Living with a disability means making adjustments in your life that most other people don’t have to think about. You may have to add features in your home that make it easier to complete daily tasks. Finding a parking space when you go to special events, attend school or go to work every day can also be a challenge when you have a disability.

Fortunately, if you live in Louisiana and have a condition that impacts your mobility, you’re likely eligible for a parking permit or license plate Here are some important details to keep in mind throughout the application process.

Determining Your Eligibility

You qualify to receive a handicap hang tag or placard if you:

  • Can’t walk for more than 200 feet without having to take a break
  • Have a portable oxygen tank
  • Can’t walk without assistance. This includes needing assistance from another person, a cane, braces or a wheelchair.
  • Have a prosthetic or use a wheelchair
  • Are legally blind
  • Have lung disease that restricts your mobility, and your forced respiratory expiratory volume for one second is less than 0.5 liters or your arterial oxygen tension is 60 mm/hg or lower on room air at rest
  • Have a heart condition that limits your mobility. The condition must be classified as a Class III or Class IV condition according to the American Heart Association
  • Have an orthopedic or neurological impairment that affects your mobility
  • Have severe arthritis
  • Have a diagnosed disorder or disease that classifies you as disabled

Getting a Handicap Plate In Louisiana

If you’re a Louisiana resident and want to get a handicap plate for your vehicle, you must have a disability that qualifies as permanent and lifelong. Your doctor has to fill out a form to verify your disability – the Physician’s Certification of Mobility Impairment form, which is known as DPSMV 1966.

In addition to your primary doctor, your chiropractor or advanced practice registered nurse can fill out the form for you. The medical professional filling out your form must be licensed to practice medicine from the Louisiana State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners or the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.

You can submit the form in person at your nearest Louisiana DMV, or the form can be faxed as long as it is faxed directly from the doctor’s office. If you’re not able to drop the form off in person, you can submit a photo with all necessary application materials. The photo must be in color.

If you have a vehicle titled in your name, have a drivers license and are disabled, your license plate and registration must be submitted to the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Office along with your Physician’s form.

If the vehicle that you want plates for is not titled in your name, you have to complete DPSMV 4222, which is a designation form. Turn this document in with your physician’s statement to the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Office. You have to sign the form, and a designee must sign as well to receive the license plate on your behalf. Your designee has to agree that you as the disabled person have the right to cancel your plates at any time. If the designee currently has a vehicle that is licensed in Louisiana, the designee must submit his/her old license plate and registration to receive the handicap plates.

If you’re buying a new vehicle, give your completed forms to the dealership. The documents will be submitted to OMV with the correct registration paperwork. You’ll receive your handicap plate when you register your vehicle.

Prices for Handicap Plates and Placards

In Louisiana, the price for handicap plates is $10. The plates are valid for two years. You’ll also pay a fee of around $8 for any plate-related transaction with the exception of renewals.

You’ll also pay a $3 fee for all handicap placards, whether the placards are temporary permanent, lost, damaged or stolen.

Renewing Your Handicap Placard

Permanent placards are valid in Louisiana for four years. Temporary placards are valid for one year. If you have a permanent placard, you don’t need to go through the recertification process again. If you need a temporary placard renewed, you must submit a current statement from a medical examiner.

Replacing Lost or Stolen Placards

You can apply for a new handicap placard if yours is lost, damaged or stolen. You must submit an application stating the condition of your placard and pay a fee of $3 at your nearest Louisiana DMV. If you’re not able to visit the DMV in person, a representative can apply for you. The representative should be an individual who can accurately answer all questions pertaining to your mobility or disability.

Where to Hang Your Handicap Placard

Louisiana handicap placards are designed to hang from the front windshield of your vehicle’s rearview mirror. If there isn’t a rearview mirror in the vehicle, you can display your tag on the dashboard of your car or truck.

Getting a Disabled Veterans Plate

Disabled veterans in Louisiana can receive a Disabled Veterans license plate for free. Veterans have to provide the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles with proper documents from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The documents must verify that your disability is at least 50% related to your military service. Your disabled veterans plate is free for life, but you’ll have to pay an initial $8 handling fee. Once your receive your plates, you can also request a handicap placard free of charge. The placard will make it legal for you to park in spaces reserved for individuals with disabilities.

As a veteran, you also receive exemption from driver license fees in Louisiana including Classes D and E. This applies to CDL licenses as well. To qualify for a free drivers license, you must prove that you were honorably discharged from the military and that you receive compensation from the U.S. government for a military service-related disability. You can also take advantage of Social Security benefits once you apply.

These helpful tips will make it much easier to obtain all handicap parking privileges in Louisiana so local travel will be more efficient for you.