How to Renew a Disabled Parking Placard in California
A permanent disabled parking placard in California renews every two years, expiring June 30 of every odd-numbered year.
A temporary placard runs on a completely different six-month clock, and it doesn’t renew the same way at all.
Most permanent placard holders don’t have to do a thing.
California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) mails a new placard automatically unless state law flags your account for a signature first.
Even then, renewing takes minutes online, by mail, or at a DMV office, and none of it calls for a new doctor’s note.
Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Licensing rules and agency procedures are subject to change, so confirm the current requirements with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
California’s Permanent Placard Renewal Runs Every Two Years
California’s permanent placard is valid for two years, and every one of them expires on the same date, June 30 of every odd-numbered year, no matter when yours was issued.
That single expiration date used to mean every permanent placard holder got a new placard mailed out automatically, no questions asked.
California changed that in 2017.
Placard holders who’ve had the same placard for six years or longer, or who are due for their third renewal, now get a renewal notice in the mail asking for a signature before DMV sends a new placard.
DMV still renews everyone else automatically.
Why California Asks for a Signature, Not a New Doctor’s Note
California’s signature requirement exists to catch placards mailed to the wrong address, not to recheck anyone’s disability.
Senate Bill 611 created the rule in 2017, aimed at placards sent to people who’d moved or passed away.
Many longtime placard holders never see a renewal notice at all, and a signed notice is proof of address, not proof of disability.
Renewing Your Placard Online
California’s DMV renewal takes minutes online, and many placard holders finish it that way.
Start with your renewal notice if you have it.
Scan its QR code with your phone’s own built-in camera, or type in the Renewal Identification Number printed on the notice.
DMV warns against a downloaded QR reader app for this, since an app from an app store can carry malware.
No renewal notice on hand?
You can still renew online using your name, date of birth, and the placard number listed on your Placard Identification Card.
Renewing on behalf of a business placard skips the date-of-birth field automatically.
There’s no charge either way.
You can update your mailing address in the same session, and DMV mails the new placard within two to four weeks of receiving your signature.
Renewing by Mail or at a DMV Office
A DMV office visit isn’t required to renew a California placard, but it’s on the table if you’d rather handle it in person.
If your renewal notice already arrived in the mail, sign it and mail it back in the provided envelope.
Postage is on you.
A missing or never-received notice doesn’t stop a mail renewal.
Fill out an REG 195 A instead, the Application for Permanent Disabled Person Placard Renewal.
Mail it in, or make an appointment and bring it to a DMV office near you.
Either way, DMV won’t issue a new placard until it has your signature in hand.
What if Your New Placard Doesn’t Arrive
A renewed California placard typically shows up within two to four weeks of DMV receiving your signature.
Nothing in the mailbox after that window?
Contact DMV through its online chat, or call 1-800-777-0133.
Keep that number handy.
Text telephone (TTY) users can reach the department at 1-800-368-4327.
An outdated mailing address is the most common reason a renewed placard goes missing, so update it online with DMV before you call.
Psst! How much do you know about the accessible parking symbol and California’s placard program? Take our quiz and see how many you can get right.
Quiz
California Placard IQ
Answer these questions on the accessible parking symbol and California’s disabled placard program. We bet you can’t get them all right. Prove us wrong?
The wheelchair symbol on every accessible parking spot, including California’s, was designed in 1968. What did the original version leave out?
Why a Temporary Placard's Renewal Works Differently
A temporary California placard never runs on the same two-year clock a permanent placard does.
It's valid for up to 180 days, or a shorter date your medical provider sets on the application, whichever comes first.
That's it.
You don't renew a temporary placard the way you renew a permanent placard.
Once it's close to expiring, you file a brand new REG 195, complete with a fresh signature from a licensed physician, chiropractor, optometrist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or certified nurse midwife.
California caps that cycle at six reissuances in a row.
A fee applies to a temporary placard, something a permanent placard never charges you for.
What if Your Placard Is Lost or Stolen Instead of Expired?
Not every California placard problem is a renewal problem.
A lost or stolen placard isn't renewed at all.
It's replaced.
That runs through a completely different DMV process: REG 156, the Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents, not REG 195 or REG 195 A.
A damaged placard has to come back with the application before DMV ships a new placard.
There's no fee to replace a permanent or travel placard.
A temporary placard's replacement carries a small fee.
Mail the completed form to DMV Placard, PO Box 942869, Sacramento, CA 94269-0001, or bring it to a DMV office with an appointment.
You can also start that replacement online now, through the same DMV virtual office used for renewals.
Plan on two to four weeks either way.
Psst! Before you start your California placard renewal, run through this checklist and see where you stand.
FAQ
Quick answers to what California placard holders ask most about renewing.
No filler here.
How often do I need to renew a California disabled placard?
A permanent placard runs for two years and expires June 30 of every odd-numbered year, though many holders never have to do anything and get a new placard mailed automatically. A temporary placard lasts up to 180 days and follows a completely different process.
Do I need a new doctor's note to renew my placard?
No. Once DMV issues a permanent placard, renewing it only takes a signature, not a new Medical Provider's Certification of Disability. A temporary placard is the exception, since keeping a temporary placard going means filing a new REG 195 with updated medical certification.
What form do I use to renew by mail?
Use REG 195 A, the Application for Permanent Disabled Person Placard Renewal, if you don't have your mailed renewal notice. Mail it to the DMV Placard address on the form, with postage.
How do I replace a lost or stolen placard?
File REG 156, the Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents, by mail or at a DMV office appointment. There's no fee for a permanent or travel placard, and a temporary placard's replacement carries a small fee.
Is there a fee to renew a California disabled placard?
No. Renewing a permanent placard is free, whether you do it online, by mail, or at a DMV office. Only a temporary placard's issuance and its replacement carry a fee.
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