Apply for South Carolina Disability Parking Placards and Plates

Choose the parking credential that fits the need

South Carolina offers disability parking placards and license plates through the People with Disabilities program. A personal placard is associated with the eligible individual, while a plate is associated with the registered vehicle and the authorized person identified in the supporting record. Businesses and organizations that regularly transport people with disabilities use a different application. Decide which product is needed before asking a medical professional to certify the application, because temporary and permanent eligibility do not support identical products.

The current Form RG-007A allows a request for a plate, placard, or both and distinguishes original, renewal, replacement, and specified changes. It limits a personal placard to one per applicant. A separate application is required for each eligible person. The form's current version is important: its medical-provider and transaction details are more specific than a general summary that refers only to a doctor's statement. Use the actual form to prepare the certification and complete all required sections.

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Establish the South Carolina identity record

The program page requires a current South Carolina beginner's permit, driver's license, or identification card before a personal parking credential is issued. An eligible person who does not drive can use the identification-card process rather than applying for driving privileges solely to obtain a placard. The ID program has its own age, identity, and residence requirements, including free original and renewed cards for eligible applicants age 17 or older. A parking placard does not itself replace the state identity credential.

If an existing credential is missing, follow the replacement procedure. If the applicant recently moved or changed a name, use the record-update process so the application and DMV record match. The citizen checklist and applicable noncitizen requirements govern any needed first credential. A parent or legal guardian may have a role in the application as indicated on the form, but the medical and personal information should still identify the person whose parking eligibility is being established.

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Obtain certification from an authorized professional

The June 2026 RG-007A permits certification by a licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, or physical therapist within the form's limits. A physical therapist may certify only a temporary disability placard. The professional must indicate the qualifying condition and the length of the disability. Do not substitute a general appointment note or a prescription that omits the information requested by the application. The certification section is the mechanism for establishing the program's criteria.

Qualifying conditions listed on the form include specified walking limitations, use of assistive devices, particular respiratory or cardiac limitations, portable oxygen, blindness, and substantial walking limitations associated with certain conditions. The form also distinguishes an autism or neurodivergence plate request from a disability parking designation. A particular diagnosis or specialty plate label should not be assumed to grant accessible-parking authority automatically. Have the professional apply the criteria to the applicant's actual functional condition.

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Understand the term and vehicle requirements

A permanent placard is valid for four years under the current application. A temporary placard requires an impairment expected to last at least four months and no longer than one year, with the professional indicating the duration. Plates are available for permanent disability. The form permits a qualifying vehicle registered to the person with the disability or an immediate family member at the same address, subject to its documentation and authorization requirements. Review the ownership and residence relationship before selecting a plate.

A registration certificate listing the authorized person accompanies the plate and must be kept in the relevant vehicle. The personal placard likewise has a certificate that must be available when it is used. The program page says the placard may be used only for the person whose photograph appears on it. A household member's convenience does not turn the credential into permission to occupy an accessible space when the eligible person is not the person using the parking benefit.

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Submit the application and the correct charge

For a placard, submit the completed RG-007A with $1 through a branch or the stated mail route. The department says placards are mailed within five to ten business days after the branch application. Use the office directory to choose a branch and allow for mailing rather than expecting the permanent placard immediately at the counter. If only a placard is requested, the vehicle-plate portion is not needed; a plate request requires the relevant vehicle information and owner certification.

The published passenger-vehicle disability plate registration charge is $36, and the motorcycle charge is $10. Review the fee schedule for the underlying registration context and other applicable vehicle charges. A disability parking application does not automatically remove every title, tax, or infrastructure-maintenance obligation. The registration overview explains the vehicle credential, while the title guidance addresses ownership. Those transactions still need to be correct when a new vehicle is being registered with a disability plate.

For mail, send the application with a check or money order payable to SCDMV to the Registration unit, P.O. Box 1498, Blythewood, SC 29016-0019. Cash is not accepted through the mail. Check the form for signatures from both the applicant and medical professional, plus the vehicle owner where applicable. An incomplete certification or omitted signature can prevent the department from determining eligibility even when payment accompanies the packet.

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Renew or replace through the designated process

Permanent placard holders can use the renewal link on the program page or the online-services directory. A temporary credential should be evaluated under its actual expiration and current medical circumstances rather than assumed to renew automatically. The application includes a replacement selection for a lost, stolen, or destroyed plate, placard, or certificate. Identify the prior number when available and describe the requested product accurately so the department does not process a different transaction.

Vehicle registration renewal remains separate from renewing a placard. The registration renewal instructions address the tax and registration obligations attached to a vehicle. Maintain the required vehicle liability coverage and keep the certificate identifying the parking-authorized person in the car. If a plate is replaced or a vehicle is sold, coordinate the plate record through the appropriate plate-return process instead of continuing to use an obsolete plate or assuming the personal placard changes ownership with the vehicle.

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Use the organization application for institutional transport

An organization that regularly transports people with disabilities uses Form RG-007B. The program page permits one placard per vehicle registered in the organization's name, at $1 each. Organization plates are available for vehicles designed and equipped to transport people with disabilities, with one plate per qualifying registered vehicle. The page lists $36 per organization plate every two years and says the organization plate application does not require certification from a licensed doctor.

Keep the organization's fleet information and authorized use aligned with its application. A personal placard should not be treated as a general fleet credential, and an organization credential does not eliminate its vehicle registration responsibilities. The state vehicle-registration law supplies the statutory framework for disability parking and plate use. Review the issued credential and accompanying certificate, retain the application records, and use the parking authorization only within its actual scope. This preserves access for the eligible person while keeping the vehicle and identity records accurate.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can a physical therapist certify every disability parking product?
The current application limits physical-therapist certification to temporary disability placards.

How long does the current form make a permanent placard valid?
RG-007A specifies a four-year term for a permanent placard.

What duration qualifies for a temporary placard on the form?
The impairment must last at least four months and no more than one year, with the duration certified by the authorized professional.

How many personal placards may an applicant receive?
The current application states a limit of one placard per applicant.

Must I be a driver to obtain a personal parking credential?
A current South Carolina ID can satisfy the credential requirement when the person does not hold a permit or license.

Which application is used for an organization that transports eligible people?
Organizations use Form RG-007B and the program’s vehicle-specific eligibility rules.

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More South Carolina DMV guides

The other South Carolina DMV guides, 52 of them: