What is the Most Efficient Way to Get a Disability Parking Permit in West Virginia?

The most important rule of thumb to follow when dealing with state, local, and federal government is to research, research, research. Be sure you are not in violation of any rule or ordinance from your judicial branch. Check your state for your accessibility to receive a handicap parking permit.

What are Your Disability Rights?

Under federal law, you have civil rights as a disabled person. Special parking accommodations and accessibility to public places are governed under the ADA. To see the laws, do some research for your particular condition within your state and throughout the country.

Life can be hard if you are disabled, you may need some help from time to time with parking, transportation, voting, housing, and so on. You should review the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Rev. 2008 for your consumer rights.

When it comes to being able to park in reserved spaces, you must apply for the service through your local DMV. Your access is defined within your state and local government.

Where are the DMV Offices?

West Virginia maintains its reputation by upholding and adding reasonable accommodations for you. The Division of Motor Vehicles Regional Offices are available throughout each county for ease of use. You have the option to visit in person, chat online, mail and call into consumer services for anything you need assistance with when applying and submitting your Parking Application for Mobility Impaired Persons.

What You Need to Qualify

Assess your situation, visit your medical provider for verification of your disability, and collect all identifiable documentation. Your doctor will provide necessary information for each of your ailments and decide if you are temporarily or permanently disabled.

Do you need assistance with walking 200 feet or more, using a cane, brace, crutch or wheelchair?
Do you have a serious lung disease that doesn’t allow you to breathe properly or use portable oxygen?
Have you been diagnosed with a Class III or Class IV cardiac condition as defined by the American Heart Association?
Is your mobility limited because of a neurological, orthopedic, or arthritic disability?

If your doctor answered yes to any of the above questions, you are eligible to receive a disabled parking placard through West Virginia.

What Rules Apply to Your Parking Placards and Plates?

The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles requires you to pay a fee of $5 for any disabled license plates you request. If you are a disabled veteran, you are eligible for an accessible parking plate. You will need a verification letter from the Veteran’s Administration stating you are 100% disabled from a military service-connected disability.

You will need to wait up to six weeks for your application to be processed and will receive your parking placards through the mail after approval from the Commissioner. All temporary placards are red and end in a “T”, while permanent placards are blue and end in a “P”.

Temporary placards are not able to be renewed, but you can reapply for a new parking placard with a new recommendation verifying your needs from your doctor. Permanent placards are eligible for renewal every five-year period. You will receive a renewal notice in the mail 30 days before the expiration of your original placard.

For all disabled license plates, you must renew every 12 months and provide adequate vehicle information. You must have a current and valid inspection and insurance policy. Do not operate your vehicle with expired plates, insurance or inspection stickers. You will be ticketed and fined.

What to Do If You Need Replacement Parking Placards

If your parking placard is lost or stolen, report it to your police department and receive a copy of the filed report. You must submit your information, placard numbers and other identifying documents to the Division of Motor Vehicles for new placards. All replacement placards will cost you $10 per placard.

If your parking placard is damaged, faded, or illegible you must take your damaged placard to return and receive new placards. In the event your lost and stolen placards are recovered, you must turn them into the DMV. Any old placard numbers are cancelled and will not be able to protect your rights and safety if you try to use them.

Where You are Allowed to Park in West Virginia with Disabled Placards

Once you receive the placards and you use them, you must hang the placard in your rearview mirror. If you don’t have a rearview mirror, place the parking placard on your dashboard. Remember, your entire placard must be able to be seen by any parking enforcers or police officers. The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicle will have issued an Identification Card that you must carry on your person any time you utilize a disabled parking space.

Accessible parking spaces are available for any vehicle with appropriate permit use. You may be exempt from metered spaces but it’s best that you check the rules for those spots. Any larger space with stripes is accessible for vans and wheelchair dependent disabled persons.

Your disability parking placards, and license plates have the universal symbol for mobility impaired individuals. You are permitted use of your placards in all 50 states under the Americans with Disabilities guidelines and federal law. Additionally, some bordering countries accept your parking permits; be sure to follow the laws when traveling.

What are the Consequences If You Misuse Your Parking Permits?

The laws set forth urge you not to allow any person access to your parking placards. If you are caught you could be charged and receive fines in excess of $500. If you lie about any part of your application, you face criminal charges classified as misdemeanors or larger and could face up to a year in a state jail facility. Always follow the rules, parking permits are a privilege and can be revoked if you abuse the accommodations.

