In the state of Nebraska, all disabled parking permit placards and license plates are issued by mail from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles.

After obtaining a physician signed certificate verifying your eligibility, you must apply on the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicle website. Once your paperwork is accepted and all associated fees have been paid, your disabled parking permit placard or license plate will be sent to your home by U.S mail.

Before you start your paperwork online, make sure of your eligibility and obtain your physician signed paperwork.

Am I Qualified for Disabled Parking?

The Nebraska guidelines for issuance of disabled parking permits are intentionally left open-ended. There are lots of conditions, both temporary and chronic which can be considered when applying for a disabled parking permit.

If you are looking for a temporary permit, you may be eligible if you are suffering from an injury or illness which affects your ability to walk, breathe, see or balance. To be considered, your injury or illness must last more than three weeks. If granted, your disabled parking permit will last six months, after which you will need to have a new exam, should you still need your disabled parking permit.

Injuries to the feet and legs are often the cause, but there are many other reasons a temporary placard may be issued. Surgery, broken bones, vision changes, pneumonia, pregnancy, and other illness can call for a disabled parking permit. If your doctor has ordered bed rest or you are experiencing limited mobility, ask your doctor about a disabled parking permit placard.

If you suffer from a chronic or lifelong condition, you can be issued a permanent permit. The conditions that could qualify you for a permanent permit vary greatly. Anything from Parkinson’s disease to obesity could qualify you for a disabled parking permit placard. As a general rule, if you feel you need a disabled parking permit placard, you probably do. Speak openly and honestly with your medical provider about how you are feeling and what your needs are.

While there is no exhaustive list of conditions associated with disabled parking permit eligibility, here are some of the guidelines used by Nebraska providers.

  • Difficulty or pain when walking more than 200 feet
  • Conditions negatively affecting balance or vision
  • Muscle spasms, seizures or sudden and uncontrolled loss of muscle tone
  • Reliance on an ambulatory assistive device such as a wheelchair, walker, brace or cane
  • Respiratory conditions made worse by exercise, or reliance on supplemental oxygen
  • A class III or IV cardiac condition including but not limited to heart attack and stroke

Once again, this is not an exhaustive list by any means. There are lots of reasons one might qualify for a disabled parking permit in Nebraska. Make sure to talk with your provider about what you need to be safe and healthy in your community.

How to Get a Physician Signed Certificate

A physician signed certificate is a misleading term. Lots of kinds of medical providers can sign this form for you to verify your disability, including physicians assistants and registered nurses. If you see a primary care provider, you know their office operates as a team, and most of the members of your care team can sign these forms for you.

If you have received treatment for an accident or illness, the medical provider you saw should be able to sign your forms for a temporary placard, good for six months.

If you receive treatment from a specialist for a chronic or lifelong condition, they can also verify your disability and sign this certificate for you. This could be the optometrists you see for your cataracts or the surgeon who worked on your heart. Any specialist who sees you regarding a disabling condition should be able to verify that condition. A podiatrist, chiropractor or physical therapist who is familiar with you and your condition can sign the certificate for you.

If you are not seeing a specialist or primary care provider at this time, don’t worry. There are many qualified and excellent providers available in the state of Nebraska online. By partnering with a Nebraska online provider, you can verify your disability and receive your physician signed certificate from the comfort of your home.

What About Lost or Expired Permits?

If you lose your disabled parking permit placard, never fear. By filling out the lost or stolen form on the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles website, you can be re-issued your placard. Reissued placards are mailed free to your home, the first two times. The third time you need a re-issued disabled parking permit placard, you may have to pay a fee or start your application over.

Disabled Parking Permits: What You Need to Know

Navigating the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicle website can be confusing. Once you have successfully obtained your disabled parking permit placard, there are a few things to remember.

  1. Never drive with your disabled parking permit placard hanging from your rearview mirror, because it is an obstruction of view according to the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
  2. Always display your disabled parking permit placard while parked in a disabled parking space. Failure to do so may result in a fine, or your disabled parking permit being revoked.
  3. Report misuse or abuse of disabled parking spaces to your local law enforcement. If you witness a car parked in a disabled space without a disabled parking permit placard, it is a violation and should be reported. Remember, you are not reporting this violation to get the driver in trouble, but to keep your community safe for the disabled persons who need that space.
  4. Your disabled parking permit placard is valid in all 50 states. Remember that all parking and traffic laws still apply. Make sure to bring your disabled parking permit placard with you whenever you travel.
  5. Your temporary placard is valid for six months, and your permanent placard must be renewed every five years.