How to Apply for an Accessible Parking Permit in Ontario

Who can get an Accessible Parking Permit in Ontario?

Ontario issues an Accessible Parking Permit (APP) to a qualifying individual whose disability is certified by an eligible regulated healthcare practitioner. The permit is free and is issued to the person rather than to a particular vehicle.

This means you do not need to own or drive a vehicle to qualify. A permit holder can use the permit while travelling as a driver or passenger, provided the permit holder is actually travelling in the vehicle.

What medical conditions can qualify?

Ontario requires a regulated healthcare practitioner to certify that the applicant is a person with a disability and to identify the nature and expected duration of that disability. Provincial guidance identifies qualifying circumstances that include:

• limited mobility;
• a need for mobility assistance;
• severe lung or cardiovascular disease;
• a need for portable oxygen; or
• poor vision.

You do not decide eligibility simply by selecting a condition yourself. The healthcare practitioner completes the medical certification in Part B of the official application and determines whether your condition meets the applicable criteria.

Who can certify your application?

A new general-use permit requires certification from a regulated healthcare practitioner authorized under Ontario's Accessible Parking Permit program. The practitioner completes Part B of form SR-LV-129 and certifies that you have a disability, describes its nature and indicates whether it is permanent, temporary or subject to change.

Ontario's official driver guidance identifies regulated professionals such as physicians, chiropractors, nurse practitioners, physiotherapists and occupational therapists among the healthcare practitioners who may certify qualifying conditions. The current application form should be used to determine the practitioner appropriate to the specific qualifying condition.

What documents do you need?

For a new individual permit, start with the official Application for an Accessible Parking Permit, form SR-LV-129. The form has two important sections:

• Part A — completed and signed by the applicant, parent or legal guardian where applicable, or an authorized representative; and
• Part B — completed by the regulated healthcare practitioner for a new permit requiring medical certification.

You may also be required to provide identification proving your full name, date of birth and signature. If you are applying as a driver, the form asks for your Ontario driver's licence number.

The official form states that an application is valid for up to 6 months from the regulated healthcare practitioner's signature date, so do not leave a medically certified application unsubmitted indefinitely.

Can you apply for an Accessible Parking Permit online?

Yes. Ontario provides an online Accessible Parking Permit application. The provincial application form also confirms that a completed application can be submitted online, taken to a ServiceOntario centre or sent by mail.

For a new permit requiring medical certification, complete your portion of the application and obtain the required healthcare practitioner certification before submitting the application through the applicable route.

How to apply by mail

You can mail the completed application and required supporting documents to:

ServiceOntario
Accessible Parking Permit Services Office
P.O. Box 9800
Kingston ON K7L 5N8

When identification is required for a mailed application, send photocopies rather than original identity documents.

How to apply at a ServiceOntario centre

You can also take your completed application and required identity documents to a ServiceOntario centre. This route may be useful if you need help with the application or may qualify for an interim permit while waiting for the permanent card to arrive.

ServiceOntario advises that an eligible person waiting for a permit in the mail may be able to obtain an interim Accessible Parking Permit from a local ServiceOntario centre.

How much does an Accessible Parking Permit cost?

The Ontario government charges $0 to obtain an Accessible Parking Permit. There is also no provincial fee to renew one.

ServiceOntario's current permit guidance states that delivery for online or mail permit transactions can take up to 3 weeks, while an in-person transaction can take 7 weeks. These are service estimates rather than a guarantee for every individual application.

Permanent, temporary and subject-to-change conditions

The duration and renewal requirements depend on how the regulated healthcare practitioner certifies your disability.

Permanent disability

Ontario's regulation provides that a general-use permit based on a disability certified as permanent is issued for 60 months. A person whose permanent disability was appropriately certified generally does not need new healthcare practitioner certification for a routine renewal, subject to the program's renewal rules.

Temporary disability

If the healthcare practitioner certifies that the disability is temporary and provides its anticipated duration, Ontario's regulation allows the permit to be issued for that anticipated period, up to the applicable temporary-permit maximum. When a temporary permit expires and another permit is needed, the health condition must be re-certified.

Condition subject to change

If the condition is considered subject to change, healthcare recertification is required when the permit expires before another permit can be issued. The applicant completes Part A and the regulated healthcare practitioner completes Part B again.

The permit belongs to you, not your vehicle

An Accessible Parking Permit is assigned to an individual, not a vehicle. You can therefore display it in a vehicle in which you are travelling, whether you are driving or riding as a passenger.

When the vehicle is parked in an accessible parking space, display the permit on the dashboard or sun visor with the permit number and expiry date visible.

The permit cannot legitimately be used to obtain accessible parking privileges when the person named on it is not travelling in the vehicle. Ontario's Highway Traffic Act prohibits improper use, lending, selling and alteration of accessible parking permits.

What happens if someone misuses the permit?

Improper use can have serious consequences. Under Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, specified Accessible Parking Permit offences can result on conviction in a fine of at least $300 and up to $5,000. A permit may also be cancelled or seized in applicable circumstances.

Can someone apply on your behalf?

Yes, an authorized representative can act in appropriate circumstances. If an adult is incapable of applying or signing for the permit, ServiceOntario may require evidence such as a Power of Attorney, court-appointed guardianship, proof of Ontario Disability Support Program trustee status or a sworn statement signed by a Commissioner of Oaths, depending on the situation.

The representative must also provide the required identification. For children under 18, the official application provides for a parent or legal guardian to sign.

What is an Accessible Parking Permit traveller permit?

Ontario also provides a traveller permit for an individual who already holds an unexpired general-use Accessible Parking Permit. The traveller permit is intended for travel-related circumstances and specifies the locations or circumstances in which it may be used.

This is different from applying for your first general-use Accessible Parking Permit.

You do not need a special vehicle registration

The Accessible Parking Permit is separate from your driver's licence, licence plate and vehicle permit. It follows the eligible person rather than a particular car.

If you also need to deal with an Ontario driver's licence that has been lost, stolen or damaged, see Helpydo's guide to replacing an Ontario driver's licence.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Submitting a new application without medical certification: a regulated healthcare practitioner must complete the required certification for a new general-use permit.
• Waiting too long after medical certification: the official application is valid for up to 6 months from the practitioner's signature date.
• Sending original identification by mail: where identification is required for a mailed transaction, use photocopies rather than mailing your original identity documents.
• Assuming the permit belongs to the car: it belongs to the person named on the permit and can move between vehicles in which that person travels.
• Letting someone use your permit without you: accessible parking privileges apply when the permit holder is travelling in the vehicle.
• Assuming every renewal needs medical recertification: permanent conditions and temporary or subject-to-change conditions have different renewal requirements.

What happens after you apply?

ServiceOntario reviews the application and supporting information to determine whether the permit can be issued. The application form authorizes ServiceOntario to verify information with healthcare practitioners, other jurisdictions or Ontario ministries where necessary to administer the program.

Once issued, keep the permit secure and display it correctly only when the permit holder is travelling in the vehicle. If your permit is later lost, stolen or damaged, Ontario has separate replacement procedures. A stolen permit must be reported to police and an occurrence number is required for replacement.