In order to receive special parking permits or license plates, handicap drivers must have permanent disabilities or ailments that affect their mobility. If a driver cannot use one or more of their legs or walk at least 200 feet without rest, they qualify to receive handicap permits and license plates in New York. Other disorders that may inhibit drivers from moving regularly, such as neuro-muscular dysfunction, arthritic, neurological and orthopedic conditions, also qualify them to receive handicap parking privileges. If a driver suffers from class three or four cardiac illness, is legally blind, has lung disease or any other ailment that may limit their mobility, he may also qualify for handicap parking.
Drivers can only qualify for handicapped parking permits and license plates if they provide the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles with proof of disability from a medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy or doctor of podiatric medicine.The NYS DMV provides handicapped drivers with an "Application for License Plates and Parking Permits for People with Severe Disabilities," which can be completed by a specified doctor as proof of disability. A written statement can also be provided by a doctor, medical facility or office of vocational rehabilitation, as long as it describes the need for the handicap parking consideration and includes the license number and signature of the doctor on an official letterhead. Doctors practicing in other states must include their state licensing information along with the other requested criteria. Handicap permits and license plates may be issued without a written notice from a doctor if the driver has an obvious medical disability, such as an incomplete limb that may hinder their mobility. If any of this information is falsified by drivers or their doctors, it will considered a criminal violation of the New York State Vehicle & Traffic Law and NYS Penal Law. The penalty for breaking these laws range in fines from $250 to $1,000.
To provide the easiest access to facilities, marked parking spaces are made available for drivers with handicap permits and license plates. New York facility owners must provide these spaces complete with signs at shopping centers with more than five stores, retail stores, and on the street. Site owners who fail to provide these provisions may be fined up to $250. New York City does not provide handicap parking spaces on the street without a city permit from the NYC Department of Transportation.
