Iowa Handicap Permits: Are You Eligible?

A handicap parking permit or placard can come in handy when you have limited mobility but still need to complete important tasks or attend events without compromising your health. If you’re an Iowa resident and want to know how to get a state-issued handicap permit, these helpful tips can help you complete the task.

What Are the Qualifications?

Anyone who is a resident of Iowa who has a condition that impairs or limits his/her ability to walk can receive a disability permit. If it is determined that you have a disability, you can get a removable windshield placard, plate or sticker in Iowa based on the following qualifications.

If you can’t walk more than 200 feet without stopping or becoming extremely winded, you may qualify for a handicap permit. If you need some form of assistance to walk, such as a brace or crutch, or have to hold onto another person when you walk, the state will issue you a permit or placard. If you need to wheelchair for mobility or have a prosthetic limb, you can receive a disability permit as well.

If you’ve been diagnosed with lung disease and your forced expiratory volume is lower than 60 mm/hg for one second when measured by spirometry, you can visit the DOT in Iowa for a handicap permit. You can also apply for a permit if you have to use a portable oxygen tank.

The state of Iowa also issues handicap placards and permits if you have a cardiac condition that falls into the Class 3 or Class 4 categories established by the American Heart Association.

The Iowa Department of Transportation will also give you a permit if you have neurological or orthopedic conditions that impair your mobility, or if you’re not able to walk far due to arthritis.

The Application Process

To receive a handicap permit in Iowa, you’ll complete an Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit for Iowa Residents. You can get a form from the treasurer’s office in your county or visit the DOT full-service driver’s license issuance site to get a form. If you’d rather obtain the application in person, you can visit the Office of Vehicle and Motor Carrier Services closest to you.

If you want to get personalized plates for your vehicle, be sure to complete the Persons with Disabilities License Plate application as well.

In addition to filling out the necessary applications, you’ll have to submit a medical statement from a medical professional. The statement has to be on official letterhead and clearly outline that you have a disability. Your doctor also has to dictate whether your disability is permanent or temporary.

When you have the medical statement and your application is completely filled out, take the documents to any DOT office that issues licenses in the state of Iowa, or to the Office of Vehicle and Motor Carrier Services. If you only need a handicap sticker, the Office of Vehicle and Motor Carrier Services is the only location you can receive a sticker.

If you want a license plate that dictates that you are disabled, you can get one from the treasurer’s office in your county.

More About Medical Statements

Remember that you can only get a medical statement from a person who is licensed to practice medicine in Iowa or the surrounding states. Medical professionals who can create and sign your medical statements include physicians, as well as physician’s assistants, advanced nurse practitioners, podiatrists and chiropractors. Surrounding states where you can receive a medical state for your Iowa permit are: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska.

How Much Does a Permit Cost?

You don’t have to pay for a removable windshield placard, sticker or plate if you live in Iowa. If you have a persons with disabilities plate on your vehicle, you’ll still have to pay the yearly vehicle registration fee. If you want a personalized license plate that displays your disability, you’ll have to pay a $25 fee.

How Long Will My Iowa Permit Remain Valid?

Your handicap license plate has to be validated annually. You have to provide ceritification to the DOT stating that you still have a disability. This is also the case if you have applied for a disability permit on behalf of your child.

If you want a removable windshield placard, you can get a temporary permit that will expire six months from the date you received it. However, if your disability will last shorter than six months, your permit will no longer be valid after the date your doctor has indicated in your medical statement. If you have a permanent disability, you’ll have to renew your permit every five years.

When it comes to your disability sticker, the sticker will be valid as long as you keep your vehicle registration current.

Getting Multiple Permits In Iowa

Handicap plates for your vehicle can be issues to all automobiles for which the person with the disability holds the title. In the state of Iowa, each person with a disability can receive two removable windshield placards. You can also receive a disability parking sticker for all vehicles for which you hold the title.

Iowa Requirements for a Disability Placard

According to Iowa law, you have to sign the removable windshield placard to validate it. The placard has to be used any time you park in a designated space.

