How to Fill Out and Submit the Maryland MTA Mobility Application

The Maryland MTA Mobility application is a two-part paratransit eligibility form: you complete Part A about your own situation, a licensed healthcare provider completes Part B about your condition, and the finished packet gets mailed to the MobilityLink Certification Office in Baltimore. The Maryland Transit Administration then has 21 days from receiving a complete application and conducting a functional assessment to issue an eligibility decision.¹

Where to Get the Form

Download the PDF from the MTA’s forms page at mta.maryland.gov/forms. Both English and Spanish versions are posted there.² If you’d rather have a paper copy mailed to you, call the Mobility Certification office at 410-764-8181 and select Option 6.³ General questions about the process can go to the Office of Certification at 410-767-3438.⁴

Completing Part A

Part A is the applicant’s half. You can fill it out yourself, or a caregiver or someone else familiar with your disability can complete it for you. It runs 11 sections, and most are short.⁵

Section 1 asks whether this is a new application or a recertification. If you’re recertifying, include your existing Mobility ID number.
Section 2 collects your name, street address, phone numbers, date of birth, and email. If your mailing address is different from where you live, list both.
Section 3 is emergency contact information: name, phone, and relationship.
Section 4 asks about your current transit use — MTA buses, Light Rail, Metro Subway — and whether you can get to stops and stations. Describe honestly what makes fixed-route transit difficult. This is the core of your eligibility case.
Section 5 covers your primary condition: what it is, when it was diagnosed or began, whether its effects vary from day to day, and whether it’s permanent or temporary.
Section 6 asks which mobility aids you use, from canes and walkers to manual and motorized wheelchairs, scooters, service animals, and oxygen equipment. If you use a wheelchair or scooter, you’ll need to provide its dimensions so the MTA can dispatch a vehicle with the right lift capacity and floor space.
Section 7 asks whether you can perform specific transit-related tasks without help: crossing the street, standing for 20 minutes, stepping on and off curbs, walking on uneven surfaces, and standing on a moving vehicle. It also asks the farthest distance you can travel outdoors.
Section 8 asks whether you’ve completed any travel training programs.
Section 9 is an optional voter registration prompt.
Section 10 is your signature and date certifying the information is accurate.
Section 11 is optional. If you want someone else to handle the application on your behalf, this section appoints them as your agent and addresses HIPAA authorization.

Sections 4 and 7 carry the most weight. A vague answer like “I have trouble walking” tells reviewers very little. “I cannot walk more than one block without stopping, and I cannot stand for more than five minutes at a bus stop” gives them something concrete to evaluate. The more specific and realistic you are about what you can and cannot do, the better the reviewer can judge whether fixed-route transit is a workable option for you.⁵

Completing Part B

Part B has to be filled out and signed by a licensed healthcare professional who knows your condition. It doesn’t have to be a physician. The form accepts a wide range of providers: physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, audiologists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, vocational rehabilitation counselors, respiratory therapists, speech and language pathologists, and independent living specialists.⁵

The provider fills in their license number and the state that issued it, their facility name, and their contact information, including a fax number. Getting these details right matters. The MTA may need to verify credentials or follow up with clinical questions, and incomplete provider contact information is one of the most common reasons applications stall.

The clinical portion asks the provider about the expected duration of your condition, how long they’ve been treating you, the date of your last visit, applicable ICD-10 or DSM diagnostic codes, a written diagnosis, and how the condition affects your ability to travel independently. The provider also notes what mobility equipment you need and any relevant medications. Pick a provider who has treated you recently and can speak to your day-to-day limitations. Someone who saw you once two years ago will not produce the kind of detailed narrative that strengthens an application.⁶

Submitting the Application

Mail the completed packet to:

ATTN: MobilityLink Certification Office, 1st Floor
4201 Patterson Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21215⁵

Before you mail, confirm both Part A and Part B are complete. A missing provider signature or a blank license number field can send the application back to you, which restarts the processing clock. If you have questions before submitting, call 410-764-8181.

What Happens After You Submit

Once your paperwork arrives, MTA staff review it and typically schedule an in-person functional assessment. A certified physical or occupational therapist observes how you handle transit-related tasks like navigating curbs, crossing intersections, and boarding a vehicle. This is not a medical exam. It measures what you can actually do in a transit environment rather than what your diagnosis says on paper. The MTA provides free transportation to and from the assessment.⁷

Federal rules give the MTA up to 21 days from the date it receives a complete application to decide. If the agency misses that deadline, you’re treated as eligible and must be provided paratransit service until the MTA finishes its review and issues a decision.¹

The decision itself comes in one of three forms. Unconditional (permanent) eligibility applies to conditions that aren’t expected to improve, and lets you use Mobility for any trip within the service area without restrictions. Conditional eligibility applies when you can use fixed-route transit under some circumstances but not others; you qualify for Mobility only on trips where specific barriers exist, such as an inaccessible stop, extreme weather, or an architectural obstacle along your route.⁷ Temporary eligibility applies to short-term disabilities like recovery from surgery, and carries an expiration date tied to your expected recovery timeline. If you’re granted conditional or temporary eligibility and believe you should have received full eligibility, you have 60 days from the date on your determination letter to file an appeal.³

If You’re Recertifying

Mobility certification doesn’t last forever. When your eligibility period approaches its end, the MTA sends a notice, and you submit a separate recertification application posted on the same forms page.³ Recertification is generally lighter than an initial application. It usually involves a telephone interview of about 20 minutes rather than a full in-person functional assessment.⁵ Start the process before your current certification expires. If there’s a gap, you won’t be able to book trips until the recertification is finished.

1
eCFR. 49 CFR 37.125 – ADA Paratransit Eligibility
2
Maryland Transit Administration. MTA Forms
3
Maryland Transit Administration. Mobility
4
Maryland Transit Administration. Contact MTA
5
Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). MDOT MTA Certification Application
6
Disability Rights Maryland. MTA Mobility Eligibility Guidance
7
Maryland Transit Administration. MTA Mobility Conditional Eligibility