Choose the appropriate permit
The FLHSMV parking permit overview distinguishes long-term impairment from a temporary impairment. Ordinary permanent permits last four years and expire on the holder's birthday. Temporary disabled permits last for the medically certified period, up to six months.
The overview now also recognizes lifetime disabled parking permits that do not require renewal. The department's October 2026 implementation notice identifies October 8, 2026 as the start of lifetime permit issuance and convenience renewal processing in its motor vehicle issuance system.
On the current HSMV 83039 application, revised October 2026, disability type 9 addresses permanent dismemberment or amputation when the applicant needs the parking permit because of that condition. The certification must establish that category. An ordinary permanent permit does not automatically become lifetime merely because its holder has a long-term condition.
Medical eligibility and certification
HSMV 83039 asks the certifying authority to identify the qualifying impairment. Its categories include severe walking limitations, specified assistive-device or wheelchair needs, qualifying lung or cardiac limitations, portable oxygen use, legal blindness, and the lifetime dismemberment or amputation category.
The certifier must complete the relevant category and professional information, sign and date the form. Use the application's actual medical criteria rather than substituting a general statement that parking closer would be helpful.
FLHSMV's permanent permit instructions list physicians, osteopathic and chiropractic physicians, podiatric physicians, optometrists for the applicable sight certification, qualified advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants. An outside-state physician must provide licensure documentation and the required statement showing knowledge of Florida's eligibility guidelines.
The overview requires medical certification within the 12 months before application when a new HSMV 83039 is required. Arrange completion with a certifier whose license and authority match the applicable category.
Apply by mail or in person
The permanent permit page directs Florida applicants to submit the completed HSMV 83039, certification of disability and a driver license or ID card to a motor vehicle service center, in person or by mail. A qualifying veteran may instead provide the specified recent VA or military disability documentation in lieu of the disability certificate.
The October 2026 form includes a Special Exception section for a severely disabled permanent-placard applicant unable to obtain a Florida license or ID. The certifying physician must complete that section and identify a qualifying disability. Some public permit pages refer instead to an exemption section on HSMV 83146. The current HSMV 83039 contains the medical Special Exception, and the RS-38 permit procedure directs the physician to that application. Have the processing office apply the exception using the current form.
For a child who needs identification for a parking permit, see the Florida ID card guide.
Renewing a permanent permit in 2026
The updated overview says the first renewal after original issuance does not require a new HSMV 83039. The form is required at the next renewal and every other four-year renewal thereafter. The permit's expiration and the medical recertification schedule are therefore different things.
Use the renewal notice to identify the transaction due on your record. MyDMV Portal advertises parking permit renewal services, but eligibility depends on the transaction and whether supporting documents are due. A lifetime permit has no periodic renewal under the updated overview.
RS-38 permits advance processing during the three months before a permanent permit expires. It also provides limited situations for an additional permit, including qualifying frequent travelers and quadriplegic applicants. The additional permit shares the primary permit's expiration; it is not a new independent four-year term.
Temporary disabled parking permits
The temporary permit instructions require the application, the certifying authority's statement and identification. The permit follows the certified period, capped at six months.
The published temporary permit charge is $15, checked October 16, 2026. If the need continues and an additional permit is requested within 12 months after the first permit was issued, the page says no additional fee is required. This does not make the original six-month permit valid for a year. The continuing need must be handled through the additional application process.
Temporary disabled permits do not qualify for a secondary permit or wheelchair license plate under that page. The cited fee instructions do not give a new effective date for the $15 amount.
Replace a lost or stolen permit
The department directs applicants replacing a lost or stolen permit to include HSMV 83146. The updated overview says replacement of a permit issued more than 12 months earlier also requires HSMV 83039 signed by a certifying medical authority within the preceding 12 months.