Iowa Handicap Permit Penalties

Now that you know how to apply for and display your permit, it’s also important to know the fees and penalties associated with misusing these items.

Don’t ever provide false information to get a disability placard, plate or sticker. The punishment could be a $300 fine and your sticker, plate or placard could also be revoked.

Don’t allow anyone to use your permit when you’re not in a car. Parking in a handicap space when no one with a disability is in the car could result in a $200 fine in Iowa.

If you have a temporary disability, make sure you remove the sticker, plate or placard when you no longer need it. If you’re caught misusing your permit, you could pay a $200 fine.

Keep these tips in mind when you apply for your handicap permit in Iowa to make the process easier for you.

How Do You Get Your Disabled Parking Permit in Iowa?

It can be difficult to receive a disabled parking permit on your own if you live in the United States because you have to meet various requirements and follow certain rules for every state. In some cases, your qualification even depends on what city or area you live in. If you are trying to obtain a disabled parking permit for Iowa, read and follow the instructions in this guide.

Know if You Qualify

Since every state has its own guidelines, it is important to know the legal qualifications to obtain a permit specific to Iowa. Before starting the process to receive one, you have to be sure that you meet at least one of the following prerequisites:

  • You cannot walk more than 200 feet without stopping to rest.
  • You cannot walk without the use or assistance of a brace, crutch, prosthetic device, wheelchair, another person, or assisting device.
  • You have lung damage so severe that with forced expiratory volume for one second when it is measured by spirometry, is less than 1 liter
  • You have to use portable oxygen.
  • You have a cardiac condition that limits your functions to the extent that they are classified as Class III or class IV in severity according to standards set by the American Heart Association.
  • Your ability to walk is severely impaired due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.

Obtain a Physician Certificate

One of the most difficult parts for a lot of people while getting the permit is trying to obtain the correct paperwork they need. In Iowa, you are required to complete an Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit for Iowa Residents. The forms are available at any county’s treasurer’s office, any full-service driver’s license issuance service centers, or the Office of Vehicle and Motor Carrier Services. If you want a personalized license plate, you have to submit a Persons with Disabilities License Plate Application.

An essential part of the application is a medical statement from a physician, chiropractor, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner on their official letterhead-stationary. The stationary must confirm that you are a person with a disability and whether you legally qualify for the permit.

Where to Turn in Your Application

After you are finished filling in your application and you have received the letterhead-stationary from a qualified physician, you have to return it to any Iowa full-service driver’s license issuance site or the Office of Vehicle and Motor Carrier Services. You can get a removable windshield placard at either of these places, stickers are only available at the latter, and persons with disability license plates are available at your county treasurer’s office.

Iowa’s removable windshield placard, stickers, and plates are all free of charge, but motorists displaying a persons with disabilities plate will have to pay an annual vehicle registration fee. However, having a special plate only has a $25 fee.

What To Do After Getting Your Permit

Once you receive your Iowa disabled parking permit, using it correctly is important. The first thing you should do is confirm whether your placard is temporary or permanent. If it is temporary, you will be able to use it up to six months after the date it was issued, and if it is permanent, it will expire five years from the date of issue. If you mistakenly received a temporary placard instead of a permanent one, contact your local DMV about the status of your application.

The law requires that your signature has to be on the removable windshield placard for it to officially be valid. If your signature isn’t on the placard, then it should not be used to park in a handicap designated spot, and you will be fined $200.

Renew Your Permit

A temporary parking placard is valid for up to 6 months – if you need it for a longer period of time, you will have to apply for a new placard. Since a permanent placard is valid for five years, you will have to renew your application every five years to get a new one. A disability license plate or sticker is automatically renewed every year when you renew your vehicle registration.

Replacing a Lost Permit

When your placard gets lost, stolen, destroyed, or damaged, you will need to request a replacement by completing a new Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit. You have to make sure that you complete the section for lost, stolen, destroyed, or damaged placards, include your unique permit number, and return the damaged permit. After you have filled out the form with all of the necessary information, you have to apply by mail to the address on the form or at your local DMV office.

