The Commission for Persons with Disabilities issues Temporary Disability Parking Permits for use in Cambridge only. To apply for this Permit contact the Commission for an application form. Once the Commission receives and approves the completed application, the Permit will be issued for a period of one, two, or three months and mailed to the applicant. There is no fee for this service.

Eligibility Requirements:
In order to qualify for a Temporary Disability Parking Permit in Cambridge one must meet eligibility requirements comparable to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) requirements for a disability plate or placard. These include the following disabling conditions: loss of use of one or more limbs; vision impairment; knee or ankle dysfunction; or respiratory, heart or circulatory disorder.  However, the disability must be expected to be temporary, rather than permanent. Exceptions to this requirement may be made for 1) an individual who has applied for, but not yet received, either RMV disability plates or placard or 2) an individual who has RMV disability plates or placard, but whose vehicle is inoperative for a prolonged period of time.

Instructions:
To apply for this Temporary Disability Parking Permit the applicant completes Part A of the form with his/her personal identification information. Medical documentation of the person’s temporary disability must be provided by the applicant's physician, who must either 1) complete and sign Part B (on the back of the form); or 2) provide a written diagnosis, including the nature and severity of the temporary disabling condition, and a written prognosis as to its expected duration (either one, two, or three months). If the applicant has applied for but not yet received disability plates or a placard from the state RMV, a copy of the physician's questionnaire (Part B of the RMV application) may, at the discretion of the Commission for Persons with Disabilities, fulfill the requirements for medical documentation.

Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles disability plates or placard:
Since the Temporary Disability Parking Permit issued by the Commission for Persons with Disabilities may only be used in Cambridge and your disability may not be temporary, you may want to look into getting disability plates or a placard from the state RMV. Information and the application form are available on their web site at www.state.ma.us/rmv/medical/index.htm or by calling the RMV Medical Affairs Branch at 617-351-9222. Their office is at 630 Washington Street in Boston.

CCPD --- January 16, 2004