1. A resident of the state with a disability desiring a persons with disabilities parking permit shall apply to the department upon an application form furnished by the department providing the applicant’s full legal name, address, date of birth, and social security number or Iowa driver‘s license number or Iowa nonoperator’s identification card number, and shall also provide a statement from a physician licensed under chapter 148 or 149, a physician assistant licensed under chapter 148C, an advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 152, a chiropractor licensed under chapter 151, an occupational therapist licensed under chapter 148B, or a physical therapist licensed under chapter 148A, or a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, chiropractor, occupational therapist, or physical therapist licensed to practice in another state, written on the physician’s, physician assistant’s, nurse practitioner’s, chiropractor’s, occupational therapist’s, or physical therapist’s stationery, stating the nature of the applicant’s disability and such additional information as required by rules adopted by the department under section 321L.8. If the person is applying for a temporary persons with disabilities parking permit, the physician’s, physician assistant’s, nurse practitioner’s, chiropractor’s, occupational therapist’s, or physical therapist’s statement shall state the period of time during which the person is expected to be disabled and the period of time for which the permit should be issued, not to exceed six months. The department may waive the requirement that the applicant furnish the applicant’s social security number, Iowa driver’s license number, or nonoperator’s identification card number when the application for a temporary persons with disabilities parking permit is made on behalf of a person who is less than one year old. The department may accept a certification of disability from the United States department of veterans affairs in lieu of a statement from a physician, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, chiropractor, occupational therapist, or physical therapist. The department may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A detailing the requirements for an acceptable certification of disability.

 a. A person with a disability may apply for one of the following persons with disabilities parking permits:

 (1) Persons with disabilities registration plates. An applicant may order persons with disabilities registration plates pursuant to section 321.34. An applicant may order a persons with disabilities registration plate for a trailer used to transport a wheelchair pursuant to section 321.34 in addition to persons with disabilities registration plates ordered by the applicant for a motor vehicle used to tow such a trailer pursuant to section 321.34.
 (2) Persons with disabilities parking sticker. An applicant who owns a motor vehicle for which the applicant has been issued registration plates under section 321.34 or registration plates as a seriously disabled veteran under section 321.105 may apply to the department for a persons with disabilities parking sticker to be affixed to the plates. The persons with disabilities parking stickers shall bear the international symbol of accessibility.
 (3) Removable windshield placard.

 (a) A person with a disability may apply for a temporary removable windshield placard valid for a period of up to six months or a standard removable windshield placard valid for a period of five years, as determined by the physician’s, physician assistant’s, nurse practitioner’s, chiropractor’s, occupational therapist’s, or physical therapist’s statement under this subsection.

 (i) A temporary removable windshield placard shall be renewed within thirty days of the date of expiration. Persons seeking temporary removable windshield placards shall be required to furnish evidence upon initial application that they have a temporary disability and, in addition, furnish evidence at subsequent intervals that they remain temporarily disabled. Temporary removable windshield placards shall be of a distinctively different color from standard removable windshield placards.
 (ii) A standard removable windshield placard shall expire on the last day of the month five years from the date of issuance. A person with a disability may renew a standard removable windshield placard within thirty days before or after the date of expiration by submitting a statement from a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, chiropractor, occupational therapist, or physical therapist, as provided in this subsection, to the department that the person has a continuing need for the placard.
 (b) The department shall issue one additional removable windshield placard upon the request of a person with a disability.
 b. The department may issue expiring removable windshield placards to the following:

 (1) An organization which has a program for transporting persons with disabilities or elderly persons.
 (2) A person in the business of transporting persons with disabilities or elderly persons.
 c. One expiring removable windshield placard may be issued for each vehicle used by the organization or person for transporting persons with disabilities or elderly persons. A placard issued under this paragraph shall be renewed every four years from the date of issuance and shall be surrendered to the department if the organization or person is no longer providing the service for which the placard was issued. Notwithstanding section 321L.4, a person transporting persons with disabilities or elderly persons in a motor vehicle for which a placard has been issued under this paragraph may display the placard in the motor vehicle and may use a persons with disabilities parking space while the motor vehicle is displaying the placard. A placard issued under this paragraph shall be of a distinctively different color from a placard issued under paragraph “a”.
 d. A new removable windshield placard can be issued if the previously issued placard is reported lost, stolen, or damaged. The placard reported as being lost or stolen shall be invalidated by the department. A placard which is damaged shall be returned to the department and exchanged for a new placard in accordance with rules adopted by the department.
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Terms Used In Iowa Code 321L.2