Where are the Iowa Country Licensing Offices?

If you are looking for a local DMV office in Iowa, there are multiple locations to choose from all over the state. There are multiple offices located in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Sioux, etc. Although there are different offices in multiple areas, you should research where the closest office to you is located.

How To Report Handicapped Parking Space Abuse

It can be frustrating when you see a vehicle that does not have a handicap placard parked in a handicap parking spot. If you see a car that does not have a handicap placard in a handicap spot and is parking illegally, you can report them by calling the police, the DMV, or the website HandicappedFraud.org. You should also make sure you take down the vehicle’s license plate number before you report the situation.

Conclusion

If you live in Iowa and want a disabled parking permit, you can take all of the correct steps for getting one by following this guide. You always have to remember to hang it up so it is visible while you are parked – if you do not, you could be fined. Another important thing you have to keep up with is to remain up-to-date with renewals and doctor’s visits.

What Should You Know About Disability Permits in Iowa?

Applying for a disability parking permit, sticker, or plate for the first time can be stressful and nerve-wracking. It can be hard to understand what it really means and everything that you are consenting to. If you are applying for a handicap permit in Iowa, you should read this guide to understand the terms and agreements better.

Eligible Vehicles

  • Automobiles
  • Multipurpose vehicles
  • Sport utility vehicles
  • Vans
  • Motorcycles
  • Trucks
  • Motor homes
  • Trailers and travel trailers

Definition (Iowa Code Chapter 321L.1)

According to Iowa Code Chapter 321L.1, a “person with a disability” means a person with a disability that impairs their ability to walk. They are considered to have a disability under this chapter if they:

  1. Cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
  2. Cannot walk without using a brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, wheelchair, the assistance of a person, or another assistive device.
  3. Are restricted by lung disease to the extent that their forced expiratory volume for one second is less than one liter when it is measured by spirometry.
  4. Use portable oxygen.
  5. Has a cardiac condition to the extent that their functional limitations are classified as class III or class IV severity according to standards set by the American Heart Association.
  6. Is severely limited in ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.

Display of the Removable Windshield Placard

There are specific guidelines for how you are supposed to display your placard when parked, and it is important to know what they are so you don’t get fined.

  • Hang it from the rear-view mirror so that you can see it through the windshield when you are parked in a designated handicapped spot.
    • If there is no rear-view mirror on your vehicle, the placard has to be visible from the dashboard
  • The placard should only be displayed when you are parked in a spot designated for people with disabilities or in a parking space that is not designated if a wheelchair parking cone is used, according to Iowa Code Section 321L.2A.

Return of Parking Permit

You have to return to a Driver License Examining Station, the Iowa Department of Transportation, Office of Vehicle Services, or any law enforcement office within 10 days of any of these events:

  • The person who had the permit is deceased or has moved out of state.
  • The person has found a permit that does not belong to them.
  • The permit has expired or been revoked.
  • The permit was reported lost or stolen and was later found after a temporary permit was given to them.

Special license plates have to be given to the county treasurer’s office where the vehicle was originally registered

Special License Plates

Personalized license plates may have up to five characters and numbers and personalized plate choices must have at least two letters. They cannot have characters that are not in the regular licensing numbering system

The Application for Iowa Special License Plates is used when you apply for a special license plate. Every year the applicant renews the license by providing a self-certification that proves the owner of the motor vehicle is still a person with a disability. Iowa law allows special plates for:

  • An owner of an automobile, light delivery truck, panel delivery truck, pickup, or trailer who belongs to a person with a disability.
  • A parent or guardian of a child with a disability, according to section 321L.1 of the code, to apply for a special license plate after proof of residency is provided.

Proof of Residency

A form that confirms that the child with a disability still lives with the parent or guardian who is applying for the special plate. The certification has to be filed while you apply and every registration year after that.

