Disability Placards in West Virginia
Disabled individuals can apply for disability placards in West Virginia through the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). In order to obtain a handicap placard, applicants are not required to meet any age requirements, neither do they have to own or drive a motor vehicle. Therefore, in order to get a disabled person placard in WV, you will not be asked to furnish a driver’s license or a car registration.
After you obtain a disability parking permit, you can use the credential by hanging it on the rearview mirror or placing it on the dashboard when parking your vehicle in a disabled parking space. Get more information on applying for handicap placards in WV by reading the sections outlined below.
Eligibility Requirements for Disability Placards in West Virginia
The state DMV will issue a disabled person parking placard in West Virginia only to applicants who meet the qualifications for these credentials. As such, only a WV disability placard applicant who has one or more of the following conditions certified by a licensed physician is eligible for a mobility impaired parking placard:
- The inability to walk without using helping devices or the assistance of another individual
- The inability to walk without stopping to rest
- The need to carry a portable oxygen tank
- Lung diseases that limit the customer’s respiratory abilities
- Serious cardiac conditions classified as Class III or Class IV
- Restricted walking abilities due to arthritic, neurological and/or orthopedic conditions
Note: The applicant will either be eligible for a five-year permanent handicap placard or a six-month temporary permit, depending on whether his or her condition is certified as permanent or temporary, respectively.
The WV disability placard requirements also include submitting the necessary paperwork necessary for this procedure. In most cases, the only document necessary to obtain a disabled parking badge is the proper application form issued by the DMV. A separate proof of disability is not required, since the applicant’s physician can provide the necessary certification on the application form.
Note that, when applying for a DMV handicap parking permit in person, customers may also be asked to present an official photo ID, such as a driving license or a state-issued ID card.
How to Apply for a Disability Placard in West Virginia
Submitting a West Virginia disabled placard application is a procedure that can either be completed in person or by mail. As such, the requirements to apply for a disabled person placard remain the same, regardless of the chosen application method.
Customers can obtain the application for disability placards in WV through any DMV location within the state, via the division’s website or by calling the state DMV. Overall, it is important to note that an applicant is eligible for two disabled placards only if he or she is not obtaining a mobility impaired license plate.
Applying for a West Virginia Disability Placard by Mail
In order to apply for a West Virginia disabled parking placard by mail, handicapped applicants must properly fill out an application form, have the document certified by a physician and send it to a specific DMV mailing address that is listed on the form. However, prior to mailing the application for disabled placards, make sure to verify the completeness and accuracy of the provided information, since incomplete and fraudulent forms may lead to rejected requests and certain fines.
Once the division receives your WV disabled placard application, it will verify your personal data and the physician’s certification and signature before issuing a placard. In addition to the disability parking permit, the state DMV will also issue an accompanying ID card that must be attached to the placard.
Applying for a West Virginia Disability Placard in Person
Applicants can also get a West Virginia disabled person parking placard in person through a nearby DMV office. By doing so, the application for handicap placards will be processed in a more expeditious manner, and the disabled customer will avoid the longer processing times of the mail-in method, which was outlined in previous section. Motorists can also obtain the WV disability placard application form prior to making their office visit for purposes of avoiding a double trip.
After receiving the application for a disability placard, the state DMV will check the applicant’s personal information and the disability certification. Then, it will issue a temporary or permanent parking permit to eligible candidates.
How to Renew Disability Placards in West Virginia
A West Virginia handicap placard renewal procedure can only be completed by owners of five-year disability parking permits, which are issued to individuals with permanent disabilities. Customers who have received a temporary permit will be required to resubmit the application form if their condition has not improved after the placard’s six-month validity. The DMV reminds holders of permanent WV disability placards to renew their permits on time by mailing out renewal notices prior to their set expiration dates.
If you are wondering how to renew disability parking permit documents, note that you will be required to fill out the renewal notice and mail it back to the address listed on the form. If you do not receive a renewal notice, you will be able to able to renew your DMV handicap parking placard by resubmitting the aforementioned application form.
In such cases, disabled motorists will be required to obtain a new physician’s certification. Furthermore, if you are required to renew a WV handicap placard without having received a renewal notice, contact the division to inquire whether to mail the application form or deliver it in person.
How to Replace Disability Placards in West Virginia
Disabled individuals who need information on how to replace a handicap placard in West Virginia must note that they will be able to utilize the same request form and application methods that apply for the issuance of an original parking permit. Therefore, in order to replace a lost, stolen or damaged disabled person placard, applicants will be required to fill out the corresponding sections of the standard application form and submit it by mail or in person along with the applicable replacement fee payment.
However, when completing the WV disability placard replacement process, applicants will not be required to acquire a new certification from a licensed medical professional.
Note: If you recover a lost or stolen disability placard after receiving a duplicate permit, you are required to surrender the original placard to the state DMV.
Replacing a West Virginia Disability Placard by Mail
To finalize the West Virginia disabled placard replacement procedure by mail, applicants will be required to send a properly filled out DMV-41-TR form to the division’s disabled parking unit in Charleston along with the corresponding fee payment. Note that, when submitting the DMV handicap placard request form for purposes of obtaining a duplicate permit, you will also be required to fill out the reason for replacing the placard and the number of the lost or damaged permit. The division will manufacture your WV handicap placard replacement after it verifies the fee payment and retrieves your handicap permit record.
Replacing a West Virginia Disability Placard in Person
Applicants may replace a disabled parking placard in West Virginia through a DMV regional office at any time. By submitting the disability placard replacement request in person, disabled individuals will avoid the longer processing times of the mail-in method described in the previous section. To successfully replace a WV disabled placard in person, applicants will be required to submit the standard placard application form and pay the applicable fee with an acceptable form of payment.
The DMV may also ask the customer to present an official form of identification. After the request for a duplicate disabled parking badge is processed, the applicant will receive a new placard with the same expiration date as the lost or damaged permit.
West Virginia Disability Placard Fees
When processing applications for West Virginia disability placards, the DMV imposes handicap placard fees only under specific circumstances. For instance, if you are wondering how much a disability placard in WV is when applying for the first time, note that your request will be processed free of charge. On the other hand, if you are also requesting a disabled license plate within the same transaction, you will be required to pay certain applicable registration fees.
Moreover, if you are replacing a disability parking placard, you will be required to pay for a permit cost. If you choose to mail in the application form, additional postage fees may apply as well.