REG 195 — applying for a disabled parking placard in California.
REG 195 is California's application for a disabled person (DP) parking placard or DP license plates. Permanent placards, travel placards and DP plates are free; a temporary placard is $6. You fill in the first pages; a licensed medical provider certifies your condition on the last one, choosing from 8 listed conditions, and which provider can sign depends on the condition. A permanent placard lasts 2 years and expires on June 30 of odd-numbered years; a temporary one lasts up to 180 days. You can apply online, at a DMV office without an appointment, or by mail. Here's each section and the rules that come with the placard.
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Quick Answer
- What is the REG 195 form?
- California DMV's Application for Disabled Person Placard or Plates (Rev. 11/2023). You use it to apply for a permanent, temporary or travel disabled person parking placard, for DP license plates, or to reassign existing DP plates to another vehicle. A licensed medical provider certifies the qualifying condition in Section 6.
- How much is a disabled placard in California?
- Permanent and travel placards and DP license plates have no fee. A temporary placard is $6. The DMV says renewing a permanent placard is also free, and it doesn't charge to replace a lost, stolen or damaged permanent or travel placard.
- Who can sign the medical section of REG 195?
- A licensed physician, surgeon, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife may certify items 2 through 8. A licensed chiropractor may certify items 6 through 8 only, and a licensed podiatrist a disability of the foot or ankle. Item 1, the vision condition, may be certified only by a physician or surgeon specializing in diseases of the eye, or a licensed optometrist.
Four steps through a REG 195
Three pages. Pages 2 and 3 must both arrive, or nothing is processed.
- 1Your details and IDSection 1: true full name, date of birth, license or ID number, with a copy of proof of legal name and birthdate.
- 2Pick the placard or platesSection 2: permanent (free), temporary ($6), travel (free), DP plates or a reassignment.
- 3Sign, then your provider signsSection 4 is your certification; Sections 5 and 6 are your medical provider's.
- 4Submit itOnline, at a DMV office with no appointment, or by mail to the placard address.
California Placard and Plate Types
From REG 195 (Rev. 11/2023) and the DMV's placard page, read on 28 October 2026.
| Type | Fee | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent DP parking placard | No fee | 2 years; expires June 30 of every odd-numbered year |
| Temporary DP parking placard | $6 | Up to 180 days or the provider's date, whichever is shorter; no more than 6 renewals in a row |
| Travel placard, California resident | No fee | 30 days from issue; must already hold a permanent placard, DP plates or DV plates |
| Travel placard, nonresident | No fee | Up to 90 days or the provider's date, whichever is shorter |
| DP license plates | No fee | For permanent disabilities; only on a vehicle registered to the qualified person |
Only one permanent placard at a time. Since 2023, holders who have had a placard for 6 or more years must provide a signature to receive a new one; the DMV mails a renewal notice and renewal is free.
What's on the REG 195
Page 1 is the rules. It explains eligibility (impaired mobility from the loss of use of lower extremities or both hands, a disease that substantially impairs mobility, needing an assistive device to move, and specific vision, cardiovascular or respiratory conditions), where the placard lets you park, and what is illegal. It also points disabled veterans with a service-connected disability to Disabled Veteran plates, which need a REG 256A and medical certification or documentation from a county veterans service officer or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged placard isn't done on this form: that's the REG 156.
Page 2 is yours. Section 1 takes your true full name or organization name, date of birth, address, license or ID number and phone, with a copy of proof of legal name and birthdate enclosed. Section 2 is the placard or plate type, and asks whether you've held DP plates, DV plates or a permanent placard in California before. If so, a new doctor's certification isn't needed unless the DMV cancelled it, it's no longer on record, or 4 replacement permanent placards have been issued in the two-year renewal period. Section 3 is the vehicle for DP plates, plus a weight-fee exemption for one commercial vehicle under 8,001 lb unladen. Section 4 is your certification under penalty of perjury, and Section 5 starts the medical provider's details.
Page 3 is the medical provider's certification. They tick permanent, temporary (with an end date no more than six months away) or travel (no more than 30 days for a resident, 90 for a nonresident), and certify one or more of 8 conditions. Items 1 to 3 have precise thresholds: vision of 20/200 or worse in the better eye with correction, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less; cardiovascular disease at American Heart Association class III or IV; and lung disease with an FEV1 under one liter or pO2 under 60 mm/Hg at rest. Items 4 to 8 need a written description in Section 6A. The form says descriptions like "trouble walking" or a bare code such as "R60.9" aren't acceptable.