Contiguous State

Iowa law requires a written statement from a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or chiropractor licensed to practice in Iowa or a contiguous state. The contiguous states are:

  • Minnesota
  • Wisconsin
  • Illinois
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • South Dakota

Wheelchair Parking Cone

The department will provide a list of vendors that sell wheelchair parking cones if you ask for it. If you have a parking permit for a disabilities parking space who uses a wheelchair and is unable to walk can park in a persons with disabilities parking space or a space that is not designated. You can reserve up to an eight foot space adjacent to the vehicle for room to enter and exit it if these needs are met:

  • The wheelchair parking cone is within eight feet of entry to the vehicle.
  • The parking permit is displayed.
  • The vehicle and cone do not block an aisle, street, or roadway.
  • The space is provided by State, political subdivision, or an entity providing NON-Residential parking.
  • A copy of your medical statement is carried in the vehicle.

Penalties

There are several penalties that can result from submitting false information, using the parking permit in an incorrect manner, such as:

  • Using a fraudulent statement from a physician, chiropractor, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner to get a persons with disabilities parking permit.
    • May result in a $300 civil penalty and revocation of the permit.
  • Improper use of a parking permit as defined in Iowa Code subsection 321L.4(2) or Iowa Code section 321L.3.
    • May result in a criminal fine of $200.
  • A wheelchair parking cone violation.
    • The fine is $20.
  • Interference with a wheelchair parking cone
    • The fine is $200.
  • Providing false information to get a windshield placard.
    • The fine is $200 and the placard, sticker, or plate may also be revoked.
  • Parking in a designated space without a permit.
    • May result in a $200 fine.
  • Not returning the placard when you no longer need it
    • May result in a fine of up to $200.

Office of Vehicle Services Information

Office of Vehicle & Motor Carrier Services
Iowa Department of Transportation
P.O. Box 9278
Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9278
Phone #: 515-237-3110
E-mail: [email protected]

How Do You Complete Your Application for a Handicap Permit in Iowa?

To submit an application for a handicap permit in Iowa, you have to have a letter from a doctor confirming that you, in fact, have a disability that qualifies you for a permit. The separate application for persons with disabilities permit for Iowa. Follow this guide if you are feeling confused or unsure about how to fill out the form.

If someone visits Iowa from another state and has a disability parking permit already, they can still use it if they bring it with them.

Professionals Who Are Qualified

You are required to attach a medical statement on their personal letterhead stationery from a medical professional – there is a specific list of the doctors allowed to confirm that you have a disability. They are also supposed to make it clear whether their disability is temporary or permanent.

  • Physician
  • Chiropractor
  • Physician’s Assistance
  • Nurse Practitioners

Section 1: Removable Windshield Placard

You will have to take this form with the letterhead stationery you receive to the Driver License Examining station in your area or mail it to the Office of Vehicle Services.

  • Date: Write down the date that you are completing the form.
  • Applicant’s Full Legal Name: List your full name in the order Last name, First Name, and Middle name.
  • Social Security #, Driver License #, or Non-operator ID Card: Circle one and enter the number s and/or letters found on the card.
  • Date of Birth: Add your date of birth in the format (Month/Day/Year)
  • Street, City, State, Zip, and County: Enter all of the elements of your address into the respective blanks.
  • Phone #: Write down your full phone number in the following format (XXX-XXX-XXXX)

Section 2: Special License Plates for Applicant

You are supposed to complete this form and send it, along with your medical statement, to your County Treasurer’s office.

  • Vehicle plate numbers: Fill in the vehicle plate numbers that match your car.
  • Trailer: Complete this section if you have a trailer and say if it is large or small.

Only fill out this section if you are the parent or guardian of a child with a disability and you are applying for a license on their behalf.

  • Write that you are located in the United States and your current vehicle plate number
  • A medical statement is needed to support the claim that said child is disabled
  • There is a paragraph that leaves blanks for you to fill in your full name, the name of your child, your address information, the date you are completing the form, and your signature at the very end.