What You Need to Finish

Allow an appropriate timeframe after submitting your application. Know your laws and rights as a disabled person nationally and locally. If you still have questions and concerns contact your local DMV.

What are Your Options to Obtain an Accessible Parking Placard in West Virginia?

If this is your first time applying for an accessible parking space, then continue reading. You will need to know your rights as a disabled person in the United States. You will be protected and have specific laws that allow you to obtain a parking placard to park accessibly for your condition.

Throughout the country, each of the 50 states are governed through federal law by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Every county and local government have ordinances and rules written in addition to the widely known, federal law. The variations of the laws may cause you exhaustion and confusion, so allow the following outline to help you through the process.

How Do You Qualify?

You will need to get a Parking Application for Mobility Impaired Persons from your local West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles office. You may need to perform some research to be sure you are following all of the requirements. You will also need to see your doctor as required on your application.

Fortunately, your application is available to you in many forms. You can download off of the Division of Motor Vehicles website, request an application to be sent in the mail to you, or visit your local office in person to pick up. You must be meet the requirements for one or more of the following:

Inability to walk without 200 or more feet without stopping to rest
Unable to walk without help from a cane, crutch, brace, wheelchair, prosthetic mechanism, or other device
You have a sever lung disease restraining your breathing
You must have a portable oxygen tank for breathing
You are diagnosed with a Class III or Class IV cardiac disease
Restrictions apply to your mobility from an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition

How Do You Apply for Your Parking Placards?

First, you need to collect copies of your social security number, driver’s license, title of your vehicle and other important information pertaining to you and your vehicle. Then, you must have your doctor verify your disability or disabilities on your application. Your doctor will assess if your disability is temporary or permanent.

Permanent disabilities are those of you whose condition will not change from one year to five years, possibly indefinitely. Temporary disabilities are for you if you are expected to recover in less than one year. This step is exponentially important to what type of disability parking placard you will receive.

After completing your application carefully, you must submit in person or through mail at:

Division of Motor Vehicles

Mobility Impaired Placards and Plates

P.O. BOX 17010

Charleston, WV 25317

You can also begin the application process online with Disabled Parking.

What Happens When You Receive Your Disability Parking Placards?

You should receive your parking placards within two to six weeks, through the mail. You will be required to hang your placard on the inside of your vehicle on your rearview mirror. Be sure that the expiration date is visible to the outside of your vehicle. If you do not have a rearview mirror, place your parking placard on your dashboard to the furthest right of your car, confirming the expiration date is still seeable.

In addition to receiving your disability parking placards, you will also receive an Identification Card for Mobility Impaired Persons. You must keep this with you at all times just in case you are stopped by an officer. You will be required to show your ID card to the law enforcement officer upon request.

What Other Rules Apply to You?

The laws are strict in every state regarding abuse and misuse of accessible parking placards. If you are caught, you will be charged with a misdemeanor criminal offense. Please follow the statutes that are applicable in West Virginia:

Parking in Accessible Spaces when you do not have a placard
- First Offense- You will be fined up to $200
- Second Offense- You will be fined up to $300
- Third Offense- You will be fined up to $500

You are not permitted to loan your disability parking placards to anyone. You are in contempt of use if you allow any other person to do so, even if that person is running an errand for you. Your parking placards could be revoked. Know the laws that apply to you as a mobility impaired parking placard holder.

How to Renew Your Placards and Plates

Renewal notices will be sent through the mail to you 30 days before your placards and disabled plates expire. You may fill out the renewal form and send back to the Division of Motor Vehicles or utilize the DMV’s online renewal service.

If you specified to receive disabled license plates, your plates are renewable with your annual registration of your vehicle. Keep in mind that your insurance and inspection of your vehicle must be current for the month of registration. It is against the law of West Virginia to operate your vehicle with an invalid inspection sticker.

Permanent parking placards are eligible for renewal every one to five years, you must renew before expiration to avoid unnecessary penalties for non-renewals. Temporary placards are not able to be renewed; you must submit a new application and medical certification from your doctor to receive new temporary parking placards. Never park with an expired disability parking placard, there is no grace.

Where are the Regional Office Locations?

It’s always best to know your county and city laws and locations of your Division of Motor Vehicles offices. Whether you need to visit in person or to pay fines and fees, West Virginia makes this process simple. You need to find the branch closest to you and deem that branch as your designated help center. There are over 20 offices to service all of West Virginia and you may use the online system to serve as a resource.

