4.45.03 Parking Placards and Disabled Plates (3-dsbl)

Policy

ATTENTION:
Please refer to COVID-19 Emergency Interim Policies which provides details for temporary exceptions to this policy.

Individuals, for profit organizations and not for profit organizations that meet the established eligibility requirements may be eligible for the Parking Placard Program.

  • Individuals regardless of age who have a disability that does not allow them to walk 50 metres (164 feet) may apply for one of the following parking placards depending on their disability: 
    • A short term parking placard (red).
    • A long term parking placard (blue).
      or
    • A permanent parking placard (blue).
  • Visitors may only apply for a short term parking placard (red).
  • Organizations that are for profit or not for profit may only apply for a red short term parking placard(s).

An individual cannot hold both a short term and a long term placard at the same time. On issuance of a long term placard, the short term placard must be surrendered and cancelled.

Parking placard applications must be approved by an authorized healthcare professional (physician, occupational therapist, surgeon, physical therapist, podiatrist, nurse practitioner, and chiropractor).

Signatures from clients and healthcare professionals on applications may be original, a copy of an original, electronic, or digital.

A parking placard is void upon the holder’s death. A representative must return the placard to a registry agent for cancellation.

Ineligible Clients

Parking placards and/or disabled licence plates are not issued to the following clients:

  • Individuals whose only disability is a sensory impairment (e.g., blind, deaf).
  • Volunteers for organizations who transport persons with disabilities.
  • Taxi companies and municipally operated transit services (e.g., Edmonton DATS, Calgary HandiBus).

Driving / Vehicle Registration Suspensions

A registry agent is authorized to issue a client a parking placard or disabled plate when a suspension of any type has been placed against the client's driving privileges and/or vehicle registration under the Traffic Safety Act (TSA).

Outstanding Fines

If a client has a fine restriction a registry agent is authorized to complete a fine override and issue the client a parking placard or disabled plate.

Maintenance Enforcement and Motor Vehicle Accident Claims (MVAC) Restrictions

If an alert on a client’s file states:

“Client can obtain photo identification, driver’s abstracts, and parking placards only. All other motor vehicle services are restricted by Alberta Justice. For more information call 422-5555 or 310-0000-422-5555, Mon-Fri, 8:15am-4:00pm.”

Agents may issue a parking placard to a client without calling Maintenance Enforcement.

If the above alert is not present, and the client requires a Maintenance Enforcement or Reinstatement Condition or Abandoned Motor Vehicle charge to be temporarily lifted to issue a parking placard or disabled plate, a registry agent must contact the following departments during regular business hours. Upon approval, a registry agent may issue the client a parking placard or disabled plate.

Restriction Type Lifted By Telephone
ABAND.MVAC
Abandoned Motor Vehicle Charge		 Justice (780) 415-1961
(780) 427-8255
MAINT-ENFR
Maintenance Enforcement Program		 Justice (780) 644-3663
(780) 401-7653
REIN or NSF
Reinstatement fee or non-negotiable cheque		 Revenue

(780) 644-3587
(780) 422-9651
FINES Registry Agent using Restriction Override with Reason: CI 8 or ID Card  

    Note:
There may be more than one restriction. Display all restrictions from the Restricted Service Menu, select General Display, Finance Transaction Display, then enter the MVID and select Display Account Balances for Client.

Parking Placards Types

There are two types of parking placards:

Red Placards

Short Term (Plate Class: dsbltemp) are issued to: 

  • Clients who are unable to walk more than 50 metres (164 feet) for three to 12 months, as specified on the application form.
  • Clients with disabilities who are visiting from outside Alberta.
  • Organizations, in the business of providing transportation services to persons with disabilities.
  • Clients with Level 1 - Maintenance Enforcement Restriction (MERST); see 1.10.07 Restriction of Motor Vehicle Services.

Blue White Placards

Long Term (Plate Class: dsblcard) are issued to:

  • Clients who are unable to walk more than 50 metres (164 feet) but their disability may improve within the next five years. 

Permanent (Plate Class: dsblperm) are issued to: 

  • Clients who are unable to walk more than 50 metres (164 feet) and their disability is of a permanent nature and is not expected to improve within the next five years.
  • Clients with a dsblperm attribute are able to self-declare to renew their placard, and are not required to be re-examined by an authorized healthcare professional.

Note:
A client attribute is not required for individuals or organizations that are issued red short term placards.

Additional Placards

Registries Assurance approval is not required for additional placards.

  • The number of placards issued may be equal to the number of vehicles used to provide transportation to the person with the disability.
  • The reason for the additional placard(s) must be indicated on the back of the Vehicle Registration Application (REG0405) form.

