Disability parking permits

Who can apply

Eligibility is based on functional ability, not diagnosis. To qualify, a person must have a significant disability or health condition that substantially limits their ability to walk, requires the use of a mobility aid, or means that walking a significant distance would cause severe pain or risk to health. Legal blindness is also a ground in most states.

For people with a serious illness, the effects that doctors often describe include breathlessness or pain when walking even short distances, needing a walking frame or wheelchair, or depending on oxygen.

A diagnosis on its own is not what decides eligibility. What counts is how the illness affects walking, and that is assessed by the person's doctor and decided by the state or territory agency. If walking has become hard, it is worth asking the GP whether an application makes sense.

How to apply

Disability parking permits are issued by each state and territory, usually through its transport or licensing agency. The name of the permit and the agency differ, so apply where the person lives.

The process typically involves: completing an application form, having a medical certificate completed by your GP or treating specialist, and submitting both to the relevant authority. The medical certificate asks the GP or specialist to certify the nature of the disability and its effect on mobility.

The Department of Social Services (dss.gov.au) explains the national scheme and points you to your state or territory authority. In Victoria, apply online through the Accessible Parking Permit website run by the Department of Transport and Planning, or ask your local council, which reviews the application. In NSW, through Service NSW. In Queensland, through the Department of Transport and Main Roads. In Western Australia, the permit is called an ACROD permit and is issued through the ACROD Parking Program, run by National Disability Services. In South Australia, through the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. In Tasmania, through the Department of State Growth. In the ACT, through Access Canberra. In the Northern Territory, through your local council. Fees vary. In several states and territories the permit is free, and in others a small fee applies, sometimes waived for concession card holders. The issuing agency can tell you what applies.

Where the permit is valid

The Australian Disability Parking Permit is recognised nationally, so a permit issued in one state can be used in the others. Victoria also issues a separate double-time permit that is not recognised interstate. The permit allows parking in designated accessible bays (marked with the international symbol of access) throughout Australia, under the local rules of the place you are in.

In addition to accessible bays, most Australian states allow permit holders to park free of charge or for extended periods in metered and time-limited parking zones. The specific entitlements vary by state, so check the rules for the state you are in if travelling.

In private car parks, such as shopping centres and many hospital car parks, the operator's own rules and fees apply. The permit does not override all parking restrictions. No stopping and no standing zones still apply regardless of the permit.

Note the expiry date

Disability parking permits have an expiry date. For people with permanent disabilities, permits are typically issued for 5 years. For temporary conditions, they may be issued for a shorter period.

Check the expiry date on your permit and renew it before it expires if needed. Using an expired permit can result in a fine. If the condition is expected to be ongoing, ask when applying for a permit that reflects that.

Who can use the permit

The permit is issued to an individual, but it can be used in any vehicle carrying the permit holder. It is not vehicle-specific. If a family member or carer is driving the person with the illness to an appointment, the permit is valid when displayed in that vehicle while the permit holder is a passenger.

The permit cannot be used when the permit holder is not present in the vehicle. It is specifically for the benefit of the person with the disability, not a general parking concession for the household.