California Cracks Down on Fraudulent Use of Disabled Parking Placards

Starting June 30, 2023, there will be changes to the process of renewing permanent disabled parking placards in California. The aim is to crack down on fraudulent usage of these placards across the state. Holders of the placards will now be required to sign a form, issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), that will verify that they are still in need of the placard once every six years. The first renewal cycle will include individuals who received their original permanent disabled person parking placard before January 2019.

Under the current law, placards are automatically renewed every two years. To qualify for a placard, individuals must provide a certificate of disability from a licensed medical professional. However, the verification process is not perfect, and the new law intends to address this by comparing placard records with social security numbers.

The new law, SB 611, will require placard holders to submit a free renewal form to the DMV once every six years. The upcoming change does not require recertification of eligibility or proof of the applicant's full name. Instead, the DMV will verify holders by comparing placard records against the Social Security Administration's master files of social security numbers. Within a two-year renewal period, individuals will be limited to four substitute placards. If more tags are needed, a new application and certificate of disability must be submitted.

Approximately 2 million people in the state are part of the first renewal cycle, and about one-third of that community, around 700,000 people, have not signed a renewal form for a new card. One challenge with the updated law is ensuring the correct mailing address for new placards, as people often change their address. If an individual has moved, they can update their address when signing the renewal form.