Question: Both my daughter and I have a disability. I have the handicap license plates on my car and she only has a placard. When she drives my car, does she have to use her placard to park?

Answer: The registered license plates are designed for you to be able to park that vehicle in a disabled/handicap parking location. If your daughter has her own permit, she would need to display her permit in the vehicle when she is parked in a designated disabled/handicap parking location, as the permit is designed for her.

Any Minnesota resident who meets one or more of the definitions of a “physically disabled person” can apply to obtain a disability certificate or plates.

Disability Certificate (placard):

•Issued to the disabled person, not the vehicle. A person may qualify for two certificates if they do not have disability license plates.

•May be displayed on the rear view mirror or on the dashboard in any vehicle when parked. The placard should be taken down from the rear view mirror while driving.

•Can be used to park in designated disability parking spaces when the person named on the certificate is driving or a passenger in the vehicle.

Disability License Plates:

•Issued to a vehicle that is primarily owned by a person with a disability, the parent of a child with a disability or the owner of a commercial rental motor vehicle that has been modified for and is used exclusively by permanently physically disabled people.

A vehicle that is displaying the parking certificate may be parked by or solely for the benefit of a physically disabled person: in a designated disability parking space, in a non-restricted metered parking space without obligation to pay the meter fee, and without regard to time limitation unless otherwise posted, or in a non-metered time limited passenger vehicle space unless otherwise posted.

For additional information, go to: www.dps.mn.gov and go to Divisions, Driver and Vehicle Services.

You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober.  Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.

If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester MN 55901-5848.  (Or reach him at, Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us)