How to Conclude Your Application Process

After satisfying all requirements from the DMV and researching your local rules, you can acquire a disability parking permit. Remember to use the resources available to you, like this outline, if you are stuck in a loop. Knowledge will be your key to succeeding your application.

How You Will Receive Your Disability Parking Permit in West Virginia

Have you been wondering how you can apply for your handicap parking pass? Relentlessly searching the internet and coming up short with answers, then you need to stop. If you are disabled in West Virginia, you’ll need to find a few resources available to you.

Throughout the country, the laws of Americans with Disabilities are different. Each state enacts their laws and each county or city have specific policies for you to abide by. If you live in West Virginia, keep reading this guide to help you receive your disability parking permit.

Why You Need to Research West Virginia’s Laws

You will need to know each step that you must take throughout the application process. The laws state specifics on what you need to accomplish before applying, during and after to continue to be a disability parking permit holder. To see if you qualify your mobility must be limited if you:

Cannot walk 200 feet or more without rest
Use portable oxygen
Restrained from a lung disease
A Class III or Class IV cardiac condition
Restrictions due to arthritic, neurological or orthopedic disorder
Cannot walk without a cane, brace, crutch, wheelchair or another person

In Addition, you must have a physician certify any of the conditions listed that pertain to your disability. Your physician will be the determining factor for which type of parking placard you will receive. You can consult with a qualified physician online as well. You are able to apply as an individual or through an organization/facility that will provide you with transportation, on your behalf.

How are the Categories of Parking Placards Classified?

The West Virginia handicap laws require a medical certification from your physician. You will be placed as a temporary parking placard holder or a permanent holder. If your disability is expected to last for up to six months, you will be issued a temporary placard. Permanent disabilities allow you to have your parking placard for one to five years.

Temporary parking placards, after expiration, will need a new application and new medical recommendation from your physician to extend. Permanent parking placards are renewed every five years and do not require a new medical recommendation. Disabled license plates renewals are due at the time of your annual vehicle registration.

How to Complete the Application for Disability Parking Permits

You will need an application for Mobility Impaired Plate and Placard from your local West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. You can request this application to be mailed to you, visit your DMV branch, or download from the DMV website.

You must fill out the application to its entirety and submit in person or through the mail. If you choose to submit your application through mail, attach appropriate fees. You will be charged if you decide to select a Disabled License Plate. Your options are:

One placard and one license plate
Two placards
Two license plates
One placard or one license plate (you do not have to get two, but it’s your choice)

Remember to attach your doctor’s signed certification, as well.

What are Your Next Steps After Approval?

After all your information and application is approved, you will receive your placards through the mail. You will also be issued an ID card confirming you are a disabled individual. You must keep the ID card with you at all times, you’ll be obligated to show law enforcement or parking enforcement officers if requested.

If you applied for a temporary parking placard, your placard will be red in color with a “T” at the end of your number. Permanent parking placards are blue with a “P” at the end of your placard number. Keep in mind that you are only allowed to use your parking placards when you are parked. You must not hang your placard while driving.

Your parking placard will need to be hung in your rearview mirror of your vehicle with the expiration date showing through your windshield. Only you are permitted usage of your parking placards. Do not lend your placard to anyone and if you are using a ride-share, be sure you are the passenger.

Why You are Not Allowed to Lend Your Parking Placards

As stated in the West Virginia Accessible Parking Laws, lending your parking placards to anyone, falsifying your information on your applicating, forging a doctor’s signature and other misusage is punishable by criminal charges.

For any of the listed offenses, you will be charged with a Misdemeanor depending upon what number offense it will be. You may be sentenced up to one year in jail and will face fines in excess of $500. If you are found to have committed any offense and you are a placard holder, your placards will be revoked, and you are not eligible to reapply.

How to Replace Lost, Stolen, and Damaged Parking Placards

Life happens and if you must replace your placard due to loss, theft or damages of the permit, you are required to submit original placards to the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. You will obtain new placards through the mail after you have satisfied all pre-requisite forms and information, dependent upon how the placard needs to be replaced.

Where are Your DMV Locations?

