How to Obtain a Disability Parking Permit

My son Isaac received his first wheelchair around the age of 3. It was becoming more difficult to carry him everywhere and limited his independence and need for adventure. We were able to transport his manual wheelchair in our SUV without much difficulty. However, we soon learned that we required more than the standard amount of parking space to load and unload Isaac and his equipment safely when out and about in the community.

At first, we were reluctant to ask for a disability parking permit because we felt that others may need the space more than we would. We soon learned that parking in the back of a parking lot in the middle of winter and trying to maneuver a wheelchair through fresh snow was not ideal and significantly increased our child’s exposure to the elements of a Minnesota winter.

The first step to getting a disability parking permit is to complete the Application for Disability Parking Certificate. The top of the form is completed with basic information for the individual and the remainder of the form is completed by a healthcare professional. We found the form online and brought it to an appointment with my son’s primary care physician and had a conversation about some of the challenges we were facing. Once the form is completed it can be submitted to the address on the form or hand delivered to your local Motor Vehicle Registrar’s office. In less than a month, the disability parking permit was mailed to our home to be used when we were transporting our son and his medial equipment.

Here is the link to the Application for Disability Parking Certificate:
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/forms-documents/Documents/MV_DisabilityParkingCertificate.pdf

 

Written By: Jess Randall, Parent Support Navigator