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Reasons for Handicap Stickers

Many people are familiar with handicap parking stickers: the white, wheelchair stick figure inside of a blue rectangle. While drivers in possession of a handicap sticker have the privilege of parking closer to the door of an establishment, the reasons for obtaining a handicap sticker are not at all pleasant. Though laws vary from state to state, the are several common qualifications for handicap stickers.

  1. Blindness

    • Most states offer handicap stickers for those suffering from either full or partial blindness. Partial blindness means that a person has limited vision, while complete blindness means a person cannot see at all and cannot see light. Most states consider a person with vision worse than 20/200 legally blind.

    Walking Difficulties

    • Those who are unable to walk may qualify for a handicap sticker if they cannot walk without the assistance of a device (e.g., cane, crutch, another person, brace, etc.), cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest, has difficulty walking due to a neurological, orthopedic or arthritic condition or has limited or no use of one or both legs.

    Difficulty Breathing

    • Some lung diseases are considered a qualification for obtaining a handicap sticker. For example, according to the Connecticut DMV's website, a lung condition qualifies when a person's forced (respiratory) expiratory volume for one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than one liter, or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60 millimeters of mercury on room air at rest. Anyone requiring the use of portable oxygen may also qualify.

    Cardiac Conditions

    • A person with a level III or IV cardiac condition, according to the American Heart Association, qualifies for a handicap sticker.

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