Section 3: License Plate Parking Sticker

List all of the vehicles that you are the titled owner of to receive a sticker to be applied on the rear license plate of your vehicle by filling this information in:

  • This application form
  • Current Vehicle Plate Number(s): List all of the plate numbers for your vehicles.
  • A medical statement that proves that you qualify for a disability parking sticker.

Section 4: Provider of Transportation Services

This section can only be filled in by organizations or people in the business of helping disabled or elderly people with transportation

  • Agency: The name of the agency that you run or work for
  • Federal ID #
  • Address, County, City, and Zip Code: List the information that applies to the location of your business headquarters or where you work.
  • Authorized Rep.
  • Title: What your position in the company is
  • Telephone #: The phone number for the company you are in charge of or work for.
  • Date: The date you are filling the application out

Section 5: Certification for a Replacement Parking Permit

In this last section, you have to confirm that you have sent a physician’s statement in the past that confirms that your disability was permanent or temporary. You also have to return the damaged permit to the department, if you can.

  • There is a section to submit your permit number and choose whether it was lost, stolen, destroyed, or damaged.
  • At the bottom of the section, you sign your name.

Submitting Your Application

When you obtain your medical statement and finish the application, you can bring it into the closest Iowa Office of Vehicle Services or mail it to:

Office of Vehicle Services
Iowa Department of Transportation
PO Box 9278
Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9278

If you are applying for disability stickers, you will have to go to an Office of Vehicle Services. If you need disability license plates, they are available at a County Treasurer’s Office.

How Long Will the Permits Be Active?

The state of Iowa cracked down on people abusing handicaps in 2017 and placed an expiration date on them while there wasn’t one before. There are different expiration periods for different kinds of permits. They are as follows:

  • Plates: If you have a disability plate, you are required to validate that you or your child still have the disability annually
  • Removable Windshield Placards: Temporary permits will expire six months after they are issued and permanent permits expire five years later.
  • Stickers: They are valid as long as your vehicle registration is active

Office Locations of Vehicle Services

There are several Offices of Vehicle Services all around the state of Iowa, so you should have no trouble finding a place to submit your application. They offer driver license services, disabled parking permits, registration and titles, license plate renewals, road tests, etc. Here are some locations separated by popular counties.

  • Des Moines
    Address: 513 N Main St, Burlington, IA 52601
    Phone #: 319-753-8273
  • Cerro Gordo
    Address: 220 North Washington Ave, Mason City, IA 50401
    Phone #: 641-421-3127
  • Crawford
    Address: 1202 Broadway Ste 7, Denison, IA 51442
    Phone #: 712-263-2178
  • Fayette
    Address: 114 N Vine St, West Union, IA 52175
    Phone #: 563-422-3787
  • Iowa
    Address: 901 Court Ave, Marengo, IA 52301
    Phone #: 319-642-3371
  • Jasper
    Address: 101 1st St N, Newton, IA 50208
    Phone #: 641-792-6115
  • Montgomery
    Address: 105 Coolbaugh St, Red Oak, IA 51566
    Phone #: 712-623-3292

How to Get a Disabled Parking Permit In Iowa

If you’re a resident of Iowa and have a disability, there are several resources and items you can use to receive convenient parking at various locations in the state. It’s important to know the laws in Iowa when you need a disabled parking permit, so you can keep the document up to date an prevent permit abuse.

What Types of Permits Are Available in Iowa?

Iowa residents can receive a license plate if they own a vehicle and have a permanent disability. If you are the guardian or parent of a child who has a disability, you can also apply for a permit if the child lives with you.

If you live in Iowa, you can also get a removable placard for your windshield. These placards are given to people with temporary or permanent disabilities. A temporary disability is classified as a condition that requires you to use a handicap parking space for up to six months. A permanent disability is one that requires you to renew the placard every five years, since you’ll still have the condition when your Iowa placard expires. Windshield placards are also granted to organizations in Iowa that provide transportation to senior citizens and/or people with disabilities.

