If you suffer from either a permanent or a temporary physical disability that hinders your mobility, even the simple task of going to the grocery store to buy food may seem like a Herculean task to you. Thankfully, handicapped parking spaces (which are positioned much closer to the entrances of stores and other businesses) have been made available for people like you. You simply need a disabled parking permit in order to use the handicapped parking spaces.
But how does one obtain a disabled parking permit? Who is qualified for a permit, and what are the requirements and steps necessary to get it? Each state in the US has its own set of rules for determining who is qualified to receive a disabled parking permit. Read on to discover the simple steps you should take to get a disabled parking permit if you live in the state of Alaska.
See If You Meet the Qualifications
The rules in Alaska which dictate who is qualified to receive a disabled parking permit are similar to many other states, but there are a few qualifications specific to Alaska as well. Check the list below to see if any of the items applies to you. If so, then you most likely qualify for a disabled parking permit and can begin your application.
You qualify for a permanent disabled parking permit if:
- A qualified Alaskan medical professional determines upon examining you that your mobility is impaired or that you suffer from a condition which hinders your mobility
- You are unable to walk without using a brace, cane, crutch, another person, prosthetic device, Zimmer frame, wheelchair, or other assistive device
- You are an amputee
- You are dependent on a portable oxygen tank
- You have a chronic inflammatory autoimmune condition such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
- You have a severe heart condition classified as either Class III or Class IV according to the standards set by the American Heart Association
- You are restricted by lung disease
- You are unable to walk 200 feet or more without assistance or stopping and resting
- Your mobility is limited or impaired due to an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition
- You have lung disease with forced expiratory volume (FEV) in 1 second is less than 1 liter or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg on room air at rest
You may qualify for a temporary disabled parking permit if:
- You are pregnant
- You are undergoing a period of rehabilitation after surgery
- You have a badly broken bone
- You are temporarily disabled or have a temporary mobility issue
Obtain a Physician’s or Medical Professional’s Certification
Perhaps the hardest and most tedious step in obtaining a disabled parking permit is filling out the requisite paperwork completely and correctly. For getting a permit in Alaska, go to the DMV and pick up Form 861: Application for Disabled Parking Identification (you can also download it from the DMV website and print it out).
Once you have the form, fill out part 1 and bring it to your doctor or qualified medical professional to get certified. A qualified medical professional must be one who is licensed to practice in the state of Alaska, such as a licensed physician, physician’s assistant, podiatrist, nurse practitioner, or chiropractor.
After you have been examined by the qualified medical professional and he or she deems you to be medically qualified for the disabled parking permit, he or she will fill out Part 2 of Form 861 for you.
Send the Form to the DMV
After obtaining a doctor or medical practitioner’s certification, mail the form to the DMV or bring it in person to the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles office in Anchorage. If you choose to mail it, send it to the address below:
State of Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles
ATTN: Disability Permit
1300 W. Benson Blvd, Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99503
In Alaska, disabled parking placards are free, and if you are applying for a disabled license plate or veterans plate for the first time, those are free as well.
Any applications for a disabled license plate must be made in person at the DMV, unless you live in a region too remote from the DMV for travel to be practical, in which case you can mail in your application form.
If you wish to apply for a disabled veterans license plate, you must include with your application a disability certification from the VA.
Types of Disabled Parking Permits in Alaska
Alaska offers a few different kinds of disabled parking permits. The temporary placard is valid for six months. A permanent placard is valid for five years. A handicapped license plate and a disabled veteran’s license plate are also permanent and valid for five years. Each permit is valid until the end of the month displayed on the placard.
What to Do Once You Receive Your Permit
Make sure that you received the correct form of disabled parking permit. If you applied for and were certified for a permanent permit but you received a temporary permit, call the DMV to find out if there is something amiss with your application.
Take the placard with you when you are travelling by car and, after you park your car in a designated handicapped space, hang the placard from the rearview mirror of your car so it is clearly visible through the front windshield. If you have no rear view mirror, simply place the placard obviously and visibly on the dashboard. Remember to remove the placard and stow it safely away before the car is set in motion again. Failure to do so could result in a citation, since the hanging placard will block your vision and be considered an obstruction. License plates and veterans plates should be screwed to the front and back bumpers of your car.
You can use your disabled parking permit to park in any handicapped parking space in Alaska. You can also use it in most other states, but you should consult the DMV of that state beforehand to make sure. Alaska considers all other states’ disabled parking permits to be valid within its borders.
Permit Renewal and Replacement
In Alaska, in order to renew an expired permit or replace a lost permit, you must start over with a completely new application and get a new certification from a medical professional. Alaska is different from many other states in this regard, because in those other states, you do not have to get recertified by a physician.
Conclusion
We hope this guide was helpful to you in clarifying what needs to be done to obtain a disabled parking permit in Alaska. Remember to hang the permit while parking and to remove it while driving, and don’t forget to get medically recertified.