California guide
Getting a disability parking placard in California
In California, placards are issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) — and the application paperwork has to be done right. That’s the part we make easy: apply from home, let us review and prepare everything, and receive completed paperwork ready for the state.
How our service works in California
Apply online in about 5 minutes
Tell us about your mobility and choose the placard type you need. We tailor everything that follows to California’s requirements.
We review and prepare your application
Our team reviews your answers and prepares your state paperwork — no appointments, no phone calls, no waiting rooms. If your application isn’t approved, your payment is fully refunded.
Submit your paperwork to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Your completed permit package arrives in your dashboard with step-by-step instructions for submitting it in California — and you can track everything there.
Official details for California
- Issuing agency
- California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- Application form
- REG 195
- How to submit
- Mail the certified REG 195 to the DMV or drop it off at any field office; either route works statewide.
- Renewals
- California automatically mails permanent placard holders a replacement on a two-year cycle, so no reapplication is needed; temporary placards expire on their printed date.
- State fees
- Permanent placards are free in California, and temporary placards carry only a small fee.
Details can change — confirm with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) before you submit.
Who typically qualifies
States use similar medical criteria for disability parking. During your application you’ll check the situations that apply to you — common ones include:
- I can't walk 200 feet without stopping to rest
- I use a wheelchair, walker, cane, crutch, or brace
- I have a lung or breathing condition
- I use portable oxygen
- I have a heart or circulatory condition
- I have a severe arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition
- I'm legally blind or have severely limited vision
Other mobility-limiting conditions may qualify too — every application is reviewed individually, so the best way to know is to apply. And if your application isn’t approved, you receive a full refund.
Start your California application
About five minutes online, everything reviewed and prepared for you, and paperwork ready for the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Find out if you qualify in CaliforniaCommon questions
Who qualifies for a disability parking placard?
Each state writes its own rules, but the common threads are mobility and safety: difficulty walking a short distance without resting, using a wheelchair, walker, cane, or other aid, heart or lung conditions, portable oxygen, or severely limited vision. Our questionnaire walks you through the criteria that apply where you live, and every application is reviewed individually. We can never promise approval — but if your application isn't approved, you get a full refund.
How does the review process work?
You apply online in about five minutes — tell us your state, the placard you need, and what makes parking hard for you. From there, our team reviews your application and prepares the paperwork your state requires — no appointments, no phone calls, no waiting rooms. When it's ready, your completed permit package appears in your secure dashboard with instructions for submitting it to your state.
Is this legitimate? Are you the DMV?
No, and we want to be completely upfront about that. HandicapParking.org is a private company, not a government agency or DMV. Disability parking placards are issued exclusively by your state's motor-vehicle agency. We help you prepare and complete the application paperwork you submit to your state. Using our service does not guarantee state approval.
HandicapParking.org is a private company, not a government agency or DMV. Disability parking placards are issued exclusively by your state’s motor-vehicle agency. We help you prepare and complete the application paperwork you submit to your state. Using our service does not guarantee state approval.