Disabled Parking in the City of Seattle
How do I obtain a disabled parking placard or license plate to use on my car?
In Washington State, disabled permits (license plates and/or placard hangtags) are issued by the State Department of Licensing (DOL) under authorization from a medical provider. Information is available at http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/parking.html or (360) 902-3770.
Does my out of state/country disabled parking placard or license plate work for parking in Seattle?
Valid disabled permits, used by their registered owner, that are issued by other states or countries are treated the same as Washington-issued placards. Any temporary placards, or similar, would be issued by your state or country per local guidelines.
How can I use my parking permit in Seattle?
Under Washington state law, the City of Seattle allows on-street parking in general parking spaces at no cost to holders of valid disabled parking permits. Parking may be time-limited for permit holders for no less than 4 hours if clearly signed. Without the 4-hour limit for disabled permit holders, vehicles may park longer than any other posted time limits. Any vehicle parked in Seattle longer than 72 hours may be considered abandoned and subject to citation and towing. In addition, parking restrictions for utility or other roadway work may be posted with as little as 24 hours' notice.
Designated disabled space with 4-hour time limit 7 AM - 6 PM
A disabled permit does not allow the permit owner to use Commercial Vehicle Load Zones, spaces reserved for certain users (including carpool users), or parking in No Parking areas. It also does not allow for parking in load zones longer than posted limits.
Free parking is generally not provided in off-street or privately-owned and managed parking areas, but this is up to the parking lot owner.
How can I find out more information about off-street parking for disabled permit holders?
SDOT does not regulate parking on private property. The Seattle Building Code, chapter 11 section 1106, lists the required minimum number of accessible spaces based on parking lot size. Questions about designated disabled spaces in off-street lots should be directed to Department of Construction & Inspections' Parking - Location, Size & Number of Spots.
How can I request a disabled parking sign on my street?
Parking on public streets, including in residential areas, is a limited and shared resource. On-street parking is not a reliable substitute for dedicated off-street parking. Current federal guidelines do not require installation of designated disabled, or accessible, parking stalls on street in residential areas. However, the City of Seattle manages a longstanding a program to install Designated Disabled Parking Zones in certain residential areas at the request of eligible residents where possible.
Seattle residents who possess a valid permanent Washington State Disabled Parking Permit may request installation of a disabled parking space near their residence, subject to certain conditions.
Conditions where SDOT would consider installing a new Designated Disabled Parking Zone:
- Off-street parking is unavailable, or is not physically accessible
- There are no existing Designated Disabled Parking Zones on the blockface, which is the requested side of the street between two intersecting streets.
Conditions where SDOT would not install a new Designated Disabled Parking Zone:
- Requester has a temporary disability placard
- Requester has access to off-street parking
- Requester does not live at the address full-time
- The requested street is not designated on a Council-adopted transportation plan that indicates curbspace will likely be removed in the future.
A signed space may be used by any vehicle with a valid permit for up to 72 consecutive hours and is not dedicated to exclusive use by the requester. To request a Designated Disabled Parking Zone near your residence, please complete the Residential Disabled Parking Zone Request Form and send to Hector Sidoine at hector.sidoine@seattle.gov or mail to the address listed below. For questios, you can contact Hector Sidoine by email or phone at (206) 561-8196.
SDOT c/o Hector Sidoine (SMT 38th Floor)
PO Box 34996
Seattle, WA 98124-4996
How can I report disabled parking abuse?
Seattle Police Department (SPD) Parking Enforcement enforces disabled parking regulations. Their main line is (206) 386-9012 and you can also reach them to report a violation in progress via SPD's non-emergency number at (206) 625-5011.
What can I do if I received a parking citation?
The Seattle Municipal Court handles all appeals to parking citations. Information is provided on the back of the citation and is online at www.seattle.gov/courts/hearings/hearinginformation.htm.