How to Get a Handicap Placard in Massachusetts

To get a handicap placard in Massachusetts, you fill out the Registry of Motor Vehicles disability placard application, have a healthcare provider complete and sign the medical certification section, and mail the form to the RMV’s Medical Affairs office. There is no fee, and processing takes about 30 business days.¹²

Who Qualifies

Massachusetts sets specific medical standards for a disability placard. You’re eligible if any of the following applies:

Cardiovascular disease classified as Class III or Class IV under American Heart Association standards.
A forced expiratory volume (FEV-1) of less than one liter per second, a condition requiring continuous oxygen therapy, or blood oxygen saturation at or below 88% even with supplemental oxygen.
Central visual acuity of 20/200 or worse in your better eye with corrective lenses, or a visual field no wider than 20 degrees.
Inability to walk 200 feet without needing to stop and rest.

The oxygen saturation and visual field measurements qualify on their own, not only alongside the headline diagnoses.³

How to Apply

Download the disability placard application from the RMV website, or pick one up at any RMV service center.⁴ The form has two parts.

You fill out the first part with your personal information. Your healthcare provider fills out the second part, verifying your disability and indicating whether the condition is permanent or temporary.⁴ Check both halves before you send anything. An unsigned medical section or illegible provider contact information is the most common reason an application stalls.

Mail the completed form to:

Registry of Motor Vehicles
Medical Affairs
PO Box 55889
Boston, MA 02205-5889

There is no fee.² The RMV asks you to allow at least 30 business days, though the actual turnaround depends on application volume.¹ Once approved, the placard is mailed to your home. The RMV doesn’t provide tracking numbers for standard placard deliveries.

Permanent or Temporary

Your healthcare provider decides which type you get based on how long your condition is expected to last. A temporary placard is issued when the disability is expected to last at least two months but less than 24 months, and the expiration date matches the expected duration of the condition.³ A permanent placard is issued when the condition is expected to last indefinitely, and it’s valid for five years.¹

Using the Placard

The placard belongs to the person it was issued to, not to a vehicle, so you can move it between cars. It only grants parking privileges when that person is actually entering or exiting the vehicle. Hang it from the rearview mirror with the permit number facing the windshield when parked, and remove it before driving.⁵

Misuse carries real consequences. Driving with the placard displayed is a $50 fine. Letting someone else use your placard to park in an accessible space brings a $500 fine, loss of your disabled parking privileges, and a 30-day suspension of your driver’s license.⁵

Renewal

Permanent placards renew automatically. The RMV mails a replacement about two weeks before the current one expires. When the new placard arrives, mail the expired one back to the Medical Affairs office at the same PO Box 55889 address.¹

Temporary placards don’t renew automatically. If your condition continues past the expiration date, submit a new application with fresh medical certification to the same address, and allow another 30 business days.¹

Disability License Plates as an Alternative

If you always drive the same vehicle, you can apply for a disability license plate instead of (or in addition to) a placard. The application process and medical eligibility standards are the same.⁴ A plate stays attached to one car; a placard moves with you between cars. People who are usually driven by others, or who switch vehicles often, tend to prefer the placard for that reason.

1
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Renew Your Temporary Disability Placard
2
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Return a Disability Placard of a Deceased Person to the RMV
3
Legal Information Institute. 540 CMR 17.03 – General Requirements and Eligibility Standards
4
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Apply for a Disability Placard or License Plate
5
Mass.gov. Registry of Motor Vehicles – Dos and Don’ts of Disabled Parking