How to Apply for a Handicap Parking Permit in PA (Placards)

To apply for a handicap parking permit in PA, complete PennDOT Form MV-145A. Fill in your personal details in Section E, then ask a licensed physician, chiropractor, optometrist, podiatrist, physician assistant, or certified registered nurse practitioner to certify your qualifying disability in Section B. Mail the finished form to PennDOT’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Harrisburg, or bring it to the Riverfront Office Center in person for same-day issue. The placard costs nothing, and PennDOT usually processes mailed applications within two weeks. Philadelphia residents apply to PennDOT for placards and to the Philadelphia Parking Authority for reserved residential parking spaces.

How to Apply for a Handicap Parking Permit in PA (Form MV-145A)

You apply by completing Form MV-145A, "Person With Disability Parking Placard Application," in two parts: your own information and a healthcare provider’s certification. PennDOT accepts the finished form by mail or in person, and most mailed applications clear within about two weeks.

Completing Section E and Section B

Section E holds your own personal and contact information as the applicant. Your certifying healthcare provider fills out Section B instead, documenting the qualifying disability, selecting a reason code, and signing under their professional license. A blank Section B gets the application rejected, so schedule time with your provider before mailing anything in.

Some conditions call for extra detail on the form. Vision-related claims need the visual-acuity chart filled in, and claims based on an assistive device need the specific device named, whether that is a cane, a wheelchair, a brace, or a prosthetic.

Where to Submit the Application

Two options exist for turning in the finished form.

Mail it in: Send the completed MV-145A to PennDOT, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 68268, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8268. Processing usually takes about two weeks from the date PennDOT receives it.
Bring it in person: Applicants who visit the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg can walk away with the placard the same day, skipping the mail wait entirely.

DMV.org’s guide to the form mentions a notarization requirement that PennDOT’s own instructions do not list. PennDOT is the agency that actually issues the placard, so its instructions carry more weight, though a county office handling the paperwork locally may still ask for notarization on its own.

Example: Applying by Mail from Start to Finish

Here is what the mail option looks like for a typical applicant with a qualifying mobility limitation.

Get the form: Download Form MV-145A from PennDOT’s website or pick up a paper copy.
Fill in Section E: Enter the applicant’s identifying information as the person requesting the placard.
Schedule a provider visit: Bring the form to a physician, podiatrist, or other eligible provider who can confirm, for example, that the applicant cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
Get Section B signed: The provider records the qualifying reason code and clinical detail, then signs under their license.
Mail the completed form: Send it to PennDOT, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 68268, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8268.
Wait about two weeks: PennDOT processes the application and mails back a permanent placard, which it says is made to last five years, with the renewal form mailed about 60 days before it expires.

Nothing about this process costs money at any step, and nothing in it requires an attorney or a paid preparer. A kitchen table, a working printer, and one appointment with an eligible provider cover the whole application.

On a long weekend in Pittsburgh in 2022, I learned that a loosely planned itinerary can turn a simple stop into a debate over whose map was current, with me losing on procedural grounds. It showed me why the published check for how to apply for a handicap parking permit in PA is plain: the completed MV-145A is mailed to PennDOT’s Harrisburg address, not left to interpretation.

Who Can Certify Your Disability on the Form

A defined list of licensed professionals can sign Section B, and the certifier has to stay within what their license actually covers.

Eligible Healthcare Providers and Certifiers

PennDOT accepts certification from any of the following:

Physicians
Chiropractors
Optometrists
Podiatrists
Physician assistants
Certified registered nurse practitioners
Police officers, for some permanent disabilities
A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office Administrator, for veteran placards

Licensing and Scope-of-Practice Rules

The certifying provider must be licensed or certified in Pennsylvania or in a contiguous state: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, or Ohio. Each provider type can only certify conditions within their own scope of practice, so a podiatrist can sign off on a foot-related mobility limit but not a cardiac diagnosis. A general diagnosis letter is not enough on its own; PennDOT wants the specific clinical details Section B asks for, tied to one of the qualifying reason codes.

What Medical Conditions Qualify for a PA Placard

Pennsylvania recognizes a specific set of conditions severe enough to limit mobility or vision and justify a placard.

Blindness or legal blindness
Inability to walk 200 feet without stopping to rest or needing assistance
Reliance on a cane, crutch, wheelchair, brace, or prosthetic to get around
Severe lung disease, defined as forced expiratory volume under 1 liter or dependence on portable oxygen
Cardiac conditions rated Class III or IV under American Heart Association standards
Severe walking limitations due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition
Respiratory limitation with arterial oxygen tension below 60 mm/hg on room air at rest

Parents or spouses of someone who meets one of these conditions may also qualify, though eligibility in that case is restricted and tied directly to the disabled family member’s needs. A physician decides which condition and reason code applies, based on an exam rather than self-reporting, and that clinical judgment is what Section B actually records. Self-diagnosis, or a condition the applicant believes should qualify without a matching exam finding, will not move an application forward.

How Long Is a PA Disabled Parking Placard Valid

Validity depends on which of three placard types PennDOT issues: permanent, temporary, or severely disabled veteran.

Placard Type	Validity Period	Renewability	Who Qualifies
Permanent	5 years	Renews in March or September with a renewal form	Long-term or lifelong qualifying disability
Temporary	Up to 6 months	No, a new application is required if the condition continues	Condition expected to resolve within 6 months
Severely disabled veteran	5 years	Not specified in PennDOT’s materials	100% service-related disability or a qualifying permanent military-related disability

A temporary placard cannot simply be extended; once it lapses, the applicant has to start the MV-145A process over from Section B, and new certification by a licensed health care provider is required even if the condition is unchanged.

