City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

The Department of Transportation (DOT) Permits and Customer Service Office is closed for in-person assistance until further notice, but you can contact the agency by phone.

Applications and request forms are accepted by mail. Please do not use a delivery method requiring a signature, because the office is closed.

Expiring Permits

All expired 2020 and 2021 City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities (PPPD) or Temporary Use On-Street permits are still being honored as valid until further notice and will not receive a summons or be booted or towed.

However, expired Temporary Vehicle Changes (TVC) and Permanent Vehicle Changes (PVC) can't be processed on an expired City PPPD permit.

If you get a parking ticket for a NYC PPPD that expired in 2020 or 2021, send your summons and a copy of your permit number along with your defense statement and any other evidence you may have to:

NYC Department of Finance
Advocacy Unit
66 John Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10038

If you are using an NYC PPPD or Temporary Permit that expired in 2019 or earlier, or you will be issued a summons. Do not use permits with a 2019 or prior year's expiration date.

The NYC Parking Permit for People with Disabilities (PPPD) is a placard that allows you to park at "No Parking" zones on public streets and at parking meters without depositing money.

It is placed on the driver's side dashboard. The NYC PPPD is sometimes called a "Special Parking Identification (SPI) Permit." It is valid only in New York City.

To be eligible for the permit, you must:

  • Require the use of a private vehicle for transportation
  • Have a severe, permanent disability that impairs mobility (documentation required)

Non-drivers, such as children with qualifying disabilities, can also apply.

You may also be interested in applying for the New York State Parking Permit for People with Disabilities. It’s a hangtag that allows you to park in spaces reserved for people with disabilities in off-street lots. For more information, go to the State Parking Permit for People with Disabilities page.

To apply for the permit, complete the NYC Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Application and provide supporting medical documentation.

Your personal physician and an NYC physician designated by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Medical Certification Unit (MCU) must certify that you have a severe, permanent disability that impairs mobility.

Mail the application and documentation to:

NYC Department of Transportation
Permits and Customer Service
30-30 Thomson Avenue, 2nd Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101

The MCU will review your application. If it is approved, DOT's NYC Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Unit will send you the permit. If it is not approved, DOT will send you a “Reason of Non-Certification” letter that explains the appeal process.

Online

Download the City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Application.

Download the City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Application in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, or Urdu.

By Mail

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

An NYC Parking Permit for People with Disabilities is valid until the expiration date printed on the permit. Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has extended the expiration date for all permits that expire in 2020 and 2021 until further notice.

Renewal forms will be mailed to the address on file. If your address has changed, you must download and complete the Change of Address form.

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours:

You can check the status of your application by phone.

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours:

The NYC Parking Permit for People with Disabilities allows you to park at most New York City streets. You must display the permit on your vehicle’s driver’s side dashboard.

Where You Can Park

You can park in:

  • Any metered passenger or commercial parking space for free
  • Any "No Parking" space, at any time
  • Any sign indicating street cleaning regulations (sign with a broom symbol)
  • Any space designated for use by Authorized Vehicles, including Diplomats (DPL), New York Press (NYP), or any governmental agency
  • Any "Truck Loading Only" space on the days and times trucks can park, except for in the Garment District loading area (West 35th through West 41st Streets between 6th and 8th Avenues)

To see what parking areas may be open to you with this permit, you can use the Parking Sign Locator map.

View street parking regulations on an interactive map.

Where You Can’t Park

You can’t park in or at:

  • "No Stopping Zones" or "No Standing" Zones:
    • School Days Zones
    • General No Standing Zones with restricted hours (for example, "No Standing between 4-7 PM")
    • Hotel Loading Zones
  • Bus stops
  • Crosswalks
  • Driveways
  • Fire hydrant (within 15 feet)
  • Fire Zones
  • Sidewalks
  • Spaces in DOT municipal parking fields reserved for quarterly parking permit holders
  • Spaces reserved for
    • Carshare vehicles
    • Taxis and for-hire vehicles
    • Electric vehicle charging
    • Ambulances and ambulettes
  • Areas reserved by the NYPD or the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment for a film, TV shoot, or parade

You also can’t double park or block any traffic lanes.

