Who qualifies for handicapped parking?
The penalty for parking in a handicapped spot without a permit
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Who qualifies for handicapped parking?
Obviously, handicapped parking is reserved for those with a legitimate handicap. However, many people might not understand what qualifies as a legitimate handicap. Regardless, you will need to have a valid unexpired handicapped parking permit or license plate in order to park in a handicapped space. Even if you do have a handicap and park in a handicap space without the permit, you will still likely be ticketed.
Handicaps that will qualify for a handicapped parking permit will typically include people with heart and/or lung disease, those with any disease that considerably decreases your ability to walk, people with certain vision issues and those who have lost a leg or hand. The specifics of this will vary from state to state in the US. In Alaska, those eligible for a handicapped parking permit can include people who cannot walk two hundred feet without stopping, those who use assistive tools such as a cane or wheelchair and people who are on oxygen. If your disability is permanent, you will qualify for handicapped license plates.
In order to get a handicapped parking permit, you will have to get the application online or from the DMV office. You will then need to fill out the portion for you and your healthcare provider will also need to fill out a portion in order to verify your handicap. You can then submit it through mail or in person. If you are not handicapped but have a handicapped person in your car who has a valid permit with them, you will be allowed to park in a handicapped space on that occasion.
The penalty for parking in a handicapped spot without a permit
If you park in a handicapped parking space without a legitimate permit or license plate giving you the permission to do so, you can be ticketed and fined. For a first violation in Alaska, you will receive a fine of a hundred and twenty-five dollars. For a second violation, you will be fined two hundred and fifty dollars. If you are caught using someone else’s parking permit or license plate while you illegally park in a handicapped spot in Alaska, the first fine will be two hundred and fifty dollars and the next time you are caught, the fine will be five hundred dollars.
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If you are handicapped, you will be entitled to special spaces close to the entrances of businesses in Alaska so that your walk from your car will be as limited as possible. Handicaps that will qualify for a pass will include those with heart and/or lung diseases and people who are very limited in their ability to walk. If you are not handicapped, do not park in a handicapped space under any circumstance, even for a few minutes, because you will be preventing a handicapped person from getting the space they need. You will also be ticketed and fined.