  • Days: means calendar days. See Iowa Code 322G.2
  • Department: means the state department of transportation. See Iowa Code 321H.2
  • Department: means the state department of transportation. See Iowa Code 321L.1
  • Driver: means a person who operates a motor vehicle for the transportation of railroad workers in the motor vehicle on behalf of a railroad worker transportation company, whether the person is employed by the company for wages or drives for the company as an independent contractor. See Iowa Code 327F.39
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" and the abbreviation "A. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Motor vehicle: means a self-propelled vehicle purchased or leased in this state, except as provided in section 322G. See Iowa Code 322G.2
  • Person: includes any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, joint adventure, or association, and the plural as well as the singular number. See Iowa Code 321H.2
  • Person with a disability: means a person with a disability that limits or impairs the person's ability to walk. See Iowa Code 321L.1
  • Persons with disabilities parking permit: means a permit bearing the international symbol of accessibility issued by the department which allows the holder to park in a persons with disabilities parking space, and includes the following:
     a. See Iowa Code 321L.1
  • Persons with disabilities parking space: means a parking space, including the access aisle, designated for use by only motor vehicles displaying a persons with disabilities parking permit that meets the requirements of sections 321L. See Iowa Code 321L.1
  • Program: means an informal dispute settlement procedure established by a manufacturer which mediates and arbitrates motor vehicle warranty disputes arising in this state. See Iowa Code 322G.2
  • Resident: means as defined in section 483A. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • seal: shall include an impression upon the paper alone, or upon wax, a wafer affixed to the paper, or an official stamp of a notarial officer as provided in chapter 9B. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Signature: includes an electronic signature as defined in section 554D. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Vehicle: means any vehicle as defined in chapter 321. See Iowa Code 321H.2
  • year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. Any person providing false information with the intent to defraud on the application for a persons with disabilities parking permit used in establishing proof under subsection 1 is subject to a civil penalty of three hundred dollars which may be imposed by the department. A physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, chiropractor, occupational therapist, or physical therapist who provides false information with the intent to defraud on the physician’s, physician assistant’s, nurse practitioner’s, chiropractor’s, occupational therapist’s, or physical therapist’s statement used in establishing proof under subsection 1 is subject to a civil penalty of three hundred dollars which may be imposed by the department. In addition to the civil penalty, the department shall revoke the permit issued pursuant to this section.
 3. The removable windshield placard shall contain the following information:

 a. Each side of the placard shall include all of the following:

 (1) The international symbol of access, which is at least three inches in height, centered on the placard, and is white on a blue shield.
 (2) An identification number.
 (3) A date of expiration, which shall be of sufficient size to be readable from outside the vehicle.
 (4) The seal or other identification of the issuing authority.
 b. One side of the placard shall contain all of the following information:

 (1) (a)  Subject to subparagraph division (b), a statement printed on it as follows:

Unauthorized use of this placard as indicated in Iowa Code chapter 321L may result in a fine, invalidation of the placard, or revocation of the right to use the placard. This placard shall be displayed only when the vehicle is parked in a persons with disabilities parking space or in a parking space not designated as a persons with disabilities parking space if a wheelchair parking cone is used pursuant to Iowa Code section 321L.2A.
 (b) After the department has issued the existing supply of placards bearing the statement set forth in subparagraph division (a), the statement printed on each newly issued placard shall be as follows:

Remove from mirror before operating vehicle.
 (2) The return address and telephone number of the department.
 (3) The signature of the person who has been issued the placard.
 4. A removable windshield placard shall only be displayed when the vehicle is parked in a persons with disabilities parking space. The removable windshield placard shall be displayed in a manner that allows the entire placard to be visible through the vehicle’s windshield.
 5. A seriously disabled veteran who has been provided with an automobile or other vehicle by the United States government under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 3901 – 3904 is not required to apply for a persons with disabilities parking permit under this section unless the veteran has been issued special registration plates or personalized plates for the vehicle. The regular registration plates issued for the disabled veteran’s vehicle without fee pursuant to section 321.105 entitle the disabled veteran to all of the rights and privileges associated with persons with disabilities parking permits under this chapter.
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