Temporary Vehicle Change

If you need to use another vehicle temporarily that is not listed on your permit, fill out the Temporary Vehicle Change (TVC) web form.

A Temporary Vehicle Change can only be issued to NYC PPPD holders with a valid permit. No expired permits will be accepted, including expired permits extended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your request must include:

  • Name of Permit Holder
  • Special Parking Identification (SPI) Permit number
  • Contact telephone number
  • Number of days temporary vehicle is to be used (valid for up to 14 days maximum)
  • Requested start date of temporary coverage
  • Information about the temporary replacement vehicle, including the vehicle's:
    • License plate number
    • State of registration
    • Year, make, model, and color
    • Owner/rental company name

All temporary vehicle changes are made available to the Department of Finance. If you received a summons, you can learn how to dispute the ticket in the "Special Cases" section on the Parking Ticket or Camera Violation Dispute page.

Online

Complete the Temporary Vehicle Change Form.

By Phone

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours:

Call 311 for assistance after business hours.

Permanent Vehicle Change

You can request a Permanent Vehicle Change (PVC) to the vehicle listed on your permit. PVCs cannot be processed on an expired City PPPD.

You must complete the PVC form and submit it with a copy of the new registration. For leased vehicles, you must include the first page of the leased agreement.

Mail to:

NYC Department of Transportation
Permanent Vehicle Change (PVC)
30-30 Thomson Avenue, 2nd Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101-3045

You can get the PVC request form online or by mail.

Online

Download the Permanent Vehicle Change (PVC) form.

By Mail

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

You can get a brochure with information about disability parking permits, including:

  • The difference between New York City and New York State permits
  • Eligibility
  • The application process
  • Permit design and placement in the vehicle
  • Where you can use the permit

Online

Download the Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Brochure.

Download the Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Brochure in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, or Urdu.

By Mail

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

You can request a Department of Transportation (DOT) document in a language that is not currently available.

You will need to provide:

  • The document name
  • The language you want the document translated into
  • Your mailing address

You will get the translated document in 30 days.

Online

Email the Department of Transportation.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

General Information and Assistance

You can get more information about eligibility, required documents, and how to use disability parking permits.

Online

Learn more about parking permits for people with disabilities.

By Phone

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours:

Permit Not Received

If you have been approved for a Parking Permit for People with Disabilities but never received it, you can report the problem by mail. 

You can download the form online or request a copy by mail.

Please mail the completed form to the Department of Transportation's Permits and Customer Service office. 

Online

Download the Permit Never Received Form.

By Mail

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

Deceased Permit Holders

Permits are no longer valid after the permit holder is deceased. If you are a family member of a deceased permit holder, please return the permit immediately to:

NYC Department of Transportation
Permits and Customer Service
30-30 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101-3045

Anyone found using a permit belonging to a deceased permit holder will be subject to fines.

Improper Use

You can report the improper use of a disability parking permit.

Online

Email the Department of Transportation.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

Lost or Stolen Permit

You can report a lost or stolen permit by mail.

Online

Download the Lost or Stolen Permit Form.

By Mail

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

Out-of-State Permits and Meter Waivers

Disability parking permits from outside of New York State aren’t honored for on-street parking in New York City.

Metered parking waivers from municipalities other than NYC are also not honored.

Tickets and Tows

If you have a disability parking permit, were parked in an allowable spot for holders of parking permits for people with disabilities, and received a parking ticket, you can dispute the ticket. To learn more, go to the Parking Ticket or Camera Violation Dispute page.

If you have a disability permit and parked legally with your permit displayed, you may be able to get your towed vehicle back at no cost. To learn more, go to the Towed Vehicle Reclaim from NYPD page.

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