Qualifying Medical Criteria

The medical criteria laid down for issue of the EU Disabled Persons Parking Permit are strict and only persons whose mobility is severely and permanently restricted qualify. These criteria were revised and clarified in the Department of Transport’s Review of the Disabled Parking Scheme 2010. The primary legislation for the purposes of the Disabled Persons Parking Permit defines a disabled person as: “a person with a permanent condition or disability that severely restricts their ability to walk”

Primary Medical Certificate holders are considered to  qualify having already met the criteria and are only required to submit a copy of their certificate with their application form.  Similarly, those who are visually impaired are only required to submit confirmation that they are registered blind with their application form.

For all other applicants, a  medical practitioner must complete the medical section of the application, describing the applicants  level of mobility and certifying the accuracy of same. Under the changes following the Departmental Review, fully applied from June 1st 2011, the focus of the medical criteria is not on the particular medical condition that pertains to an applicant but on the degree to which their ability to walk is limited. As a general guideline, the permit is aimed at persons who can only walk very short distances without assistance. Specific measures for the degree of impairment of lung capacity and the severity level of heart conditions which apply are given in the newly published Guidelines for Medical Practitioners.

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