How Much Does a PA Handicap Parking Placard Cost

The placard is free. PennDOT charges no application fee for a permanent, temporary, or veteran placard, and there is no renewal fee either. Budgeting for the placard itself is one less thing an applicant has to plan around.

What You Can Do with a PA Disabled Placard

A valid placard lets a driver park in spaces marked for people with disabilities and stay longer than the posted limit in most locations.

Display the placard on the rearview mirror whenever parking in a reserved accessible space.
Park for up to 60 minutes beyond the legal parking period posted at most metered or time-limited spaces.
Use the placard anywhere in the United States, since all 50 states recognize it.

Move the placard between vehicles as needed, since it belongs to the person rather than the car. A household with several vehicles only needs the one placard, moved to whichever car is in use that day.

How to Apply for a Disabled Parking Permit in Philadelphia

Philadelphia runs its own disabled parking program through the Philadelphia Parking Authority, separate from PennDOT’s statewide placard.

Get a physician’s certification: A doctor documents the disability, and the certification goes through a review by Moss Rehabilitation Hospital before approval.
Complete the city form: Fill out the Disabled Persons Parking Sign Application rather than the state’s MV-145A.
Mail the application: Send it to Philadelphia Parking Authority, 701 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Residents who already hold a state placard from PennDOT can still use it for standard accessible parking spaces around the city. The Philadelphia program instead covers a different benefit, reserved on-street disabled parking signage in front of a residence, which the statewide placard does not provide. Someone who only needs to park in ordinary accessible spaces around the city, rather than reserve a spot on their own block, generally does not need to file the Philadelphia paperwork at all.

How to Renew or Replace Your Placard

Renewals, replacements, and address changes all run through PennDOT’s online placard portal at placard.penndot.pa.gov.

Permanent placard holders renew during the March or September cycle tied to their original issue date, using the renewal form PennDOT mails out roughly 60 days ahead of expiration.

Lost or damaged placards get replaced through the same portal without restarting the physician-certification process, since PennDOT already has the qualifying condition on file. Anyone who moves can update the address tied to their placard record there too, which keeps renewal mailings going to the right place going forward.

PennDOT’s public materials do not spell out a renewal cycle for the severely disabled veteran placard the way they do for the permanent and temporary versions, so a veteran approaching the 5-year mark should check the portal or contact the Bureau of Motor Vehicles directly rather than assume the March or September cycle applies automatically.

What to Do if Your Application Takes Longer than Two Weeks

Check the online placard portal first, since PennDOT posts application status there once a submission is logged.

Common holdups include a blank or incomplete Section B, a certifying provider who is not licensed in Pennsylvania or a contiguous state, or a mailing address on the form that does not match what PennDOT has on file.

Confirm the form went to the correct Harrisburg P.O. box, and double-check that every required field in both Section E and Section B was filled in before mailing. Applicants who need a placard sooner than the mail process allows can also visit the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg in person and get one issued the same day, rather than waiting on a mailed response.

This guide does not list Riverfront Office Center hours or appointment rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Pennsylvania Handicap Placard Valid in Other States?

Yes, a PA placard is universal and accepted anywhere in the United States, not just within Pennsylvania. Drivers traveling out of state can use the same placard in any accessible parking space that honors disabled placards.

Can a Police Officer Certify My Disability Instead of a Doctor?

For some permanent disabilities, yes, a police officer can complete the certification section. Most applicants still go through a physician, chiropractor, optometrist, podiatrist, physician assistant, or certified registered nurse practitioner, since police certification applies to a narrower set of cases.

Do I Need to Get Form MV-145A Notarized?

PennDOT’s own application instructions do not list notarization as a requirement. One third-party guide states otherwise, so if a county office involved in the submission asks for a notarized signature, treat that as a local request rather than a statewide rule.

Does a General Diagnosis Letter from My Doctor Qualify as Certification?

No, a general diagnosis letter does not qualify on its own. PennDOT requires the certifying provider to complete Section B directly on the form, with a specific reason code and clinical detail tied to the qualifying condition. A letter that only names a diagnosis, without those specifics recorded on the MV-145A itself, will send the application back.

What Is a Qualifying Reason Code on Form MV-145A?

The reason code is how the certifying provider tells PennDOT which qualifying condition applies to the applicant. PennDOT’s own application instructions list the specific codes, and the provider selects the one matching the exam findings while completing Section B. Getting this field right, along with the supporting clinical detail, is part of what keeps an application from being delayed.

Getting a PA disabled parking placard comes down to one form and one signature: fill out Section E, get Section B signed by an eligible provider, and mail it to Harrisburg or hand it over in person for same-day issue. Philadelphia residents need the city’s separate application for on-street signage, though the statewide placard still works there for regular accessible spaces. Keep the online portal bookmarked for renewals, replacements, and address changes once the placard arrives.

References

Apply for or Renew a Persons with Disability Parking Placard, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
PennDOT Pennsylvania Disabled Parking Placards & Plates, DMV.org (archived)
Disabled Parking Permit, The Philadelphia Parking Authority
Pennsylvania DMV MV-145A Handicap Permit Form, handicapmd.com
How to Get a Handicap Parking Permit in PA, Pennsylvania Stairlifts
Placard FAQs, Driver and Vehicle Services, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Sources read in September 2026.