Nassau County Handicap Parking Permit: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

To get a Nassau County handicap parking permit, apply through your local town or village clerk, or through the Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged, using Form MV-664.1 with a medical certification from a qualifying provider. The permit is free, and many offices issue it the same day you walk in.

Where to Apply Based on Where You Live

The New York DMV does not issue parking permits. State law requires every city, town, and village to appoint a local agent, usually the municipal clerk, to handle them.¹ Where you file depends on your address within Nassau County.

If you live in an unincorporated area, apply to the clerk of the Town of Hempstead, North Hempstead, or Oyster Bay.
If you live in an incorporated village or city such as Glen Cove or Long Beach, apply through that municipality’s clerk.
Nassau County’s Office for the Physically Challenged also issues permits for residents of many areas within the county.

If you aren’t sure which office covers your location, call the OPC at (516) 571-3147 and ask.²

What You Need to Bring

The form is the Application for a Parking Permit or License Plates for Persons with Severe Disabilities, Form MV-664.1. You can download it from the DMV website or pick one up at the clerk’s office. It has two parts.

Part 1 is yours: full legal name, home address, and your New York State driver’s license or non-driver ID number. Part 2 is for your medical provider, who enters your diagnosis and certifies that your condition meets the legal criteria for a permit. Bring the completed form and your New York State driver’s license or non-driver ID to the issuing office. There is no fee.¹

If you can’t come in person, most offices accept applications by mail; expect a couple of weeks for processing rather than same-day issuance. In place of the MV-664.1, your provider can also write the certification on their professional letterhead describing your condition and confirming it qualifies under the law. Some local offices use their own forms as well, so a quick call ahead can save a return trip.¹

Who Can Sign the Medical Certification

For a permanent permit, any of the following providers can complete Part 2:³

Medical Doctor (MD)
Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)
Physician Assistant (PA)
Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Podiatrist, for foot-related disabilities only
Optometrist, for blindness only

For a temporary permit, only an MD or DO may sign. If you have an obvious, visually identifiable disability such as a missing limb, or you already hold disability license plates, the issuing office may waive the medical certification requirement.²

Who Qualifies

New York law ties eligibility to specific conditions that limit mobility. You qualify if any of the following applies:

You cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
You require portable oxygen to breathe.
You have limited or no use of one or both legs.
You have a neuromuscular disorder that severely limits your mobility.
You are legally blind.
You have a physical or mental condition that a licensed medical professional certifies creates an equal degree of difficulty getting around.

Eligibility attaches to the person, not a vehicle.⁴ You do not need a driver’s license or a car. The permit belongs to you and can be used in any vehicle you ride in, whether you are the driver or a passenger.⁵

Permanent and Temporary Permits

Nassau County issues two hangtag types. The permanent (blue) hangtag is for long-term or lifelong disabilities and is valid for up to five years from the date of issue.⁶ The temporary (red) hangtag covers short-term situations such as a broken leg or post-surgical recovery and is valid for up to six months, with the certifying physician setting the exact expiration date based on your expected recovery.⁴

What the Permit Does and Doesn’t Cover

Hang the permit from the rearview mirror when the vehicle is parked in an accessible space, and take it down before driving. Leaving it hanging while the vehicle is moving obstructs your view and can draw a ticket.⁴ The permit is recognized statewide and works in any New York city, town, or village.⁵

One rule catches people out: the permit holder must be in the vehicle when accessible parking is used. You cannot lend your hangtag to a family member running errands without you. The permit is for the person, not the car, and only applies when that person is being transported.⁵ Officers may verify that the person using the space matches the registered permit holder. Local parking time limits also still apply. A two-hour meter is still a two-hour meter.

Metered Parking Is a Separate Waiver

A standard disability parking permit does not exempt you from paying meters. That is a separate benefit, the Metered Parking Waiver, which lets you park at metered spaces across New York State (excluding New York City) without paying. You must be the driver and cannot have a passenger able to pay the meter. Posted time limits still apply. In a metered space that is also reserved for people with disabilities, you need to display both the permit and the waiver.⁷

New York City and Out-of-State Use

This trips up Nassau residents regularly. The state disability permit is valid statewide, but inside New York City it only covers off-street parking, meaning parking garages, shopping center lots, and campus lots. It does not authorize parking in on-street accessible spaces in the five boroughs.⁸ If you drive into the city often, apply separately for the NYC Parking Permit for People with Disabilities (NYC PPPD), which does cover on-street spaces. Both city residents and non-residents living in the United States are eligible.

For travel outside New York, the state honors out-of-state permits and plates, and most other states honor New York’s. There is no guaranteed nationwide reciprocity, so if you’re planning a trip, check with the destination state’s motor vehicle agency first.⁴

Renewing or Replacing the Permit

Permanent permits expire after up to five years. When yours is approaching expiration, contact the same office that issued it, whether that was your town or village clerk or the Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged, and ask about renewal. You should expect to submit a current medical certification so the office can confirm your condition still qualifies.

If your permit is lost or stolen, file a police report first. You will need the incident report, including the permit type and number, when you request a replacement from your local issuing office. For a damaged permit, return the damaged hangtag and a replacement will be provided. There is generally no fee for replacements, though processing times vary. A call to the Nassau County OPC at (516) 571-3147 will point you to the right contact.²

1
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Parking for People with Disabilities
2
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. MV-664.3 – How To Apply For License Plates Or Parking Permits For Persons With Severe Disabilities
3
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Application for a Parking Permit or License Plates for Persons with Severe Disabilities
4
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Parking for People with Disabilities – The Law
5
New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Code 1203-a – Parking Permits for Handicapped Persons
6
NYC311. State Parking Permit for People with Disabilities
7
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Metered Parking Waiver Information
8
NYC DOT. Parking Permits for People with Disabilities