{"id":6537,"date":"2014-09-02T04:28:57","date_gmt":"2014-09-02T08:28:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myparkingsign.com\/blog\/?page_id=6537"},"modified":"2025-11-19T07:48:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T12:48:32","slug":"accessible-parking-faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.myparkingsign.com/blog\/accessible-parking-faq\/","title":{"rendered":"Accessible parking: Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"
We get a lot of questions about accessible parking. We’ve assembled the ones we get most often, and consulted with experts to get answers.<\/b><\/div>\n
If you’re wondering what federal law says about how your landlord is handling your parking, or how many spots you need for a new building, or any of dozens of other questions, our FAQ should help.<\/b><\/div>\n
Please note that this FAQ does\u00a0not constitute legal advice or guidance and we will not be held responsible if your facility\u00a0is held out of compliance. The best source of information will always be your state\u2019s\u00a0regulatory authorities<\/div>\n
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\"Accessible<\/a><\/div>\n
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Commercial\/retail parking<\/h3>\n
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Can a handicapped parking space be \u201cSundays Only,\u201d or does it have to be permanently reserved for people with disabilities?<\/h3>\n
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Accessible spots must be permanently reserved, but there are other ways of reserving specific spaces for certain use. \u201cIt is legal for a business to have a \u2018reserved\u2019 spot for an employee or for certain types of customers. For example, some restaurants have signage \u2018reserving\u2019 parking spaces for older customers, and the hardware stores have signs for spaces for members of the military or for veterans,\u201d explains John Dineen.<\/p>\n

Enforcing the signs, however, is another problem. \u201cWhile I don\u2019t believe that either type of space would be enforced by the city police, since these categories of shoppers are not protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act or other laws, these signs have some effectiveness,\u201d Dineen says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a similar manner, a business could create a parking space (or spaces) in their parking lot reserved on Sunday for an individual or customers that follow accessible parking size requirements,\u201d he continues. \u201cI\u2019d recommend against the space being reserved with a sign specifically for \u2018People with Disabilities\u2019 (without the official accessible parking striping and signage), since that would be confusing both to shoppers and to the police who might enforce parking laws. Perhaps a sign indicating that the space is restricted on Sunday for, say, older customers would create the desired effect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: John Dineen, Training and Information Specialist, Northwest ADA Center.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

I was traveling out-of-state and I put my valid handicapped placard in my rental car, but I still got a ticket. Why don\u2019t some other states recognize my placard? Which ones do?<\/h3>\n
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Most areas do offer reciprocity, but not all. Next time you travel, check with your state\u2019s DMV and the DMV of the state you\u2019ll be visiting to determine whether you\u2019ll need additional identification.<\/p>\n

One example: New York City doesn’t recognize New Jersey placards\/plates. New Jersey, however, recognizes vehicles with special license plates, placards or parking permits issued by any other region in the U.S. or Canada.<\/p>\n

Even if another state recognizes your placard or plates, you aren\u2019t guaranteed free metered, lot, or any other type of parking, which may be why you received the ticket. Fines and fees for parking illegally, not paying a meter, or using improper or lacking identification all vary by jurisdiction.<\/p>\n

Source: DMV<\/a>
\nNew Jersey Guide to Accessible Parking<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Can I sue property owners who don’t provide disabled parking spaces?<\/h3>\n
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Possibly, depending on the type of property in question and where it is located.<\/p>\n

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) necessitates that certain \u201cfacilities\u201d that are open to the public address the needs of all customers; that includes accessible parking. Those facilities include but are not limited to: restaurants, hotels, motels, theaters, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks, schools, apartment complexes and daycare centers.<\/p>\n

Generally, people seeking to sue have a few choices, depending on the nature and location of their case. Possible remedies include:<\/p>\n