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.