Disability Placards in Illinois
Motorists may get disability placards in Illinois by applying through the Secretary of State (SOS). Disabled drivers may complete an application for disability placards after they are medically certified to have either a temporary or a permanent disability. Drivers may use the disability car permits for parking their motor vehicles in designated places marked for those with disabilities.
However, prior to completing an IL disabled placard application, motorists need to satisfy certain eligibility criteria. Moreover, drivers are also required to learn how to renew handicap parking tags in Illinois before the expiration date and how to perform a replacement when facing a lost or stolen placard. To learn more about how to qualify for these permits and which methods to use for renewing or replacing them, review the following sections.
Eligibility Requirements for Disability Placards in Illinois
An Illinois disabled car sticker application may be completed only by drivers who satisfy the eligibility criteria and have either a temporary or a permanent disability. In order to be eligible to apply for a handicap parking placard, motorists need to meet one of the following conditions:
- Inability to walk for 200 feet without rest.
- Inability to walk without the assistance of another person, a wheelchair, brace, walker, crutch or prosthetic device.
- Lung disease or the usage of a portable oxygen device.
- Cardiac condition classified as Class III or Class IV, according to the standards set by the American Heart Association.
- Limited ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, oncological or orthopedic condition.
- Loss of a hand or arm, or permanent loss of the use of a hand or arm.
After satisfying the IL disability placard requirements, motorists need to complete an application form and provide additional documents, if necessary. Drivers who want to get disability parking permits in Illinois need to ask their physician, advanced practice nurse, optometrist, chiropractor or physician’s assistant to complete the second part of the form.
How to Apply for a Disability Placard in Illinois
In order to obtain a handicap placard in Illinois, motorists need to perform an application procedure and complete a Persons with Disabilities Certification for Parking Placard/License Plates (form VSD 62). Note that the second part of the disabled placard application form must be completed by a licensed physician. Once the application for a disability parking tag is completed, applicants may submit it either by mail or in person at a local IL SOS branch, depending on the type of placard they apply for.
Note: The application form for getting a temporary or permanent disabled person parking sticker may be also used when applying for disability license plates or for a meter-exempt placard.
How to Apply for a Disability Placard by Mail
Motorists who are applying for permanent disability placards in Illinois must perform the procedure by using the mail-in method. However, drivers who want temporary placards may submit an application by using the mail-in or in-person method. In other words, disabled drivers need to complete a disabled car permit application form, mark the type of placard they want, have the form certified by a medical physician and send the form to the IL SOS mailing address.
How to Apply for a Disability Placard in Person
Motorists may also apply for an Illinois disabled person parking permit in person at a local IL SOS office. However, this method is available only for drivers who want to obtain a temporary placard, while the motorists with permanent disability must use the mail-in method. Applicants for disability car placards will be required to complete the application form and have a medical physician to fill in and sign the second part of the form before submitting it to the IL SOS.
How to Renew Disability Placards in Illinois
Drivers are required to perform an Illinois handicap placard renewal when approaching the expiration date of the placard. In order to know when to renew the document, drivers need to know the validity period of the type of placard they hold. Temporary disability parking tags are valid for up to six months after which drivers may be required to reapply for a temporary placard.
Therefore, disabled motorists may be able to renew only their permanent permits by completing a renewal procedure prior to the expiration date of the placard. Drivers who are wondering how to renew a disability parking permit in Illinois may perform a procedure online, by mail or in person at a nearby IL SOS location.
How to Renew Disability Placards Online
Motorists may renew only permanent disability placards in Illinois by using the online Disability Parking Placards Renewal Service. In order to perform an online handicap parking tag renewal procedure, drivers need to do the following:
- Provide the current placard number and the PIN number from the renewal letter
- Receive an email confirmation.
- Bring a renewal notification letter or email confirmation to a licensed physician who must complete the renewal process.
Note: Drivers who are applying for an Illinois disabled person parking tag for the first time or who want to change their name on the placard need to use the in-person renewal method.
How to Renew Disability Placards by Mail
Drivers may also perform an Illinois handicap placard renewal process by mailing the necessary documentation to the IL SOS. Drivers must complete the paper application form and bring it to a licensed physician to have it medically certified. In order to finalize the process of renewing disability parking tags by mail, either the driver or the medical professional must send the form to the SOS mailing address.
How to Renew Disability Placards in Person
A renewal process for Illinois handicap parking stickers that are about to expire may be also performed in person at a local IL SOS office. Drivers need to complete an application, have the second part of the form certified by a medical physician and submit it at the SOS.
How to Replace Disability Placards in Illinois
Motorists are required to perform an Illinois disability placard replacement when dealing with lost, stolen, damaged, mutilated or not received placards. The process of replacing disability parking permits does not require applicants to provide a medical certification on the form. Motorists who are wondering how to replace a handicap placard in Illinois may perform a personal procedure or send the documents by mail.
Note: Drivers who are replacing a stolen permit are required to provide a police report in addition to the application form.
How to Replace Disability Placards by Mail
When replacing a lost, stolen, damaged, mutilated or not received disability car tag in Illinois by mail, drivers need to complete the application form VSD 415. After completing a replacement application for disability parking tags, motorists need to send the form to the IL SOS mailing address along with payment for the applicable replacement fee and a police report, if dealing with a stolen placard.
How to Replace Disability Placards in Person
An Illinois disability placard replacement procedure may also be performed in person at a local IL SOS office by following the same steps as for the mail-in method. Drivers need to complete the replacement application for disability parking permits and submit it to an SOS branch along with applicable fees and a police report, if the placard was stolen.
Illinois Disability Placard Fees
When applying or renewing disability car tags in Illinois, motorists are not required to pay handicap placard fees, because the placards are issued at no cost. However, drivers who have lost, damaged, mutilated, stolen or not received placards are required to pay a $10 fee for the replacement process. Moreover, drivers who are applying for disabled license plates may be required to pay additional fees.