Eligibility for disability plates and placards

Disability plates and placards are offered by the RMV to Massachusetts residents who are eligible. These plates and placards allow drivers to park in designated parking spots.

Eligibility

To obtain disability plates, a placard or a disability veteran plate, you must be a Massachusetts resident. A Massachusetts registered and licensed physician, chiropractor, registered nurse, physician's assistant, osteopath, optometrist (for legally blindness only) or podiatrist must certify that you meet one of the following conditions:

• Cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest
• Cannot walk without the assistance of another person, prosthetic aid, or other assistive device
• Are restricted by lung disease to such a degree that your forced (respiratory) expiratory volume (FEV) in 1 second, when measured by spirometry, is less than 1 liter
• Use portable oxygen
• Have a Class III cardiac condition according to the standards set by the American Heart Association
• Have a Class IV cardiac condition according to the standards set by the American Heart Association. A customer in this condition must surrender their license.
• Have Class III or Class IV functional arthritis according to the standards set by the American College of Rheumatology
• Have Stage III or Stage IV anatomic arthritis according to the standards set by the American College of Rheumatology
• Have been declared legally blind (please attach copy of certification). A customer in this classification must surrender their license
• Have lost one or more limbs or permanently lost the use of one or more limbs.

To be eligible for a temporary placard, your medical professional must certify that your disability is predicted to last at least 2 months.

Example disability plate and placard

Disability license plate

Disability placard  

For security reasons, only one valid placard may be issued to a person at a time. The RMV includes a solid plastic sleeve with your placard that slides over your picture and name to protect the privacy of placard holders. The use of this sleeve is not required. Placard holders may use it at their discretion.

• Temporary placards' expiration date and placard number are in red font.
• Permanent placards' expiration date and placard number are in black font.