City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

The Department of Transportation (DOT) Permits and Customer Service Office and Call Center is closed until further notice.

Recorded updates are available by phone, but no agents are available. Updates and information about parking permits are also on DOT's website.

  • If your City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities expired or will expire in 2020, DOT will extend your permit
  • If your City Disability Permit or Temporary Permit expired in 2019, or an earlier year, you will be issued a summons. Do not use permits with a 2019, or prior year, expiration date.
  • New Temporary Vehicle Changes for City Disability Permits will not be processed at this time.

The New York City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities (PPPD) is a rectangular placard that you place on the dashboard. Sometimes called a "Special Parking Identification (SPI) Permit," it allows you to park at most curbsides, in many "No Parking" and "No Standing" zones on public streets, and at parking meters without depositing money. This permit is valid only in New York City.

You may apply for the City permit if you are certified by a HHC physician or other Department of Health designated physician as having a disability that:

  • Is permanent
  • Severely affects your ability to walk
  • Requires the use of a private automobile for transportation

Non-drivers, such as children with qualifying disabilities, are eligible for consideration if their disability requires the use of a private automobile for transportation.

You must provide supporting medical documentation.

You may also be interested in applying for the New York State Parking Permit for People with Disabilities. It’s a tag or license plate that allows you to park in spaces reserved for people with disabilities in off-street lots. For more information, go to the State Parking Permit for People with Disabilities page.

To apply for the permit, complete the City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Application and provide supporting medical documentation.

Mail to:

NYC Department of Transportation
Permits and Customer Service
30-30 Thomson Avenue, 2nd Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101

Within five business days, the Department of Transportation will send your application to a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene assessment center. The center will then contact you to schedule a certification appointment. If you’re approved by the assessment center physician, the DOT will issue you a permit.

Online

Download the City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Application.

Download the City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Application in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, or Urdu.

By Mail

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

A City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities is valid until the expiration date printed on the permit. It is usually good for 1 year.

You can renew a permit online through e-Permits or by phone. You will need to provide:

  • The permit holder’s name
  • The permit number
  • A contact phone number

For some conditions, a medical exam is required.

Online

Access e-Permits.

By Phone

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
  • Call volume is often high. If you don't get through, call back in the middle of the afternoon.

You can check the status of your application by phone.

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
  • Call volume is often high. If you don't get through, call back in the middle of the afternoon.

The City Parking Permit for People with Disabilities allows you to park at most curbsides on City streets. It is valid only in New York City. You must display the permit on your vehicle’s dashboard.

Where You Can Park

You can park in:

  • "No Parking" zones, except those marked as taxi stands
  • "No Parking" and "No Standing" spaces authorized for doctors, press, diplomats, or government agencies
  • "No Standing, Trucks Loading and Unloading" zones, except during the restricted hours posted on the sign

You also don’t have to pay parking meters or follow Alternate Side Parking (Street Cleaning) regulations.

Where You Can’t Park

You can’t park in or at:

  • “No Standing" zones other than those listed above
  • “No Stopping” zones
  • Taxi stands
  • Fire hydrants
  • Crosswalks
  • Bus stops
  • Carshare pilot program spaces

Double parking isn’t permitted.

You can request a temporary or permanent change to the vehicle listed on your City Disability Permit.

Temporary Change

You may request a temporary change to the vehicle on your permit in an emergency or unexpected situation, such as when your car breaks down.

Your request must include:

  • Name of Permit Holder (not necessarily the driver)
  • Special Parking Identification (SPI) Permit number
  • Contact telephone number
  • Number of days temporary vehicle is to be used (valid for up to 14 days maximum)
  • Requested start date of temporary coverage
  • Information about the temporary replacement vehicle, including the vehicle's:
    • License plate number
    • State of registration
    • Year, make, model, and color
    • Owner/rental company name

All reports of temporary vehicle changes are entered into the E-Permit system and are available to the Department of Finance. If you got a ticket you think you shouldn’t have, follow the instructions on the back of the ticket to dispute the violation.

Online

Complete the Temporary Vehicle Change Form.

By Phone

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
  • Call volume is often high. If you don't get through, call back in the middle of the afternoon.

Permanent Change

You can submit a Permanent Vehicle Change Form to permanently change the license plates associated with your Parking Permit for People with Disabilities.

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

You can get a brochure with information about disability parking permits, including:

  • The difference between New York City and New York State permits
  • Eligibility
  • The application process
  • Permit design and placement in the vehicle
  • Where you can use the permit

Online

Download the Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Brochure.

Download the Parking Permit for People with Disabilities Brochure in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, or Urdu.

By Mail

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

You can request a Department of Transportation (DOT) document in a language that is not currently available.

You will need to provide:

  • The document name
  • The language you want the document translated into
  • Your mailing address

You will get the translated document in 30 days.

Online

Email the Department of Transportation.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

General Information and Assistance

You can get more information about eligibility, required documents, and how to use disability parking permits.

Online

Learn more about parking permits for people with disabilities.

By Phone

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
  • Call volume is often high. If you don't get through, call back in the middle of the afternoon.

Permit Not Received

If you requested a Parking Permit for People with Disabilities and never received it, you can report the problem through e-Permits or by mail.

Online

Access e-Permits.

By Mail

Download the Permit Never Received Form.

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

E-Permits Complaint

You can report a problem with using e-Permits, the Department of Transportation's online parking permit application.

  • Agency: Department of Transportation
  • Division: Authorized Parking and Permits
  • Phone Number: (718) 433-3100
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
  • Call volume is often high. If you don't get through, call back in the middle of the afternoon.

Deceased Permit Holders

Permits are no longer valid after the permit holder is deceased. If you are a family member of a deceased permit holder, please return the permit to:

New York City Department of Transportation
Permits and Customer Service
30-30 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101-3045

Anyone found using a permit belonging to a deceased permit holder will be subject to fines.

Improper Use

You can report the improper use of a disability parking permit.

Online

Email the Department of Transportation.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

Lost or Stolen Permit

You can report a lost or stolen permit online through e-Permits or by mail.

Online

Access e-Permits.

By Mail

Download the Lost or Stolen Permit Form.

If you have a P.O. Box or live outside New York City, please download the literature instead. Literature cannot currently be mailed to these addresses.

Call 311 to request a paper copy.

Out-of-State Permits and Meter Waivers

Disability parking permits from outside of New York State aren’t honored for on-street parking in New York City.

Metered parking waivers from municipalities other than New York City are also not honored.

Tickets and Tows

If you have a disability parking permit and were parked in an allowable spot for holders of parking permits for people with disabilities and received a parking ticket, you can dispute the ticket. To learn more, go to the Parking Ticket or Camera Violation Dispute page.

If you have a disability permit and were parked legally with your permit displayed, you may be able to get your towed vehicle back at no cost. To learn more, go to the Towed Vehicle Reclaim from NYPD page.

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