who Can Sign Part 2
Part 2 of the form must be completed and signed by a licensed healthcare professional who has examined you. The authorized signers under Michigan’s Vehicle Code are:
- Physicians (MD or DO)
- Physician assistants
- Chiropractors
- Physical therapists
- Optometrists, for blindness certification only
Nurse practitioners are not currently authorized to sign BFS-108. Legislation has been introduced to add them, but until it passes, if your primary care provider is a nurse practitioner you will need a physician or physician assistant to complete Part 2.
The certifier must print their name, write their license number, sign, and date the form. If the signature or license number is not legible, the application will be rejected.
Filling Out the Form
Part 1: Your Information
Enter your full legal name, date of birth, Michigan driver’s license or state ID number, and your Michigan street address. Use the address on file with the Secretary of State. That is where the placard will be mailed.
Part 2: Medical Certification
Your medical professional checks the box for the qualifying condition, writes in a diagnosis if the 200-foot walking limitation is the basis, and indicates whether the condition is permanent or temporary. For a temporary condition, they write the expected duration in months, up to six. Everything is on the single BFS-108 sheet, front and back; there is no separate Part 2 document.
A common mistake: applicants check the condition boxes themselves and bring the form to the doctor only for a signature. The medical professional should be the one marking the condition and writing the diagnosis. A signature over your choices is not what the form asks for, and it can get the application bounced.
Submitting the Application
Once Part 1 and Part 2 are complete, you have two ways to submit:
- By mail, to Michigan Department of State, Internal Services Section, P.O. Box 30764, Lansing, MI 48918-8264.
- In person, at any Secretary of State branch office.
First-time applications cannot be filed online. The Secretary of State’s online system is for renewals and replacements only.
Cost and What You Receive
Your first placard is free, whether permanent or temporary. There is no application fee.
After processing, the Department of State mails the placard to the address on your state-issued ID. Each one carries a unique serial number and an expiration date. An original permanent placard expires on your fifth birthday after it was issued. A renewal permanent placard expires on your fourth birthday after the renewal date. A temporary placard is valid for the number of months your medical professional specified, up to six.
Renewing or Replacing Later
Permanent placards must be renewed every four years. You can start the renewal up to 45 days before expiration, or up to six months early if you will be out of state when it expires. Renewals do not require a new BFS-108 form and can be handled online, by mail (Michigan Department of State, Internal Services Section, 7064 Crowner Drive, Lansing, MI 48909-8264), or at a branch office.
A replacement for a lost or stolen placard costs $10 and can also be handled online, by mail, or in person. If the placard is physically damaged but you still have it, the replacement is free.