With so many various rules and factors that determine who is and who isn’t able to qualify for handicap parking permit, it can often be confusing to understand if you or someone you know is bale to get the parking permit that you may need. As laws differ from state to state, finding the qualifications for Georgia and making sure you are able to qualify is what will save you time and money by ensuring you are able to get the services you need without having to worry if you qualify or not.

Applying for a Permit

Before you consider whether you apply for a parking permit, it is important to understand that there is some level of involvement that you must be prepared for when considering applying for a permit. Filing paperwork, consulting your doctor, getting registered, and many other time-consuming expenses go into getting your permit, so it is important to make sure that you do your research before pursing a parking permit.

Disability Qualifications

With disability permits requiring a physician consultation, it is important to understand that in sates like Georgia it is required for you to have a doctor to certify any disability you may have to ensure that you do in fact need a disability parking permit. By understanding what Qualifies you for disability parking you can better understand if you should consider pursing a doctor’s certification to obtain your parking permit.

What disabilities qualify?

When considering what disability you or someone you know is living with, it is important to understand what the state of Georgia recognizes as a disability that warrants a special permit. To help understand what it takes to qualify, the Georgia Department of Drivers has made a comprehensive list of what they consider to be disabilities that will allow for the recipient to qualify for a special parking permit that will be discussed next.

Inability to hear well

Common sense would lead one to believe that having a hearing disability or a condition that makes it difficult to hear certain things or even have complete deafness that can warrant a qualification for a handicapped parking space. Asking your doctor which level of hearing loss you are classified as having will give you a better understanding of whether it is severe enough to allow you to pursue a special parking pass.

Required use of a portable oxygen tank

For people with diseases or conditions that require the use of an external oxygen tank, such as CPAP, COPD, emphysema, or other respiratory diseases, an oxygen tank is essential to ensure a sustainable quality of life and can often make everyday activities seem like highly difficult and strenuous chores that impede the ease of movement due to the extra weight and size that the oxygen tanks provide. If you or someone you know must utilize an oxygen tank for everyday life it is highly likely that you will qualify for a parking pass.  

Inability to walk 200 feet unassisted

Whether it is due to age or a medical condition that prevents you from walking 200 feet without a cane or without stopping to rest, having a parking spot that is in closer proximity to your destination will not only save you time, but it will also allow you to not have to expend too much energy for a fairly common activity. Depending on the severity of the condition a doctor can determine if your condition and its affect in your everyday life is enough to call for a parking pass.

Heart conditions

With the rate of heart disease growing rapidly in America, more people than ever are applying for parking permits due to the strain that long bursts of walking can have on their body due to their hearts inability to efficiently pump blood. With chronic illnesses and various forms of heart disabilities being eligible for disability services it is important to understand which conditions you are suffering from to ensure that you are able to be compensated for a disability that often goes unseen but can make life much more difficult.

Pregnancy complications

Pregnancy complications are a unique circumstance compared to the other disabilities that are recognized since they generally only last for the duration of a pregnancy period or for a short time afterwards. With issues such as high blood pressure, anemia, infections, and a vast list of other complications alongside carrying a child, getting a temporary permit to allow you the rights to park in handicap spaces for the duration of your pregnancy term. If you are dealing with these pregnancy conditions your doctor may be able to get you a temporary permit and help you deal with some of the common pregnancy complications that can make life a little more difficult.

Blindness or severe vision impairments

One of the most difficult conditions to verify and correctly label for a disability, a visual impairment can make driving much more difficult or even impossible depending on the severity of your visual impairment.  With vision impairments being able to get a pass that makes getting to a destination easier can take a large burden of the shoulders of those with partial or legal blindness. It is important to remember that if you have been deemed unfit to drive due to severe blindness you should not be driving even if you think you would qualify for a specialized parking pass.

Conclusion

When looking for some clarity on whether you or someone you know can obtain a parking permit it can be a confusing process determining what conditions Georgia recognizes as warranting a parking pass. Hopefully after reading some of the conditions mentioned and consulting with a doctor for a recommendation to pursue a permit you are now able to understand where you fall on the qualification list you can decide to fill out the paperwork and find a way to make you life just a little bit easier.