• Florida handicap permits allow disabled persons to park in designated handicap spaces.handicap image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com
  
  The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) provides handicap parking permits for persons certified disabled, either permanently or temporarily. However, in order to receive a disabled parking permit and make use of it, persons must apply with the support of documentation provided by a doctor or other health care professional.
  
  

Requirements to Apply for Permit

• To apply for a disabled parking permit, the Florida DHSMV specifies that you must have certification of disability from a Physician, whether general, Podiatric, or Osteopathic, an Optometrist, or a Chiropractor. Certification from a licensed Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner operating in the practice of a licensed Physician or a licensed Physician assistant is also acceptable. If necessary, the applicant may use certification from a licensed Physician from states other than Florida. Valid certification must be shown on application form HSMV 83039 accompanied by the certifying specialist's medical license number, address and state of license.
  
  

Specifications

• Furthermore, to apply for a disabled permit in Florida, the applicant must have either a current Florida driver's license or a valid Florida identification card. The driver's license or identification number must be attached to the disabled parking permit. Permits last for periods up to four years and expire on the recipient's birthday. Four-year permits are free of charge, but the fee for temporary permits is $15 plus tax. Additionally, permits must display a valid yellow decal at all times. Organizations that provide transportation for the disabled must have "either a FEID [Federal Tax Identification] number or a Florida sales tax registration number to be affixed to the disabled parking permit," according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
  
  

Considerations

• The Florida DHSMV explains that once the department issues a disabled parking permit application, the applicant may request a handicap license plate from the county tax collector's office. To request a license plate with a wheelchair symbol, the applicant must turn in their current license plate to the county tax collector's office. Handicap plates receive the same expiration date as the plates that they replace and a registration fee and proof of insurance must be furnished each year. Additional permits may be available to people certified as quadriplegic as well as frequent travelers, and organizations can receive disabled parking permits for each vehicle they use to transport disabled persons.
  
  

Display and Parking

• The Florida DHSMV stipulates that when parking in a handicap space, permits must be visibly displayed on the rearview mirror. Disabled parking permits are only valid in areas specifically marked with the blue wheelchair sign, or otherwise designated, and listed parking restrictions are applicable.