Parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities are provided as a courtesy to individuals whose significant physical impairments require their use. By being located close to accessible entrances and ramps, they help enhance the life of disabled persons who need these parking spaces to accomplish necessary everyday tasks. Even if it is only for a few seconds, illegitimately parking in designated areas shows disrespect for physically impaired persons.

It's the law in New Brunswick - The New Brunswick Motor Vehicle Act prohibits the use of parking spaces reserved for persons with mobility impairments unless the appropriate identification is displayed inside or on the vehicle. Violations could lead to fines of $168 and two demerit points deducted from the offender's driver's license.

To insure a greater level of enforcement, the Motor Vehicle Act empowers local authorities to establish and regulate the use of areas reserved for disabled persons parking. If the appropriate by-laws have been enacted by the municipality, local/regional police forces and by-law enforcement officers can issue tickets to offenders entailing maximum fines of $125 for vehicles illegally parked in areas reserved for physically impaired persons. The Act further empowers local authorities to establish such regulations for any public or private parking area within the boundary of the municipality.

The Placard System - Blue placards displaying the international symbol of access are available for the transport of any physically disabled person whose physical impairment results in the inability to travel unassisted more than fifty (50) metres without the use of:

(a) wheelchair
(b) walker
(c) crutch(es)
(d) lower limb prosthetic, orthotic or other assistive device
(e) severe respiratory and/or cardiac conditions which results in severe shortness of breath and/or pain after minimal physical activity.

Eligibility of a disabled applicant, when not visibly apparent, must be certified by a medical practitioner.

The placard, when hung from the rear-view mirror of a parked vehicle, is easily noticed by enforcement officers. It gives disabled persons some degree of flexibility as it can be used in different vehicles, provided the person for whom it was issued is a passenger in the vehicle in question. The placard must be removed from the rear view mirror position when the vehicle is in motion.

Placards are available at any Service New Brunswick Center or Provincial Revenue Office. Applicants will be required to demonstrate their impairment in person or present a form completed by a licensed physician, occupational therapist or physiotherapist before being issued a placard. Applications can also be forwarded by mail to Motor Vehicle Branch, Department of Public Safety, Fredericton, N.B. if they are accompanied by the appropriate form. Disabled placards may be issued for a period of up to a maximum of five years..

Important Points for Placard Users

Placards must be hung from the interior rear-view mirror, when the vehicle is parked, so as to be visible from the outside. When the vehicle is in operation the parking placard is to be removed from the mirror.

The disabled individual, for whom the placard was issued, must be getting out of the vehicle, at that stop, or the reserved parking space may not be used.

Placards are not transferable and may not be loaned to anyone else, for any reason.

All identification permits and placards are issued at no charge.

Placards are available to a disabled person or to individuals, companies and organizations that provide transportation services to a disabled person on a regular basis.

Specifications of Reserved Parking Spaces*

You may have noticed that reserved spaces tend to be larger than the average parking space. People who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids require the additional space to be able to freely exit or enter their vehicles. Ample room must be available to position a wheelchair beside the car while the person transfers from one to the other.

Dimensions: For car parking spaces, the minimum width should be 2400 mm plus a 1500 mm wide adjacent access aisle. Where paved, the access aisle should be clearly marked. In the case of vans, an even larger space shall be a minimum of 4600 mm wide. For parallel parking, spaces shall be at least 2600 mm wide by 7400 mm long.

Signs: Accessible parking spaces shall be designated as reserved for use by persons with disabilities by a vertical traffic control sign and the international symbol of access painted on the pavement of the parking space.

Vertical signs shall be 300 x 450 mm and installed at a height between 1500 and 2500 mm from the ground. The symbol of access should be at least 1000 mm long and be located in the center of the parking space. The color of the symbol should strongly contrast with the background pavement. Although it is not a standard, most municipalities have adopted blue as the choice for reserved parking spaces.

Reference: Barrier-Free Design (CAN/CSA-B691-95)

And Please Remember...

Physically disabled persons require parking spaces located close to accessible entrances and ramps;

Only vehicles identified by a parking placard are permitted in designated spaces;
Placards are to be used only by the person they were issued to.
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For further information, please contact:

The Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons
440 King St., Suite 648
Fredericton, NB
E3B 5H8
(506) 444-3000

The Canadian Paraplegic Association (NB) Inc.
440 Wilsey Rd., Suite 102
Fredericton, NB
E3B 7G5
(506) 462-9555