Placard Requirements for First Time Applications

An individual must provide the following documents:

  • Acceptable identification; see 2.05.02 Acceptable Identification/ Enrolment.
    • When someone is applying on behalf of a person with a disability for a first application and they do not have an existing MVID, that individual must show acceptable identification for themselves and for the person with the disability as well as present a signed Authorization for Vehicle Registration (REG0169) form (pdf).
      • When the client with a disability is a minor, has a legal guardian, or has a Power of Attorney in place, the individual applying on behalf of the client with a disability is not required to present a signed Authorization for Vehicle Services (REG0169) form (pdf). The registry agent must note, in the comments section on the Vehicle Registration Application (REG0405), that the proof of legal guardianship/Power of Attorney was presented.
    • When the client with a disability has an existing MVID, the person applying is only required to show their own acceptable identification and present a signed Authorization for Vehicle Services (REG0169) form (pdf).
  • An Alberta address; see 2.10.01 Addresses & Acceptable Abbreviations.
  • A completed parking placard application approved by an authorized healthcare professional.
    • Clients who have the dsblperm attribute on their client file may complete the self-declaration portion of placard application for future renewals.

Placard Requirements for Renewals

An individual must provide the following documents:

  • Acceptable identification; see 2.05.02 Acceptable Identification/ Enrolment.
    • When an individual is renewing on behalf of a person with a disability, that individual must show acceptable identification for themselves as well as present a signed Authorization for Vehicle Services (REG0169) form (pdf).
      • When the client with a disability is a minor, has a legal guardian, or has a Power of Attorney in place, the individual applying on behalf of the client with a disability is not required to present a signed Authorization for Vehicle Services (REG0169) form (pdf). The registry agent must note, in the comments section on the Vehicle Registration Application (REG0405), that the proof of legal guardianship/Power of Attorney was presented.
  • An Alberta address; see 2.10.01 Addresses & Acceptable Abbreviations.
  • A completed parking placard application approved by an authorized healthcare professional.
    • Clients who have the dsblperm attribute on their client file may complete the self-declaration portion of placard application for future renewals.

A registry agent must:

  • Ensure all applicable fields on the original parking placard application are completed.
  • Ensure the parking placard application is not more than six months old from the date it is signed by the authorized healthcare professional.
  • Record the appropriate attribute on the client file.
    • Record disabled for individuals with long term disabilities.
    • Record dsblperm for individuals with permanent disabilities.
  • Issue the parking placard to the individual.
  • Place an alert on the client’s file for the following situations:
    • When a condition code C is not present on the client’s operator file and the completed application indicates a follow-up medical and/or road test is recommended.
    • When a condition code C is present on the client’s file and the completed application indicates a road test is recommended.
      • Fax the parking placard application and a copy of the alert to Driver Fitness and Monitoring (DFM) at (780) 422-6612.

Note:
DFM does not require the parking placard application to be faxed when the following conditions are recorded on the application:
• Renal / Dialysis
• Osteoarthritis (of any description);
• Rheumatoid arthritis;
• Joint pain or joint stiffness;
• Spinal stenosis;
• Lumbar degenerative disc disease;
• Hip replacement/surgery;
• Knee replacement/surgery;
• Fibromyalgia.

Veteran Plates & Motorcycle Plates

Parking Sticker for Veteran Plates & Motorcycle Plates

Parking stickers are available for veteran and motorcycle plates from Motor Vehicles (MVS@gov.ab.ca) for individuals who qualify for:

  • Disabled licence plates; and
  • Veteran plates. 

 A registry agent must:

  • Ensure the appropriate attribute (disabled or dsblperm) is recorded on the client file.
  • Ensure the individual has been issued a motorcycle plate (3-nmc).
  • Ensure the individual has a current blue long term or permanent parking placard.
  • Fax or email a request to Motor Vehicles.  Please include the client’s name, mailing address, mvid, plate number and have the client sign the request. 

Note:  Client’s must be advised that the parking placard and the associated registration document must be presented to a peace officer when requested.

For Profit and Not for Profit Organizations

Eligibility

Organizations that are either for profit or not for profit who are in the business of providing transportation services to persons with disabilities:

  • May be issued parking placards equivalent to the number of registered vehicles in the organization’s name.
  • Are issued red short term placards for a one year term.

Placard Requirements

Organizations that are for profit and not for profit must:

  • Provide the registry agent with a letter on the organization’s letterhead signed by an authorized officer (the signature may be original, a copy of an original, electronic, or digital). The letter must contain the following information:
    • The intended use of the placard(s).
    • The licence plate number(s) of the vehicle(s).
    • The number of placards requested.  
      • An organization is only entitled to receive placards equivalent to the number of active vehicle registrations.
  • Resubmit a current letter to an Alberta Registry Agent, following the steps outlined above, to renew the organization's placard.

A registry agent must:

  • Verify through CORES that the status of the organization shows as active, start, or liquid.
  • Verify on MOVES that all licence plate numbers indicated on the organization’s letter are active vehicle registrations.
  • Issue the appropriate number of red short term placards.
  • Submit the organization's original letter for imaging for each placard registration.

