N.Y. Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1203-a: Parking permits for handicapped persons

§ 1203-a. Parking permits for handicapped persons. 1. The commissioner

shall distribute special vehicle identification parking permits to the

governing bodies of all cities, towns and villages in the state.

Notwithstanding any local law or ordinance to the contrary, such permits

shall entitle any vehicle displaying such permit to park in any area in

any city, town or village of the state which has been designated by such

city, town or village or pursuant to the provisions of section twelve

hundred three-c of this article as a place for parking for persons with

disabilities. The design, period of validity, and procedures for

reissuance of such permits shall be as determined by the commissioner. A

city, town or village issuing a permit pursuant to this subdivision or

subdivision three of this section shall indelibly inscribe or otherwise

mark, on the face of such permit, the last three digits of the

identification number of the driver's license or non-driver

identification card of the person to whom the permit is issued. The

governing bodies of cities, towns and villages in the state shall

appoint an issuing agent to issue such permits. Any person issued a

permit pursuant to this section who holds a driver's license or

non-driver identification card shall make the last three digits of such

license or identification card available to an issuing agent at the time

of permit issuance or renewal by presenting such license or

identification card to such issuing agent. Any person issued a permit

pursuant to this section who holds a driver's license or non-driver

identification card shall carry and make available to a law enforcement

officer upon demand, or as soon as practicable thereafter, his or her

driver's license or non-driver identification card which shall be

presumptive evidence of the validity of his or her special vehicle

identification parking permit. Failure to make available such driver's

license or non-driver identification card upon demand shall not be

deemed a violation. The permits shall be issued to:

(i) any resident of New York state who is a severely disabled person,

as defined in subdivision four of section four hundred four-a of this

chapter, upon application of such person or such person's parent or

guardian, provided, however, that an issuing agent shall issue permits

only to residents of the city, town or village in which such issuing

agent is located, except that, an issuing agent, in their discretion,

may issue a permit to a severely disabled person who is not a resident

of the city, town, or village in which such issuing agent is located

where such person resides in a city, town, or village in which the

governing body has not appointed an issuing agent; and an issuing agent,

in their discretion, may issue a temporary special vehicle

identification parking permit, as authorized by subdivision three of

this section, to a person who is temporarily unable to ambulate without

the aid of an assisting device, as certified by any healthcare

practitioner authorized to certify that an individual is severely

disabled pursuant to subdivision four of section four hundred four-a of

this chapter, who resides in a city, town, or village in which the

issuing agent does not issue temporary special vehicle identification

parking permits, or who is not a resident of the United States and is

temporarily visiting the state; or

(ii) any state facility, or agency licensed by the state of New York

or any of its political subdivisions, that operates a motor vehicle for

purposes of transporting handicapped persons, upon the application of

such a facility or agency.

For the purposes of paragraph (i) of this subdivision, such permit

shall be for use exclusively in a vehicle in which the person to whom it

has been issued is being transported and such permit shall not be

transferable and shall be forfeited if presented by any other person.

Any abuse by any person, facility or agency to whom such permit has been

issued of any privilege, benefit, precedence or consideration granted

pursuant to the issuance of such permit, shall be sufficient cause for

revocation of said permit.

1-a. Any resident of New York state who is a severely disabled person,

as defined in subdivision four of section four hundred four-a of this

chapter, shall not be required to provide an updated medical

certification or additional medical documents upon application for

renewal of a permit issued pursuant to this section. For the purposes of

this subdivision, the term "permit" shall not include a temporary

special vehicle identification parking permit issued pursuant to this

section to a person who is temporarily unable to ambulate without the

aid of an assisting device.

2. The special vehicle identification parking permit issued by the

commissioner shall be recognized statewide and, except for a permit

issued pursuant to and used subject to the limitations of subdivision

three of this section is the only valid permit for the purpose of

preserving parking spaces for the handicapped.

3. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, any

municipality may issue a temporary special vehicle identification

parking permit to any person who is temporarily unable to ambulate

without the aid of an assisting device, as certified by any healthcare

practitioner authorized to certify that an individual is severely

disabled pursuant to subdivision four of section four hundred four-a of

this chapter. Such temporary special vehicle identification parking

permit shall be valid for not more than six months and shall be

recognized statewide.

4. A person who knowingly and wilfully with the intent to deceive

makes a false statement or gives information which such individual knows

to be false to a public official to obtain a parking permit for

handicapped persons or to prevent the marking on such permit of the last

three digits of a driver's license or non-driver identification card

held by such person, in addition to any other penalty provided by law,

shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than two hundred fifty

dollars nor more than one thousand dollars.