How to Get a Handicap Placard in California: Apply, Renew, Replace

To get a handicap placard in California, fill out DMV Form REG 195, have a licensed medical provider complete and sign the certification section, and submit the form online through the DMV virtual office, by mail, or at any DMV field office. A permanent placard is free and typically arrives in two to four weeks.¹

Who Qualifies

California issues disabled person parking placards to people with impaired mobility. You may qualify if you have lost the use of one or more legs or both hands, have a diagnosed disease that significantly limits your ability to get around, cannot move without a wheelchair, walker, cane, or similar device, have documented low vision or partial sightedness, or have a specific heart or lung condition that limits mobility.²

The cardiovascular and respiratory category is the one people most often overlook. If heart failure or a chronic lung condition makes walking across a parking lot genuinely difficult, you may qualify even without a visible impairment or an assistive device.

Getting the Medical Certification

You cannot self-certify. A licensed medical professional has to complete the medical section of the REG 195 and describe your condition in full. Physicians, surgeons, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse midwives can certify most qualifying conditions. Chiropractors are limited to conditions involving loss of use of the lower extremities or mobility impairment. Optometrists and eye specialists can only certify vision-related disabilities.²

The certification must be legible and signed. If the DMV cannot read the handwriting or the form is incomplete, it gets sent back and the clock starts over. If your provider’s office has bad handwriting, ask them to print clearly or type the description.

Choose the Right Placard

Before you submit anything, know which of the four placard types you’re applying for. That decision drives the fee and the expiration date.

Permanent placard, for long-term or permanent disabilities. Valid two years, expiring June 30 of every odd-numbered year. No fee.
Temporary placard, for conditions expected to improve. Valid up to 180 days or until the date your provider specifies, whichever comes first. Costs $6.
Travel placard for California residents who already have a permanent placard or disabled person plates. Valid 30 days. No fee.
Travel placard for nonresidents visiting California with a permanent disability. Valid up to 90 days or the date your provider notes, whichever is shorter.

If your disability qualifies as permanent, apply for the permanent placard. There’s no reason to take the temporary one and pay the $6 fee when a longer, free credential is available.¹³

How to Submit Your Application

The REG 195 is the only form you need. Download it from the California DMV website or pick one up at any field office. Fill in your personal information, including your driver’s license or state ID number, and have your provider complete and sign the medical section. Have a form of identity ready as well, such as a California driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. birth certificate, or valid U.S. passport.¹

Online

The fastest option is the DMV virtual office. Upload a scan or photo of the completed and signed REG 195, upload proof of identity, and pay any applicable fees with a bank account or credit card. Online applications are typically processed in about two weeks.⁴

By Mail

Mail the completed REG 195 to the address printed on the form. Include the $6 fee if you’re applying for a temporary placard.

In Person

Walk into any California DMV field office with the completed form and your identification. No appointment is needed for placard applications. By mail or in person, expect the placard to arrive in two to four weeks.⁵

What the Placard Lets You Do

Under California Vehicle Code Section 22511.5, a valid placard lets you park:

In any space marked with the wheelchair symbol
Next to a blue curb designated for disabled parking
Next to a green curb (normally time-limited) for as long as needed
At any on-street metered space without paying the meter
In zones that normally require a resident or merchant parking permit

The free metered parking alone adds up in cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles, where meters run several dollars per hour.⁶

The placard does not override zones where stopping or parking is prohibited outright. A red curb still means no parking, and fire lanes and bus zones remain off limits.⁶

After You Receive It

Renewing a Permanent Placard

Permanent placards renew automatically every two years, with all placards expiring on June 30 of odd-numbered years. You don’t need a new doctor’s note, and there’s no fee. Every six years, the DMV mails a renewal notice asking for your signature to confirm you’re still eligible. Once the DMV receives your signature online or by mail, the new placard ships in two to four weeks. After two automatic renewals, the third renewal requires a new REG 195, but no new medical certification.⁵²

Renewing a Temporary Placard

Temporary placards can be renewed up to six consecutive times. After that, you have to submit a new application with a fresh medical certification. If your condition has become permanent by then, ask your provider to certify you for a permanent placard instead.¹

Replacing a Lost or Damaged Placard

If your placard is lost, stolen, or damaged, file a REG 156 form to get a substitute. There is no fee for replacing a permanent or travel placard. California limits you to four replacement permanent placards within each two-year renewal cycle. If you need a fifth, you’ll have to start over with a new REG 195.⁷⁸

Returning a Placard

If the placard holder passes away or no longer qualifies, the placard should be returned to the DMV or destroyed. Continuing to use a placard that belongs to someone who has died carries the same penalties as any other placard fraud.

Penalties for Misuse

Under Vehicle Code Section 4461, you can be penalized for lending your placard to someone else, displaying a placard that wasn’t issued to you, or using a placard that has been canceled or revoked. The one exception: another person may use your placard while transporting you or staying in your reasonable proximity.⁹

Violations can be charged as a civil parking citation with a fine of $250 to $1,000, or as a misdemeanor carrying the same fine range, up to six months in county jail, or both. Which route the case takes depends on the circumstances and the officer’s discretion, but $250 is the floor either way. A misdemeanor conviction also creates a criminal record, which makes borrowing a family member’s placard a poor trade for a shorter walk.⁹

1
California Department of Motor Vehicles. Disabled Person Parking Placards and Plates
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California Department of Motor Vehicles. Application for Disabled Person Placard or Plates
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California Department of Motor Vehicles. Registration Fees
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California Department of Motor Vehicles. Disabled Person Parking Placard Application
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California Department of Motor Vehicles. Permanent Disabled Person Parking Placard Renewal
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California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 22511.5
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California Department of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual – Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents (REG 156) Form
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New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. California Code of Regulations 182.03 – Substitute Permanent Disabled Person Placards
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California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 4461