Disability Plates and Placards in New Hampshire

SUMMARY: New Hampshire Disability Plates & Placards

Disability placards and plates are issued by the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and are available to those with temporary and permanent disabilities. Find details about parking permits for people with disabilities, including handicapped parking rules, placard and plate applications, permit renewals, and replacement of lost or stolen placards.

If you are a resident of New Hampshire with a disability, you may be eligible for a placard or license plate that allows you to use handicapped parking.

NH Disability Permit Types & Rules

The NH DMV offers both placards and license plates for handicapped parking. The state refers to disability parking permits as “Walking Disability Privileges."

A disability placard hangs from your rearview mirror, and is available to those with temporary or permanent disabilities.

A handicap license plate replaces your typical license plate and is available only to those with permanent disabilities.

Visitors with Disabilities

If you're visiting New Hampshire from another state, you can use your disability placard or license plate from your home state. The state recognizes handicapped permits from all other U.S. states.

NH Disabled Parking Regulations

Both the handicap parking placard and license plate allow you to:

  • Park in spaces designated for persons with disabilities.
  • Park free in state, city, or town parking places that charge fees.

It is illegal to lend your disability placard or plate to someone else or to use a placard or license plate that is not issued in your name.

Apply for Disability Parking in NH

You can apply for a handicap placard or license plate either by mail or in person.

You'll need to submit:

Submit your application either:

Renew Your Disability Placard or Plate

Disabled parking placards and license plates are valid for different lengths of time:

  • Temporary placards are valid for no more than 6 months.
  • Permanent placards are valid for up to 5 years and expire when your NH driver's license or ID expires.
  • License plates are valid for the length of your vehicle registration.

When your temporary placard expires, you must re-apply and provide new medical certification if you still need it. See “Apply for Disability Parking in NH" above for details.

You can renew your permanent handicap placard when you renew your New Hampshire driver's license or ID. Contact your local NH DMV office for specific renewal requirements.

To renew a disability license plate, you must renew your vehicle registration.

Replace a New Hampshire Disabled Permit

To replace your lost, stolen, or damaged disabled parking placard, you must send a letter to the NH DMV outlining what has happened to your placard.

The letter MUST include your:

  • Name and date of birth.
  • Address and phone number.
  • Signature.
  • Placard number, if possible.

Mail your letter to:

NH Department of Safety
DMV - Registration
23 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03305

The NH DMV will cancel the old placard and send you a replacement.

For information about replacing a lost license plate, see our New Hampshire lost registration page.

Forms

RDMV 130
Application for Walking Disability Privileges
Apply for permanent OR temporary walking disability placards OR plates with the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles. Must be completed by your medical provider.
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