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HomeVehicle CodeDiv. 3Ch. 1Art. 4§ 4461 Disabled Parking Placard Use

§ 4461 Disabled Parking Placard Use

Vehicle Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 4461 Disabled Parking Placard Use

Key Takeaways

  • •You can't lend your car papers (like registration or license plates) to someone who isn't allowed to use them.
  • •If you have a disabled parking placard, you can only let someone else use it if you're nearby and they're helping you (like driving you somewhere).
  • •Using someone else's disabled placard or parking in a disabled spot without them is against the law and can cost you $250 to $1,000 or even jail time.
  • •Even if your car has a disabled license plate, you can't park in disabled spots unless you're actually transporting a disabled person.

Example

Your friend asks to borrow your disabled parking placard because they want to park close to the store.

You can't lend them the placard unless you're with them or nearby. If they use it alone, they could get a big fine or even go to jail.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 4461 Disabled Parking Placard Use

(a) A person shall not lend a certificate of ownership, registration card, license plate, special plate, validation tab, or permit issued to him or her if the person desiring to borrow it would not be entitled to its use, and a person shall not knowingly permit its use by one not entitled to it. (b) A person to whom a disabled person placard has been issued shall not lend the placard to another person, and a disabled person shall not knowingly permit the use for parking purposes of the placard or identification license plate issued pursuant to Section 5007 by one not entitled to it. A person to whom a disabled person placard has been issued may permit another person to use the placard only while in the presence or reasonable proximity of the disabled person for the purpose of transporting the disabled person. A violation of this subdivision is subject to the issuance of a notice of parking violation imposing a civil penalty of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for which enforcement shall be governed by the procedures set forth in Article 3 (commencing with Section 40200) of Chapter 1 of Division 17 or is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months, or both that fine and imprisonment. (c) Except for the purpose of transporting a disabled person as specified in subdivision (b), a person shall not display a disabled person placard that was not issued to him or her or that has been canceled or revoked pursuant to Section 22511.6. A violation of this subdivision is subject to the issuance of a notice of parking violation imposing a civil penalty of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for which enforcement shall be governed by the procedures set forth in Article 3 (commencing with Section 40200) of Chapter 1 of Division 17 or is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months, or both that fine and imprisonment. (d) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), a person using a vehicle displaying a special identification license plate issued to another pursuant to Section 5007 shall not park in those parking stalls or spaces designated for disabled persons pursuant to Section 22511.7 or 22511.8, unless transporting a disabled person. A violation of this subdivision is subject to the issuance of a notice of parking violation imposing a civil penalty of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), for which enforcement shall be governed by the procedures set forth in Article 3 (commencing with Section 40200) of Chapter 1 of Division 17 or is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months, or both that fine and imprisonment. (e)For the purposes of subdivisions (b) and (c), “disabled person placard” means a placard issued pursuant to Section 22511.55 or 22511.59. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 415, Sec. 2. (AB 144) Effective January 1, 2010.)

Last verified: January 21, 2026

Key Terms

certificate of ownershipregistration cardlicense platespecial platevalidation tabpermitdisabled person placard

Related Statutes

  • § 4450 Vehicle Ownership Registration
  • § 4451 Certificate Of Ownership Contents
  • § 4457 Replacing Lost Vehicle Registration
  • § 4460 Vehicle Document Seizure Authority
  • § 4462 Vehicle Registration Display Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Vehicle Code. Section 4461.
View Official Source