The state of South Carolina cares about each of its citizens and wishes to ensure that everyone has the ability to go about their daily life in a productive and comfortable way. This care extends to the disabled citizens of the state! South Carolina has therefore set aside and protected several accommodations for the disabled which, if you are experiencing a disability, you may be able to access.

If you have applied for and received a disabled parking permit, then you have a right to the associated privileges. However, those rights and privileges come with responsibilities! Read on for a detailed guide to the rules of the road regarding your South Carolina disabled parking permit.

When to Use Your Parking Placards

When you received your disabled parking permit in the mail, you should have also received a parking placard, which is a stiff piece of brightly colored material meant to mark your vehicle as one approved for disabled parking.

Please hang this parking placard on the rear-view window in the front of your vehicle in order to park in these spots. However, there is one very important rule that you must follow in order to ensure that you are not liable for disciplinary measures.

It is very dangerous and highly illegal for there to be a large dangling object in your field of vision while you are driving. Therefore, please make a habit of hanging this placard up only after you have parked in your vehicle, and take the placard down before you begin to drive away.

Who Can Use Your Parking Placards

In the state of South Carolina, the disabled parking permit is registered to the person — i.e., you — and not to a specific vehicle, as license plates are. This means that you can take your placards from vehicle to vehicle, utilizing them in any car in which you happen to be travelling.

As your condition may necessarily impede your ability to safely drive a car, it is important to note that anyone can drive and park a car using your permit. However, you must also be riding in the vehicle. If another person is caught using your placards without you also being present, you may be liable for disciplinary measures up to and including revocation of your permit and associated materials.

If you are married or otherwise living or sharing a car with another person with disabilities, please note that sharing a parking placard is still expressly prohibited. Each person who qualifies for usage of disabled parking spaces should apply for, receive, and use their own.

Know Which Type of Disabled Parking Permit You Have

In the state of South Carolina, there are two different types of disabled parking permits.

  • Temporary. Temporary disabled parking permits should be used if your condition is one which is not expected to last for more than one year. A temporary permit is issued for conditions lasting more than four months and less than twelve months.
  • Permanent. Permanent disabled parking permits should be used for any condition lasting more than one year. However, they are only in affect for four years, after which date they will need to be renewed and your condition re-approved.

If you are applying for a disabled parking permit for conditions relating to pregnancy, please apply for a temporary permit and note your due date as the preferred date of expiration.

How to Renew Your Disabled Parking Permit

Whether you have a temporary or a permanent disabled parking permit, it will expire; at the very least, once every four years. The state of South Carolina recommends that you begin the renewal process at least one month before the noted expiration date, as it will take the Department of Motor Vehicles at least a few business days to review your renewal application.

The process for renewing your permit (and receiving updated placards) is exactly the same as the first time you applied. Please navigate to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles website and download the application form. When you fill it out, note that you are requesting a renewal, and note your prior placard or permit identification number.

If there is a period of time in between when your old permit expires and when your new one takes effect, do not park in a disabled parking space during this time. If you are caught parking in such a space without legal certification, your parking permit may be taken away from you.

What to Do if Your Placards are Lost or Stolen

If you have misplaced your parking placards, simply follow the same procedures for renewing your disabled parking permit. However, instead of noting in the top section of the form that you are applying for the first time or renewing your permit, check the box that indicates you are requesting a replacement and provide as much information as you can regarding your previous placard.

If you believe that your placards were stolen, please contact the police and file a report. Please attach a copy of this report along with your completed application form.

In any case, please make sure that you wait until you receive your replacement materials in the mail before you begin to park in disabled parking spaces again.

The state of South Carolina wants to ensure that all of its citizens, including its citizens who are suffering from mobility-related disabilities, are able to park in such a way that they are able to enjoy their day to day lives with comfort and ease. However, as there are a limited number of accommodations that can be made, it is crucial that only those who need the service use it, and those who do use the service use it well.

Make sure that you remember to use your parking placards when parking in reserved spaces, and that you remove the placard before you drive away again! Remember to renew your placards as needed to enjoy the privileges associated with your permit.