Certifying mobility parking scheme applications

Role of doctors and other medical professionals

When a person applies for a Mobility Parking Scheme permit they must see a registered medical doctor or specialist to determine if they are eligible for the permit. 

You need to ensure the permit is only issued to eligible people with a disability. Carers can also apply on behalf of someone in their care.

As a registered medical practitioner, your role is to:

• certify the eligibility of the person with a disability on their permit application
• provide an assessment for fitness to drive if they’re a NSW licence holder.

You may also write a supporting letter for a photo exemption if there’s a valid reason.

Certifying eligibility for a parking permit

First, you need to determine if the applicant is eligible for a permit. That means they must have a disability affecting their mobility or a significant visual impairment.

This must be a disability affecting mobility or a significant visual impairment.

This includes checking if the applicant:

• is detrimentally affected as a result of walking 100m
• can't walk due to permanent or temporary loss of use of one or both legs
• can't walk due to another permanent medical or physical condition
• needs to use crutches, a walking frame, callipers, scooter, wheelchair or similar mobility aid
• is permanently blind, as defined by:
  • visual acuity on the Snellen Scale after correction by suitable lenses, must be less than 6/60 in both eyes, or
  • constriction to within 10 degrees of fixation in the better eye irrespective of corrected visual acuity, or
  • a combination of visual defects in the same degree of visual impairment as that occurring in points 1 or 2.

Behavioural, mental health or social issues alone do not meet eligibility. Applicants that have an intellectual, psychiatric or cognitive impairment must meet at least one of the eligibility criteria above. Where an applicant does not meet any of the eligibility criteria, you should not complete the medical certificate.

Is a medical certificate required?

A new certificate is not required when renewing a permit if we have already recorded a person's permanent disability, also known as a clinically recognised disability.

This includes neurodegenerative disorders, paraplegia and cerebral palsy.

A medical certificate is required if:

• this is a person's first application
• a person is reapplying for an individual permit and it’s 6 months since their last certification
• a person is reapplying for a temporary permit and it’s 3 months since their last certification.

Submitting applications

Where an applicant meets one or more of the eligibility criteria:

• complete the medical certificate section of the permit application form
• check below if you need to complete the Fitness to Drive Medical Assessment
• add your provider number and sign it
• Signatures on application forms must be original (‘wet’ – i.e. signed with a pen and ink). Electronic (‘digital’) signatures including emailed, faxed, stamped,scanned or photocopied signatures are not permitted.
• remind the applicant to submit the form, along with proof of identity, to a service centre or online. 

When to assess fitness to drive

In addition to certifying eligibility for disability parking, you should also check if the applicant needs a Fitness to Drive assessment.

For individual permits

A Fitness to Drive assessment needs to be completed if the customer holds a driver or rider licence, and one of the following applies:

• This is their first application and they are not already under medical review by Transport for NSW
  This does not apply for temporary permit applications.
• They are renewing their permit, are not already under medical review by Transport for NSW and a medical assessment has not been completed in the last 6 months.
  This does not apply for an existing Clinically Recognisable Disability.
• They are declaring a new condition.

For temporary permits

A Fitness to Drive assessment only needs to be completed if a temporary  permit is held for more than 6 consecutive months.

Determining if Fitness To Drive is needed

This flowchart can help determine if a Fitness to Drive medical assessment is required:

View a larger pdf version of this Mobility Parking Scheme Fitness to Drive flowchart.

Completing a Fitness to Drive assessment

There is a new application form. This application form does not contain the medical assessment questions which used to be completed at Section 3 ‘Medical Report’. 

This does not mean a Fitness to Drive medical assessment doesn’t need to be completed. There have been no changes to the Fitness to Drive requirements. Instead, customers who apply for a permit, will need to submit the same Fitness to Drive medical assessment as everyone else.

You will still need to complete section 3 of the new application form, ticking the appropriate box to indicate:

• A medical assessment is not required; or
• A medical assessment is required and has been completed:
  • Online via Healthlink, or
  • Via a paper Fitness to Drive medical assessment.

If you don’t have access to Healthlink and the patient presents a new application form, and a medical assessment needs to be completed, ask them to return with a paper Fitness to Drive medical assessment.

If you aren’t registered with HealthLink, contact them via their website to register.

Important: There are old applications still in circulation. If a customer presents an old application form, please complete the form as usual – it will be accepted at service centres. 

A Fitness To Drive medical assessment must be completed in line with Assessing Fitness to Drive for the class of licence held. If you can’t determine medical fitness, refer the applicant to a specialist.

If you completed the paper version of the Fitness to Drive Medical Assessment, give it to the applicant. They need to submit it to a service centre.

For more information see Assessing Fitness to Drive (for medical professionals).
 

Providing a photo exemption letter for the permit

You can provide the applicant a photo exemption letter if required for their Mobility Parking Scheme permit. Examples include where the applicant has:

• Has a significant facial disfigurement, or
• Cannot meet standard photo requirements of full-frontal face image due to inadequate muscular control, or
  •    Is mostly bedridden because of advanced age or terminal illness, or
• Has a severe disability that prevents them from attending a service centre without significant inconvenience and/or embarrassment, or
• Has their mobility severely restricted by medical equipment.

In your letter, clearly state why the applicant needs to be exempt from providing a photo for their mobility parking permit application.

Give the applicant the letter to submit to Transport for NSW, along with their other required documentation.