Who can use disabled parking permits and plates in Kentucky? What the law says
More than 44 million people in the U.S. have at least one disability, and according to the latest available federal Census Bureau data, Kentucky has one of the largest populations of residents with disabilities.
An estimated 803,313 Kentuckians, or 18.1% of the state’s population, have a disability, according to 2023 American Community Survey estimates. That puts Kentucky just behind West Virginia for the state with the largest share of disabled residents in the country, and roughly tied with Arkansas.
Kentucky allows residents to apply for disabled parking permits and plates if they have one of several disabling conditions, whether they’re permanent or not. Here’s an overview of the rules around their use.
Who is eligible to use a handicap placard in Kentucky?
Kentucky residents can apply for disabled parking permits, also called placards, that they display on their rearview mirror or dashboard.
“Disabled placards or license plates are intended for use only by the individuals who apply for them based on proof of mobility or disability issues,” Allen Blair, a spokesperson for Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet, told the Herald-Leader in an email.
“There are exceptions, such as they can be used by a parent or guardian of a disabled minor, by any agency or organization which transports persons with a disability as a part of their services, and by those driving a vehicle for the benefit of the person with a disability who is in the vehicle,” Blair continued.
According to KYTC, placard eligibility extends to people whose “mobility, flexibility, coordination, respiration, or perceptiveness is significantly reduced by a permanent or temporary disability.” The disability can affect the person’s arms, legs, lungs, heart, eyes or ears.
The process begins by completing the state’s application for a disabled license plate or parking placard. The application is available at Kentucky county clerk offices or online at drive.ky.gov.
Obtaining a placard requires an original signature on the application from either a licensed physician, chiropractor or advanced practice registered nurse. The completed form allows for temporary and permanent disabled placards, as well as disabled license plates. In the case of a temporary placard, applicants can use signatures from physician assistants, physical therapists and occupational therapists, as well.
The applicant will also need to sign their name on the form, and that signature needs to be notarized, according to KYTC.
Applicants can have their signature notarized at any county clerk’s office in Kentucky for a $2 fee.
Can disabled Kentuckians or their caregivers apply online for a placard? Are they free?
No, but they can mail in a completed application to their local county clerk’s office.
Applicants should receive their placards in a few business days. For the Fayette County clerk’s office, the turnaround is typically about three to four business days, according to the office’s website.
The first placard is free. A second or replacement placard is $10, unless it’s been damaged, in which case it is also free, as explained by KYTC.
What are the rules for using disabled placards?
Disability placards enable their owners to park in accessible spaces, but they must also be correctly displayed in accordance with Kentucky law. That means hanging the placard from the vehicle’s rearview mirror so its expiration date faces the front of the vehicle. If there is no rearview mirror, the placard should be placed on the dashboard, with the expiration date face up.
Cities may also have their own rules around placard use.
In Fayette County, for example, vehicles must be parked within the lines in designated parking spaces and not within access aisles marked with diagonal lines. The fine for improperly parking in an accessible space or in the access aisle is $250, according to guidance from Access Lexington.
How often do disability placards need to be renewed in Kentucky?
In Kentucky, permanent disability placards are valid for six years and there are no limits on how many times they can be renewed. These placards are blue in color.
The temporary placards, which are red, are valid for three months.
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This story was originally published August 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.