The state of West Virginia has many branches of the Division of Motor Vehicles available to you. If you need to visit in person, you should go to the branch closest to your home. To obtain an application, your state has offered easy access by providing downloadable documents. There are regional offices located in:

Beckley
Charles Town
Clarksburg
Elkins
Flatwoods
Fraklin
Huntington
Kanawha City
Lewisburg
Logan
Martinsburg
Moorefield
Morgantown
Moundsville
Parkersburg
Point Pleasant
Princeton
Romney
Spencer
Summersville
Weirton
Welch
Williamson
Winfield

Once you have found your jurisdictional Division of Motor Vehicles, collect all of your necessary paperwork, check to see that your application is completed with signatures, and submit. Carefully follow this guide to help you understand the application process and have knowledge for West Virginia’s Accessible Parking Laws. Contact your local DMV if you have further questions.

How to Use Your Disabled Parking Permit in West Virginia

If you live in West Virginia and you suffer from a disability which significantly impairs your ability to walk properly, you may be eligible to receive a disabled parking permit from the state. This will enable you to park in specifically set aside accommodations for the disabled, which will in turn help you to live an easier life. Disabled parking spots are located very close to the entrances of most buildings and businesses, and can make running your errands much easier!

However, there are several ins and outs of working with disabled parking permits that aren’t as easy as simply parking in the parking space. Read on for a complete guide to the rights and responsibilities that are associated with a West Virginia Disabled Parking Permit.

The Difference between Permits, Placards, and Plates

There’s a lot of confusing terminology that is tossed around when you’re researching disabled parking permits in the state of West Virginia! To make things a little easier, here’s a brief primer on some commonly used terms.

Permit: Your disabled parking permit is a certificate you will receive from the state after you have completed your application process. It is something you should keep in a safe space, just in case anyone asks for your credentials.
Placards: Your disabled parking placard (or placards) is a stiff, brightly colored piece of poster board which is made to be hung on the rear view mirror in the front of your car. It will have your identification information on it, so that placards can not be shared from individual to individual.
Plates: In some occasions, it may make more sense to apply for permanent license plates so you don’t have to worry about putting placards up and down. You can also apply for veteran’s license plates in the state of West Virginia! However, it is recommended that you do not apply for license plates unless your condition is likely to be permanent.

Who Can Use a Disabled Parking Permit

In West Virginia, the permit is registered to the person (i.e., you) and not to a specific vehicle, unless you request license plates instead of parking placards. This means that you can take your placards from car to car with you as long as you, the permit holder, are in the car. Anyone can be driving, but if a car is found using your permit without your being around, you may be subject to disciplinary measures up to and including the revocation of your permit.

Know Which Type of Permit You Have

One of the first steps in knowing how to take care of your parking permit is simply to know which version of the disabled parking permit you have. This will help you with renewal, when that comes time. There are two different types of disabled parking permits in the state of West Virginia.

Temporary Permit. You should apply for a temporary disabled parking permit if your condition is expected to last any amount of time less than six months. If you are requesting a disabled parking permit for conditions due to pregnancy, then request a temporary permit and note your expected due date as the date the permit should expire.
Permanent permit. You should apply for a permanent disabled parking permit if your condition is a permanent one. However, even though it is referred to as a permanent permit, these types of permits and their associated materials (placards, plates) expire every five years. After this time, you will be required to renew.

Your Disabled Parking Permit and Your Ability to Drive

Particularly if you are applying for a permanent disabled parking permit, please note that the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles will assess your driving record in light of the condition you are citing as qualification for your application. If it seems that your condition would necessarily impact your ability to drive safely, your driver’s license may come under review. Remember that this isn’t a penalty, but an attempt on the state level to ensure that everyone, including you, is safe on the road.

Your Disabled Parking Permit and Access Aisles

Wherever there are more than a couple of disabled parking spaces in one lot, they will be separated and surrounded by one or more access aisles. An access aisle will be denoted by long diagonal paint hashes on the ground.

The point of an access aisle is to allow enough room for any assistance a disabled person may require in order to safely get out of their vehicle. Often, a disability may require lots of equipment, such as wheelchairs or motorized wheelchair ramps or several people’s assistance. Whether you have a disabled parking permit or not, please avoid parking in any way that might obstruct one of these access aisles.

Travelling with a Disabled Parking Permit

If you have a disabled parking permit and you live in the state of West Virginia, you’re in luck — you may be able to use it to travel outside of state lines. As long as your permit is in working order, you should be able to use it to park in any clearly marked disabled parking space in the country. Make sure that you use your placards properly, and that you follow any local ordinances or posted signs.

Having and using a disabled parking permit in the state of West Virginia can be a great way to make sure that living with your disability does not interfere with your ability to get things done. By applying and receiving a disabled parking permit, you will be able to park in specially set aside accommodations for those with mobility issues.

