Disabled Parking Placards

A new Persons with a Disability law went into effect August 1, 2013, concerning the issuance, qualifications, and style of the Temporary disabled parking placard.

In summary, a person applying for a temporary disabled parking placard will receive a temporary parking placard valid for only 6 months. At the end of 6 months, if they are still in need of temporary disabled parking privileges for the same temporary disability, they may re-apply for one more temporary disabled parking placard which will be valid up to 6 months.

This second 6-month period will require completion of another application, another $4 fee, and another visit to your physician. When the second 6-month placard expires, no further placards can be issued to that person for that temporary disability. At that point, if they are still in need of disabled parking privileges for the original temporary disability, they may apply for a permanent disabled parking placard, which has a different application, no fee, and can be applied for at any local New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission office (they are issued while you wait).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Temporary disabled parking placards are available for Jefferson Township residents with temporary disabilities through the Office of the Chief. If you live elsewhere, you must apply for and receive your placard from the Police Department having jurisdiction where you reside, including those who receive police services from New Jersey State Police.
• If you wish to wait for your temporary placard to be issued, please call ahead before bringing your application and check into the police department to be sure it can be done when you arrive. You may contact Shelley Ebbinghouser in the Chief’s Office at 973-208-6151. Placards are issued Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 3 pm .
• You may also drop off your application and check at any time. If you choose to do this, please remember to write your phone number at the top of your application so you can be contacted when it is ready. Placards are issued the next business day.
• You can access the Application for a Temporary Disabled Parking Placard (PDF) by clicking this link, or you can pickup a hard copy at our Police Communications window, or at any Police Department in the state of New Jersey, as the temporary application is the same statewide. However, regardless of where you obtain your temporary placard application, your completed application must be turned in to the Chief’s Office of the Police Department where you reside.
• A doctor’s prescription is not necessary for a temporary disabled parking placard and may not be submitted in lieu of a properly completed application.
• If you obtain your application from a doctor’s office, please be sure it says "Temporary" at the top and does not refer to obtaining license plates. We often receive applications from residents who obtained them from the doctor’s office and we have to turn them away because the applications are for a permanent disabled parking placard, which is issued solely through New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. (See section below for more information on permanent disabled parking placards).
• All completed applications for temporary disabled parking placards must be accompanied by a check or money order (cash not permitted), payable to "New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission," or " NJ MVC ."
• Only one temporary disabled parking placard can be issued per person. This rule also applies to couples, meaning that each person in a couple must obtain their own temporary disabled parking placard.
• Temporary disabled parking placards are for temporary disabilities only and may not be used to bridge the time gap while you're awaiting your permanent placard.
• The placard can be used in any vehicle the disabled person named on the placard is riding in.
• Improperly completed applications (missing signatures or other required information) and applications submitted without the required fee in the form of a check or money order (no cash) will delay the issuance of a placard until corrections are made and/or fee is submitted. There will be no exceptions.
• Rules for Use of a Temporary Disabled Parking Placard (PDF)

Permanent disabled parking placards are not available through The Office Of The Chief.

Permanent Disabled Parking Placards

Persons with permanent disabilities may choose to obtain a Permanent disabled parking placard (and/or license plates), which can only be accomplished through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. To apply, you must complete this application (PDF) (remember to have your physician complete and sign his/her part of the application), and bring it into any New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission office, along with a written prescription, where the permanent disabled placard and/or license plates and corresponding Disabled Persons ID card will be issued while you wait. You do not need an appointment at NJ MVC to apply for a Permanent Placard or disabled persons license plates. The placard is valid for 3 years from date of issuance. As your expiration date approaches, you MAY receive a renewal notice from NJ MVC. Whether or not you receive this notice, renewing the placard requires you to repeat the steps you followed when you first applied, and a new placard will be issued to you. This process can also be done by mail; however, applying by mail takes approximately 6 and 8 weeks to receive your placard.

Replacing a Placard

If your permanent disabled parking placard is lost or stolen, you may have it replaced by bringing your Disabled Persons ID card and valid driver’s license to any local New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission office, and you will be issued a new permanent disabled parking placard and a new disabled persons ID card.

***The number on the bottom of a Permanent disabled parking placard is registered under your NJ driver's license, so if you replace a lost or stolen placard, this number will be changed to reflect the new placard number, and the lost or stolen placard will be invalidated. Should you locate the lost or stolen placard after a replacement has been issued, it should promptly be shredded/destroyed. A police officer can verify your identity and that you are the authorized owner of the placard simply by looking up the number on the bottom of your placard on the NJ MVC database, the same way your license plate can be looked up.***