The Department of Motor Vehicles will be issuing new parking placards for the disabled beginning January 1, 2010.

Individuals currently in possession of a valid disabled placard may keep their placard until it expires or until December 31, 2012, whichever comes first. Once this placard expires, a doctor must recertify the qualifying disability before the new photo–bearing placard will be issued.

The new placards will incorporate a photo of the individual requesting the placard to help clarify who is authorized to use the parking pass. Another change to the program is that a certificate verifying user eligibility will be issued along with the placard that must be in the vehicle as well.

If an individual loses his current disabled placard, a non–photo bearing replacement can be obtained without doctor recertification as long as the placard has not expired, though it will have an expiration date of December 31, 2012.

The owner of a vehicle with a disabled license plate will have to keep a registration certificate that lists the names of all eligible disabled persons in their household that operate or may be transported in the vehicle. When individuals with disabled license plates next renew their plate, they will receive a new license plate and registration certificate.

Vehicles displaying a disabled license plate or placard may only park in designated spaces if that vehicle is driven by or is transporting the disabled individual whose name appears on the license plate registration certificate or placard certificate.

Applications for the new disabled placards and plates are available now on the Department of Motor Vehicles website www.scdmvonline. com as well as Department of Motor Vehicles field offices.