The replacement procedure distinguishes permanent and temporary permits. It states that replacing a permanent permit has no fee. A replacement of an unexpired temporary permit can be processed without a new medical form, but a fee applies; an expired temporary permit needs a new certified application. Those replacement fee statements were checked October 16, 2026.
Identify whether the missing item was permanent, lifetime or temporary, its issuance date and whether it has expired before submitting the request. For a lifetime permit replacement, have the office check the record under the October 2026 instructions rather than assuming the older four-year renewal process applies.
Wheelchair symbol license plates
The wheelchair plate page allows qualifying people to request a plate for a vehicle registered in their name. It requires HSMV 83007 or HSMV 83039, the registration certificate, Florida identification and Florida insurance evidence. Eligible vehicle categories are listed on that page.
The page lists a $28 plate fee plus applicable registration charges, checked October 16, 2026. This differs from the no-fee permanent placard. It says the plate is renewed annually on the applicant's birthday and disability is established at initial application.
Published instructions differ about ongoing proof. The general overview groups permanent permits and plates under four-year validity; the permanent permit page describes annual plate renewal with impairment proof every four years. However, the dedicated plate page specifies annual renewal, and RS-19 says physician certification is not required for wheelchair plate renewal. Follow the vehicle registration expiration and have the issuing office confirm whether any supporting document is due for your record. Do not wait four years to renew a vehicle registration.
Display and use the permit correctly
The permit overview requires use by the person to whom it was issued. Keep the holder's Florida license or ID available when using it. Hang the permit from the rearview mirror while parked, with its number visible from the front, and remove it while the vehicle is moving. The department requires a valid yellow registration decal on both sides.
FLHSMV's parking questions and answers describe free public metered parking for up to four hours, with longer periods possible under local ordinance. They also distinguish facilities that can charge, including specified entertainment venues and private airport parking. A disabled permit does not establish free parking at every destination. Check the facility's applicable rules and posted restrictions.
Visitors with permits from elsewhere
The visitor instructions recognize permits and plates displaying the international accessibility symbol issued by another state or foreign country. A visitor whose credential lacks that symbol must obtain the appropriate Florida temporary permit.
The visitor application uses HSMV 83039 and accepted identification. The page allows outside-country visitors to provide a copy of their current home-country permit and lists acceptable photo identification, including a valid passport or passport card. Its temporary permit fee is $15, checked October 16, 2026. Temporary visitor permits are not renewable; a new application is required on expiration.
Separate permits for expectant mothers
Effective July 1, 2025, Florida created an expectant mother temporary parking permit. Use HSMV 83040, completed by the applicant and a Florida physician licensed under Chapter 458 or 459, with proof of identity.
The implementation advisory lists a $15 fee and a permit lasting up to one year. That fee and its July 1, 2025 implementation were checked October 16, 2026. The advisory describes the year from the certifier's signature date, while the application describes up to one year after issuance and includes a physician-entered expiration. Have the office apply the certified expiration; do not assume a later submission starts a fresh year. RS-38 says this permit is not renewable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a permanent disabled parking permit always a lifetime permit?
No. Ordinary permanent permits have a four-year term. The lifetime category requires the qualifying permanent dismemberment or amputation certification on the current application.
Do I need a new medical form at every permanent permit renewal?
The updated overview says no form is required at the first renewal after original issuance, then HSMV 83039 is required at the next renewal and every other four-year renewal afterward.
How much does a permanent placard cost?
FLHSMV lists no fee for the permanent parking permit. A wheelchair license plate has separate plate and registration charges. Fees were checked October 16, 2026.
Can I get a wheelchair plate for a temporary impairment?
The temporary permit instructions say temporary permits do not qualify for wheelchair plates or secondary permits.
Can someone else use my permit when I am not being transported?
The permit is for the person to whom it was issued. It does not give another driver independent disabled parking privileges.
Is the expectant mother permit the same six-month temporary disability permit?
No. It uses HSMV 83040, a separate physician certification and a period of up to one year, subject to the certified and issued expiration.