Visitor

Eligibility Requirements

Individuals with a disability, who are visiting from outside Alberta, are eligible for a red short term parking placard.

  • A parking placard application form is not required.
    • A verbal request is acceptable.
  • Issue the red short term placard in the name of the Alberta resident (that is applying on behalf of the visitor) for a term that covers the duration of the visitor’s stay in Alberta.   
    • Record the visitor’s name in the “registration address applies” field.
  • When the visitor does not have a host in Alberta:
    • Issue the red short term parking placard in the visitor’s name for a term that covers the duration of the visitor’s stay in Alberta.
    • Create the client on MOVES.
    • Place an alert on the client’s file indicating the client is a visitor and has been issued a red short term parking placard.
  • An attribute is not required.
  • Visitors are not eligible for disabled plates or blue placards.
  • The visitor’s red short term placard must be returned to a registry agent at the end of the Alberta visit.

Note:
A visitor with a valid parking placard from their home jurisdiction may use their placard while visiting in Alberta.

Replacement Parking Placards and Vehicle Registration Certificates

A registry agent must:

  • Process a vehicle plate exchange service at no charge (government fee) when a client’s parking placard is lost, stolen or damaged and a replacement parking placard is requested; see 4.55.04 Plate Exchange.
  • Process an additional plate processing service when a client’s placard is not returned. 
  • Immediately shred the returned placard.

Returned Parking Placards

A registry agent must:

  • Process an additional plate processing service when an individual’s placard is damaged or returned. Immediately shred the returned placard or cut it into a minimum of four pieces.
    • Store the cut placard in a locked secure area until shredded if not shredded the same business day.

Parking Placard Inventory

The following inventory items are issued for a parking placard:

  • A placard.
  • A placard audit control sticker.
  • Month and year expiry stickers; and.
  • Corresponding Vehicle Registration Certificate.

Defective and voided parking placard stickers are treated the same as all other controlled inventory items.

Disabled Plates (3-dsbl)

Disabled plates are only issued to individuals who:

  • Have a disability that does not allow them to walk 50 metres (164 feet).
  • Have a current blue long term or permanent parking placard.
    and
  • Have a vehicle(s) registered in their name or jointly with another individual in the 3-pass/3-nmc categories.
    • Additional plates may be issued in accordance with the number of vehicles registered by the individual.

A registry agent must:

  • Ensure all applicable fields on the original parking placard application are completed.
  • Ensure the parking placard application is not more than six months old from the date it is signed by the authorized healthcare professional.
  • Ensure the appropriate attribute (disabled or dsblperm) is recorded on the client file.
  • Issue a blue long term or permanent parking placard.
  • Order the disabled plates from the Distribution Centre (plate code is APLC3D) to ensure that stock is on hand.
    • Upon receipt of the disabled plates contact the individual.
    • Process the appropriate vehicle registration service (e.g., vehicle first, vehicle exchange, etc.).
      •  If the vehicle is currently registered with 3-pass plates, a plate exchange service must be completed at no charge (government fee); see 4.55.04 Plate Exchange.

Note:
For profit and not for profit organizations do not qualify for disabled plates.

Disabled Plate Renewal

A registry agent must:

  • Process the disabled plate renewal the same way as any vehicle in a 3-pass category.
    • Ensure the registrant has a valid parking placard at the time of renewing their disabled plates.

Note:
When processing a Vehicle Ownership Correction (VOC) or a Vehicle Registrant Change service for a disabled plate (3-dsbl) from 1 MVID to another MVID with the “dsblperm” attribute, a registry agent must also add the “disabled” attribute to the client file to complete the VOC. Once the VOC is complete, the “disabled” attribute must be removed from the MVID.

Abuse or Misuse

Parking Placard Abuse

Individuals abusing/misusing a parking placard that has not been issued to them must be reported to Alberta Registries, Motor Vehicles at: sa.motorvehicles@gov.ab.ca. The following information must be included in the report:

  • Details of the incident, including time and place.
  • The licence plate number and make/model of the vehicle.
  • The placard number.
  • Description of the individual using the placard.

Misuse of Marked Accessible Parking Stalls

The municipal parking authority must be contacted when individuals park in a designated stall without displaying a valid placard or a special disabled licence plate; see QR 4.18 Enforcement Agencies for some of Alberta Major Municipalities (pdf).

Note:
Abuse or misuse of a parking placard may result in the parking placard being cancelled.

Registration Terms and Fees

Disabled licence plates are subject to a yearly registration fee.

Imaging

The signed application form and all supporting documents must be sent for imaging; see the appropriate sub-section in 1.15 Imaging.


Date Originally Issued: Nov 14, 1988
Date Last Revised: Jun 04, 2025