However, there’s more to it than just that! Making sure that you fulfill all of the responsibilities associated with your permit ensures that you are always able to enjoy the benefits. Remember to use your parking placards appropriately, renew your permit whenever it’s about to expire, and you’ll always be able to run errands in a way that is comfortable for you.

How to Get Your Disabled Parking Permit in West Virginia

Near the entrance of most buildings and businesses in the state of West Virginia are a series of disabled parking spaces which are clearly demarcated by a sign and the International Symbol of Access; these are set aside to make the lives of persons with disability a little bit easier.

If you are a person with a disability, you might be eligible for a disabled parking permit which will grant you access to these parking spaces. However, there are many steps in the application process. It’s in the best interest of everyone involved that the state of West Virginia ensures that only those who need access to these spots have access to these spots — so, one part of the application process is a cooperation with a licensed medical professional to confirm your disability.

Please refer to these guidelines whenever you have to apply for a disabled parking permit in West Virginia!

Speak with a Licensed Medical Professional

If your disability and life circumstances make it possible for you to take the time and the trip necessary to go speak with a local doctor in person, go for it! Make sure that you have downloaded the appropriate form from the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to bring to your appointment. The second part of your form will require a signature from your personal physician or other medical professional.

However, there is another way. If you decide to video chat with a doctor online, you can check this task off your to do list without having to leave the comfort of your living room. In addition, your information will be kept completely secure, and immediately after your appointment, your completed application form will be emailed to the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for you.

Make Sure that You Are Eligible

The state of West Virginia has compiled a list of qualifying conditions, any of which could make you eligible for a disabled parking permit. Go through the following list of criteria with your doctor, and make sure to discuss all of your options.

If you:

Are unable to walk a distance of at least two hundred feet without hurting yourself, taking a stop to rest, or falling down;
Have any kind of condition which makes it difficult or impossible for you to walk without using a cane, a brace, a crutch, a prosthetic, a walker, a wheelchair, the help of another person, or any other kind of assistive device;
Have lung disease as defined by a forced expiratory or respiratory volume less than one liter per second per spirometry, or if you have an arterial oxygen tension which is measured at less than sixty millimeters of mercury when you are breathing room air and resting;
Have any condition which requires you to use portable oxygen of any kind
Have heart disease or any other cardiac condition which impairs your own personal functionality to the extent defined by the American Heart Association as Class III or Class IV heart disease;
Have an arthritic, neurologic, or orthopedic condition which makes it extremely or excessively difficult for you to walk unaided.

Mail Your Form In to the DMV

Once you and your doctor have completed the form — you, the first section, your doctor, the second section — you will have to mail the completed application to the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The address to which it should be sent is on the back of the application.

However, if you decided to video chat with a licensed medical professional instead of meeting with one in person, know that the form will be emailed to the state department for you — one less thing to think about!

Wait for your Permit to Arrive in the Mail

Please note that before you are able to begin enjoying the privileges associated with your West Virginia disabled parking permit, you must wait for your permit to arrive. Merely going through the application process does not legally entitle you to anything. Your permit, when it arrives, will include a parking placard and license plates which mark your car as able to park in those parking spaces.

Use Your Disabled Parking Permit Appropriately

Your parking placard is made to be placed on the rear view window in the front of your car. However, this is only applicable when the car is not in motion. Having a large swinging object dangling in your field of vision while you are driving is very dangerous and highly illegal. Please, therefore, go ahead and form a habit around putting up the placard only after you have parked, and taking down the placard before you begin to drive away.

Renew Your Parking Permit

Regardless of the type of disabled parking permit you applied for, you will be required to renew your permit. The state of West Virginia requires this just to make sure that your condition has not changed in such a way that you no longer need the in-demand accommodations they have set aside for the disabled. Temporary placards are good for six months, and permanent placards need to be renewed every five years.

The Department of Motor Vehicles advises that you begin the renewal process at least one month prior to the expected expiration date. This is because it may take up to several business days in order for your application to be processed. If there is a time period between when your old permit expires and your new permit is in effect, do not use your permit during this time.

Having a West Virginia disabled parking permit is a great tool that you can use to make sure that you can go about your day to day life with ease. If your daily errands would be improved by a certainty that you do not have to suffer having the last parking space in the parking lot, then definitely apply for a disabled parking permit, and always remember to use your permit when you park in a disabled parking space.