Permanent disability placards (blue) are issued for four years from the disabled person's next birthday.  They are issued when there is no medical expectation that the disability will improve. 

A permanent disability parking placard may be obtained at any Secretary of State branch office.  A disability parking placard application is completed by the applicant and a physician, chiropractor, optometrist, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner.  Branch offices cannot accept photocopies of completed applications.  Blank application forms may be photocopied.  There is no fee for an original placard.

Permanent placards may be renewed up to 45 days before the placard's expiration date, or up to six months early if the disabled applicant will be out-of-state during the 45 days or has other good cause to renew early.  There is no renewal fee.  A physician's statement is not required for renewals.

There is a $10 fee to replace a lost parking placard. Identification will need to be presented by the applicant at the time the placard is replaced. There is no fee to change a driver license number or I.D. card number on a placard due to a name change.

Permanent disability placards do not provide free parking unless a yellow free parking sticker has been affixed to the placard.  To qualify for a free parking sticker, you must have a valid Michigan driver's license and be unable to do one or more of the following:

• Insert coins or tokens in a parking meter or unable to accept a ticket from a parking lot machine due to a lack of fine motor control of both hands.
• Reach above your head to a height of 42 inches from the ground, due to lack of finger, hand, or upper extremity strength or mobility.
• Approach a parking meter due to the use of a wheelchair or other ambulatory device.
• Walk more than 20 feet due to an orthopedic, cardiovascular, or lung condition in which the degree of debilitation is so severe that it almost completely impedes your ability to walk.

Your medical professional (see above list) must certify in part 3 of the application that you meet the requirements for free parking.