To renew a handicap placard in PA, complete Sections A and E of PennDOT Form MV-145A, get a healthcare provider’s signature in Section E, and submit the form online, by mail, or in person. The renewal is free. PennDOT mails a renewal notice about 60 days before your placard expires, but you can start the process on your own if the notice never arrives.
When to Renew
Permanent disability placards and Severely Disabled Veteran placards are valid for five years. PennDOT renews them on a rolling cycle in March and September, and the expiration date is printed on the placard itself.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Apply for or Renew a Persons with Disability Parking Placard Watch your mail roughly 60 days before that date. If you’ve moved, update your address with PennDOT so the renewal notice reaches you.
Temporary placards, which are valid for up to six months, cannot be renewed. If you still need one after it expires, you have to file a fresh application with new medical certification, not a renewal.
What You Need to Fill Out
Form MV-145A is the single form for original applications, renewals, and replacements. For a renewal, you only need to complete two sections:2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Form MV-145A, Person with Disability Parking Placard Application
- Section A: your name, address, date of birth, and Pennsylvania driver’s license or photo ID number.
- Section E: the declaration you sign, plus the healthcare provider’s certification, printed name, signature, and medical license number.
Check the “RENEWAL REQUEST” box near the top of the form and write in your existing placard number. That number is on your current placard and on any renewal notice PennDOT sent. Section B, the longer medical certification, is required only for first-time applications.
Eligible healthcare providers include physicians (MD or DO), chiropractors, podiatrists, optometrists, physician assistants, and certified registered nurse practitioners licensed in Pennsylvania or a bordering state. The condition they certify must fall within their scope of practice.
Section E includes a statement you sign under penalty of perjury. False statements can be prosecuted as unsworn falsification under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 4904, with possible imprisonment of up to one year.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Form MV-145A, Person with Disability Parking Placard Application
How to Submit Your Renewal
PennDOT offers three ways to file, and all of them are free.
Online
The fastest option. Log in to PennDOT’s placard portal using your DPPP ID number, or scan the QR code on your renewal notice with your phone.3Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. PLACARD – Login The portal also handles address changes and replacements. If you’ve moved since your last renewal, update your address before submitting.
By Mail
Send the completed MV-145A to:
PennDOT, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 68268
Harrisburg, PA 17106-8268
Confirm every required field is filled in and legible. Incomplete forms are the most common cause of delay.
In Person
Bring the completed form to the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg. Walk-in applicants get the permanent placard on the spot and a temporary ID card, with the permanent wallet-size ID card mailed separately.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Apply for or Renew a Persons with Disability Parking Placard
After You Submit
Online and mailed renewals take a few weeks to process. Once approved, PennDOT mails the new placard and ID card to the address on file. If 90 days pass and nothing arrives, submit a fresh MV-145A with the “Never Received” box checked. For status questions, contact PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services directly.
Store the new placard somewhere safe when you aren’t using it. PennDOT notes that extreme heat and sunlight can damage placards over their five-year life.
If Your Placard Is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged
Replacement is a separate process from renewal, even though it uses the same form. Request a replacement through PennDOT’s online portal, or file Form MV-145A by mail with the replacement box checked.4Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Apply for a Replacement Person with Disability Parking Placard Your previous placard number stays on file with PennDOT, so you don’t need to have it memorized.
Once a replacement is issued, the original placard is void. If it later turns up, return it to PennDOT. For temporary placards, a replacement covers only the time left on the original six-month period, not a new six months.