Every state is a little different in its license regulations and requirements. In Nebraska, applying for and acquiring your disabled parking permit is a quick and easy three-step process.
- Obtain a Physician Signed Certificate
- Apply online through the Department of Motor Vehicles website
- Show valid driver’s license, state identification or passport
Three easy steps, and your disabled parking permit placard or license plate is in the mail. This deceptively simple system lacks the essential human element of the in-person trip to the DMV that most of us are used to.
Before you start on the application found deep in the maze of a website offered by the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles, make sure you understand how to qualify and how to obtain your physician signed certificate.
Who is Qualified for Nebraska Disabled Parking?
There is no exhaustive list of conditions that entitle you to disabled parking permits in the Cornhusker State. Nebraska has left this process intentionally open-ended, trusting that Nebraska providers should be the ones to make this important decision on eligibility.
The basic guidelines for eligibility are below.
- Loss of a limb, including the use of a prosthesis
- Use of an ambulatory assistive device such as a walker, wheelchair, cane, or brace
- Condition causing muscle spasms, seizures or sudden loss of muscle tone
- Difficulty walking more than 200 feet without stopping
- Vision impairment including partial blindness, cataracts or glaucoma
- A chronic cardiac condition limiting ability to exercise
- A Chronic respiratory disease such as COPD
These are the guidelines used by medical providers to decide if a patient needs or would benefit from the use of disabled parking. Disabled parking permit programs in Nebraska are expansive and inclusive. If you feel you need a disabled parking permit to safely and comfortably access buildings in your community, there is a good chance you qualify.
Common conditions that are disabled parking eligible in NE are as follows.
- Heart attack, stroke, or other class III and IV cardiac disease
- Obesity which limits mobility
- Emphysema, bronchitis or walking pneumonia
- Muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or other muscle and seizure conditions
- Gout, club foot, and other conditions which limit mobility
- Prosthetics, amputation, use of a brace or other assistive device
If you have been injured, and are having trouble walking quickly without pain, you could qualify for a temporary disabled parking permit. Back pain, surgery, pregnancy, leg injuries, and pneumonia are all common causes for a six-month temporary placard being issued by a provider.
As a general rule, if you think you need a disabled parking permit, you probably do. Talk to your doctor about your needs, including your pain level, energy level, vision challenges, difficulty walking or slow walking speed. Nebraska restrictions are surprisingly open-ended and ultimately designed with you in mind.
The program was designed to keep Nebraska residents safe and comfortable as they go about their daily lives. All over Nebraska, in every community, there are disabled parking spots set aside in shopping malls, banks, grocery stores, libraries, etc. Especially when conditions turn icy, those with difficulty walking safely need the wider space and closer parking spots afforded by disabled parking permits.
How Can I Get a Physician Signed Certificate?
In Nebraska, the certificate the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires can be signed by a variety of providers, not just your primary care doctor. Physician’s assistants and registered nurses can also sign to verify your disability.
Besides your regular care providers, specialists who treat specific injuries or disabilities can sign these documents. Optometrists, podiatrists, chiropractors, and physical therapists are all able to verify that the conditions you see them for are disabilities.
If you regularly see a specialist regarding any chronic condition, they are most likely able to provide you with a signed certificate. Talk to your provider about disabled parking permits.
Of course, you don’t have to make an in-person appointment for these papers. You can easily obtain a signed certificate from a virtual examination with one of the many qualified Nebraska providers available through online practices. This is the fastest and most convenient way to obtain your physicians signed certificate.
What Should I Know About Disabled Parking Permits in NE
Once you have established eligibility and sent in your paperwork on the DMV website, your placard or license plate will arrive in the mail. Temporary placards and permanent placards are always free, and the license plate comes with the standard license and registration fees associated with renewing your license plate.
Temporary placards are good for six months, after which you will be required to obtain another physician signed certificate to renew your disabled parking. Permanent placards are just that, permanent, but must be renewed every five years.
If your disabled parking placard is lost or stolen, it will be replaced for free up to two times without needing to obtain a new physician’s signed certificate. If you lose it a third time, however, there may be associated fees, and you will need to make another appointment with your provider.
Once you obtain your placard, it must be displayed in your rearview mirror or on your dashboard whenever you wish to park in a designated handicap spot. Failure to display a placard will result in a fine. Placards may not remain on the rearview mirror while driving, as they are an obstruction per Nebraska law.
Your disabled parking permit can be used as a passenger or as a driver. Your disabled parking permit was issued with your comfort and safety in mind. If you are traveling with a friend or loved one, either in their car or your own, you can use your disabled parking permit to ensure you are given the preferential treatment you are entitled to. You may not, under any circumstances, lend your placard to another person. It is for you and only you to use. Failure to adhere to this rule may result in both a fine and a loss of your disabled parking permit.