REG 195 at a Glance
Placard types, fees, who certifies and where to send it, on one card.
From REG 195 (Rev. 11/2023) and the DMV's placard page, read on 28 October 2026.
The Rules That Come With the Placard
With a valid placard or DP plates you may park in spaces with the wheelchair symbol, in areas requiring a resident or merchant permit, next to a blue or green curb for an unlimited time, and at any on-street meter at no charge. You don't have to own or drive the vehicle. You'll get a placard ID card that you must keep with you whenever the placard is in use and show, with ID, to a peace officer or parking enforcement on request.
The placard can't be lent to anyone, even a family member who is also disabled, and misuse can lead to confiscation and cancellation. Plates and placards must be surrendered to the DMV within 60 days of the disabled person's death. Forging a placard or a provider's signature, giving false information, letting someone use your placard when you're not in the vehicle, or holding more than one permanent placard is punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.
What gets an application returned
- No proof of name/birthdate: the form says the application will be rejected.
- Copies or faxes: only original signatures are accepted.
- Alterations: cross-outs or white-out, even initialed, void the form.
- Missing page 3: pages 2 and 3 are both required.
Need a Replacement Placard Instead?
A lost, stolen or damaged placard is replaced on a REG 156, not a REG 195. Replacing a permanent or travel placard is free.
Read the REG 156 guideWho Can Certify Which Condition
Section 6 lists 8 conditions; REG 195's instructions say which providers may certify each.
Items 2–8
Physician, surgeon, PA, nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife.
Items 6–8 only
A licensed chiropractor.
Foot or ankle
A licensed podiatrist.
Item 1: vision
An eye-specialist physician or surgeon, or an optometrist.
Items 4–8 need words
A full description in 6A; "trouble walking" isn't enough.
Signatures are checked
The DMV may compare them with licensing records and call the provider.
Placard vs. DP License Plates
Both are free for a permanent disability. They work differently.
DP parking placard
- Moves between vehicles; you needn't own or drive the car.
- Placard ID card must stay with you.
- Permanent: 2 years, renewed free.
- Can't be lent to anyone.
DP license plates
- For permanent disabilities only.
- Only on a vehicle registered to the qualified person.
- Reassign to another vehicle on the same form.
- One commercial vehicle under 8,001 lb can skip weight fees.
The DMV page says a qualified permanently disabled person may get a placard or DP plates for all of their vehicles at no additional fee.
Related Checks and Guides
The other DMV form guides, and the California pages they connect to.
Where These Facts Come From
From the California DMV's form and its disabled person placards and plates page, read on 28 October 2026.
CarCheckerVIN is not affiliated with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. This page is general information, not legal or medical advice.
REG 195 — Frequently Asked Questions
What California applicants ask most.
Where do I send the REG 195?+
By mail to DMV Placard, P.O. Box 997600 M/S D238, Sacramento, CA 95899-7600. You can also apply at a DMV field office (no appointment needed) or online. Include a copy of your proof of legal name and date of birth.
How long does a temporary disabled placard last in California?+
Up to 180 days, or until the date your medical provider writes, whichever is shorter. It can't be renewed more than 6 times in a row, and it costs $6.
Do I need a new doctor's signature to renew my permanent placard?+
No. The DMV says a permanent placard doesn't need re-certification. Since 2023, holders who've had a placard for 6 or more years must provide their own signature to get a new one, which can be done online from the renewal notice, free.
How do I replace a lost disabled placard in California?+
On a REG 156, not a REG 195. The DMV doesn't charge to replace a permanent or travel placard; a temporary placard has a substitute fee.
Can someone else use my placard?+
Only when you're in the vehicle. You don't have to own or drive the car, but the placard can't be lent to anyone, including family, even if they are also disabled.
Can a nonresident get a California placard?+
Yes, a travel placard, for nonresidents traveling in California with a permanent disability and/or DP plates. It lasts up to 90 days or until the provider's date, whichever is shorter.
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CarCheckerVIN is an independent vehicle-history service and is not affiliated with the California Department of Motor Vehicles. This guide summarizes REG 195 and the DMV's placard page and is not legal or medical advice. Records in our reports reflect what was reported to our data providers. Our reports do not include police or repair-shop accident entries.
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