If you have a disability, you could qualify for a parking permit from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec. The permit allows you to use reserved parking spaces, regardless whether you are the driver of the vehicle or a passenger.
A person may apply for a disabled parking permit if a disability prevents him or her to move about independently or without risk to his or her health or safety. The permit allows the holder to use parking spaces reserved for handicapped persons, whether he or she is the driver of the vehicle or a passenger.
The Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec will issue the disabled person
- A disabled parking permit that must be displayed by hanging it from the rear-view mirror inside the vehicle;
- A certificate, which must be carried by the permit holder whenever he or she is using the permit
The permit may be used in any vehicle, but only for the needs of the disabled person. It may not be loaned or transferred. A permit holder who does not respect the conditions for use is subject to a fine.
Note
Drivers are allowed to stop their vehicles, with or without a permit, in a zone where stopping is normally prohibited to allow a person with a disability to get into or out of a vehicle, as long as this can be done safely.
Renewal
The holder of a disabled parking permit must renew if before it expires. Persons with a permanent disability will receive a notice of renewal from the Société approximately 2 months before the date of expiry of the permit. However, if the person have a temporary disability, he or she must apply to a new disabled parking permit.
Cancellation
The permit and the certificate must be returned to the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec as soon as they are no longer required by the holder (for example, if the disability is temporary) or the holder no longer meets the conditions for obtaining a permit.
The Société has issued disabled parking permits since 1998.
