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I have a friend in New Zealand who is planning a crosscountry US drive, but is having trouble finding much info about obtaining a handicap placard. I know nothing about travel myself. I don't even know what would be required for a non-US tourist to drive from state to state, let alone with handicap plates/placard.
You can drive state to state without restriction once you are in the US.
In the US the placards are issued by our DMV's, there are different criteria for eachs tate, but all of them require a form filled out by a licensed physician, so I'm not sure that will work for you. If you have one in NZ, I'd bring it along.
If your first stop is California, CA lets you go to the DMV website and get a form the NZ doctor can complete and send back. A temporary permit will be assigned that you can pick it up at any of the CA DMV offices with the receipt CA sends back. That permit is good anywhere in the US. Many states will honor a foreign disable placard, but they are not required to and some parking monitors may issue a ticket anyway. A permit issued from one state must be honored by another state so try and see if you can get a temporary visitor handicap placard when they arrive.
Just to clarify, a handicap placard issued in one US state is good in any of them?
And do non-us citizens need anything besides their drivers license from their country of origin to drive in the USA?
I took my Australian Driver's Licence to the RACV and paid $35 for an International Driver's Licence which is valid for 12 months and must be presented WITH your driver's licence if you're pulled over or whenever driver's licence is requested.
As the RACV is also affiliated with AAA (the American version of the RACV) I also found on their websites information about getting disabled parking permits for travelling in the US.
NZ will have a automobile club, yes? I'm not sure what they're called. That would be where I would look for this information and the AAA website.
I use my European Disbled Parking Permit in the US every time I visit but just to make sure I always email each State I will visit to confirm that it is valid in that particular state. And print the emails so I have proof if any parking attendents ever dispute my right to park there.
I have had so far no trouble at all apart from many, many American people cursing at me and screaming for me using a disabled parking space as they expect it to be on the license plate and dangling from the mirror. Which mine isn't. It is a laminated card which is placed on the dashboard. Many people with egg on their faces when they realise that I am indeed disabled....
Just to clarify, a handicap placard issued in one US state is good in any of them?
And do non-us citizens need anything besides their drivers license from their country of origin to drive in the USA?
US regulation says that a disable parking permit issued in one State is valid in all US states. All foreign disable permits are also vailid in the US. That does no mean you may not get a ticket. They may not see the permit or if they cant tell its an official permit your a foreigh country, they may write the ticket. All you do is send back the ticket with a copy of the permit.
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