Disability Parking & Services

Types of Permits

• Removable windshield placards are issued to a person with a disability on a temporary (six months) or permanent (five year) basis. Removable windshield placards may also be issued to an organization that transports persons with disabilities.
• Plates are issued to an owner of a vehicle who is a person with a permanent disability; also issued to parent or guardian of a child with a permanent disability if the child lives with parent or guardian.
• Stickers are issued to an owner of a motor vehicle who is a person with a permanent disability. The PWD sticker can be placed on any type of regular, special, or personalized license plate. It cannot be placed on a PWD plate. The PWD sticker is placed on the license plate in the lower-right corner of the rear plate for a specialty or county standard plate. For Natural Resources plates, the PWD sticker is placed above the registration decal on the lower, right-hand side of the plate. For the Flying Our Colors plates, the PWD sticker is placed on the lower, left-hand corner above the registration decal.  PWD stickers are available at County Treasurer locations and can be obtain immediately. You may also request a sticker via our online application or by visiting our Ankeny location.

Eligibility

Any Iowa resident with a disability that limits or impairs the person's ability to walk. A person shall be considered a person with a disability and can obtain a removable windshield placard, sticker or plate under the following circumstances.

• The person cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
• The person cannot walk without the use of, or assistance from, a brace, crutch, another person, prosthetic device, wheelchair or other assisting device.
• The person is restricted by lung disease to such an extent that the person's forced expiratory volume for one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than one liter, or the arterial-oxygen tension is less than 60 mm/hg on room air at rest.
• The person uses portable oxygen.
• The person has a cardiac condition to the extent that the person's functional limitations are classified in severity as Class III or Class IV according to standards set by the American Heart Association.
• The person is severely limited in the person's ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition.

Medical Statements

The following medical professionals licensed to practice in any U.S. state may provide the medical statement: physicians (including podiatrists), chiropractors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.

The medical statement for certification of disability must be on a practitioner’s stationary, include the signature of the provider, and a determination of whether the disability is permanent or temporary. 

A veteran with a service-related disability, you may submit a disability determination made by the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs in lieu of a medical statement documenting disability.

How to Get Your Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit

If you are applying for a Persons with Disability removeable windshield placard (Standard or Temporary), please be aware there will be a waiting period due to processing time. If you need your placard immediately, you can visit one of our Iowa DMV Locations or a county treasurer’s office to obtain your placard.

Online

1. Complete the Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit for Iowa Residents form.
2. When prompted on the form, upload your medical statement or your US DVA certification (for veterans).
3. After completing the form, electronically sign and click submit.

By Mail

1. Complete the Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit for Iowa Residents form and print the form after completing.
2. Mail the completed form and the medical statement or your US DVA certification (for veterans) to:

In Person

At a DMV Location

• You can go to any Iowa DMV Location. No appointment necessary; however, you will need to wait for the next available team member.

At a County Treasurers' Office

• You can also be served by your local county treasurer's office, however, please check with their office to see if you need an appointment.

Be sure to bring your completed Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit for Iowa Residents and your medical statement or your US DVA certification (for veterans). 

How to Get Persons with Disabilities Plates

Standard Plates

• Complete the Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit for Iowa Residents form
• Print, sign and take the form along with your medical statement or your US DVA certification (for veterans) to your local county treasurer's office.

Personalized plates

• Complete the Persons with Disabilities License Plate Application form
• Print, sign and take the form along with your medical statement your medical statement from or your US DVA certification (for veterans) to your local county treasurer's office.

How to Get Persons with Disabilities Stickers

To apply for a persons with disabilities sticker, you have three options:

• Complete the Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit for Iowa Residents  
• Make an appointment to get them at the Office of Vehicle & Motor Carrier Services in Ankeny. Be sure to select "Vehicle Services (No DL/CDL Services)" from the location drop down menu when scheduling an appointment.
• Contact your local county treasurer's office.

About Persons with Disabilities Parking Products

Cost

There is no cost for the removable windshield placard, sticker, or plate. However, motorists displaying a persons with disabilities plate will continue to pay their regular annual vehicle registration fee. There is a $25 fee for personalized plates.

How Long Are Permits Valid?

• Plates: Persons with disabilities plates must be validated each year with a self-certification by the owner stating the disability still exists for the owner or for the child.
• Removable windshield placards: Temporary permits will expire six months from the date of issue, unless the medical professional indicates a date prior to six months; those which are permanent expire five years from the date of issue.
• Stickers: Valid as long as the motor vehicle registration is current.

Multiple Permits

• Persons with disabilities plates may be issued to all vehicles titled in the person's name with a disability.
• Two removable windshield placards may be issued for each person with a disability.
• Persons with disabilities parking stickers may be issued to all vehicles titled in the person's name with a disability.

Placard Use Requirements

The law requires the permit holder's signature to be on the removable windshield placard for it to be valid and used when parking in a designated parking space.

Penalties

• Providing false information to obtain the removable windshield placard, sticker or plate may result in a $300 civil fine; the removable windshield placard, sticker or plate may also be revoked.
• Parking in a designated space when there is not a person with a disability driving or riding in the vehicle may result in a $200 fine.
• Failing to return the removable windshield placard, sticker or plate when the use is no longer needed, and then misusing it may result in a fine of up to $200

Parking Space Requirements

Requirements for the numbers and dimensions of accessible parking spaces are established by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.