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.