The state of Iowa offers handicap stickers as well. The stickers are issued to a motor vehicle owner who has a disability but doesn’t want a handicap license plate. The sticker has to be on your license plate, in the lower right corner of the license plate on the back of the vehicle. You can place the stick on all types of Iowa license plates, regular they are special, regular or customized.

Do You Qualify For an Iowa Handicap Permit?

You are eligible for a handicap permit in Iowa if you’re a resident of the state and you have limited or impaired walking ability. If you’re disabled, you can receive a sticker, placard or plate based on the following conditions:

  • You can’t walk more than 200 feet without taking a break
  • You can’t walk without using some form of assistance, such as a crutch, the arm of another person, a brace, a wheelchair or prosthetic device.
  • Your movement is restricted because of lung disease to the extent that your forced expiratory volume for one second is less than 1 liter when measured by spirometry, or your arterial-oxygen tension is lower than 60 mm/hg when you’re indoors and at rest.
  • You use portable oxygen
  • You have a heart condition that limits your ability to function. If your heart condition is classified as a Class 3 or Class 4 condition by the American Heart Association, you can receive a permit.
  • Your mobility is limited because of arthritis or a condition that is neurological or orthopedic in nature.

Applying for your Iowa Handicap Placard or Permit

To receive your Iowa permit, you’ll have to complete the Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit for Iowa Residents. You can get an application from the treasurer’s office in any Iowa county, or visit the DOT full-services driver’s license website for Iowa. You can also visit a DOT Office of Vehicle and Motor Carrier Services nearest you to pick up an application.

If you want personalized license plates, you have to complete the Persons with Disabilities License Plate Application.

Be sure to get a medical statement from your primary physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner or chiropractor as well. The statement must be on letterhead stationery and clearly state that you have a disability, as well as whether the disability is temporary or permanent.

When you finish filling out the application, return the document and your medical statement for a removable windshield placard to any Iowa DOT full-service driver’s license location or the state’s Office of Vehicle and Motor Carrier Services. Stickers are only available at this location. If you want to get a handicap license plate, you can get it from the treasurer’s office in your county.

Iowa Handicap Placards for Veterans

According to laws passed in 2016, veterans in Iowa can submit a disability determination from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs instead of a doctor’s statement to document disability. The Iowa DOT is required to establish regulations that determine which disabilities fit into this category. The law doesn’t change the state’s legal definition of a disability simply to award veteran’s with disability parking. In other words, you still have to have a documented handicap to receive a permit or placard.

VA disabilities are vocational and don’t always correlate with impairments or disabilities that affect mobility. This is why administrative rules have to be put in place to determine eligibility requirements for veterans. The Iowa DOT has reviewed these rules and in early 2017, comprehensive regulations for Iowa residents.

More on Medical Statements for Iowa Permits

You can only receive an official medical statement from an individuals who is licensed to practice medicine in the state of Iowa or a contiguous state. This includes chiropractors, podiatrists, advanced nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Contiguous states are: South Dakota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska and Minnesota.

How Much Do Iowa Permits Cost?

In Iowa, you don’t have to pay for a removable windshield placard, plate or sticker. However, you will have to pay your yearly vehicle registration fee, even if you have a handicap permit. The fee for personalized plates is $25.

How Long Do the Permits Last?

When it comes to handicap license plates in Iowa, you have to validate the plates every year. You’ll have to bring certification into the Iowa DOT stating that you are still disabled or that your child is still disabled if you’re applying for the plates on behalf of your child.

For removable windshield placards, your temporary permit will expire six months from the date you received the placard. If your doctor indicates a date before the six-month mark, the expiration date will be noted on your medical report. If you have a permanent disability, your permit will expire five years from the date it was issued.

If you have a handicap sticker, the sticker will be valid as long as your Iowa vehicle registration is current.

Having this information on hand will make it easier to get your handicap permit in Iowa and help you get the placard or plate identification you need quickly and efficiently.