Accessible Parking Permits

Accessible parking permits are issued to the individual with the disability, the permit privileges are not transferable. The permit is not valid when displayed on a vehicle and the vehicle is not being used to pick up, drop off or transport the holder of the permit named therein. Persons who use an accessible parking permit in the absence of the named holder, may be charged under the Highway Traffic Act.

A current valid permit must be displayed and clearly visible on the vehicle’s sun visor or front dash.

Accessible parking permits shall not be altered or defaced in any way. Photocopied or reproduced copies (by any means) are not valid. Persons using copied, altered or fraudulently obtained permits may be charged under the Highway Traffic Act.

Committing any of the above offences may result in your vehicle being tagged and or towed.

A permit holder or driver (operating a vehicle for the purpose of transporting an accessible permit holder) who displays a valid accessible parking permit is entitled to the following exemptions:

  • Signed prohibited parking areas (this includes time restricted areas only between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) No exemptions exist during the rush hour periods between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Further non-exemptions apply, please see below.
  • Signed on-street permit parking areas. Vehicles displaying a valid parking permit are permitted to park without a designated on-street parking permit
  • Signed parking limits such as one hour and two hour maximums; holders are allowed to exceed the signed maximum parking limit
  • Unsigned maximum three-hour parking limit in effect on all city streets
  • Holders may park at on-street parking meters or pay and display machines without putting a coin in the meter/machine during the hours of legal operation. Note: Exemption does not apply to off-street parking meters/machines (ie. on private property or in Green P parking lots).

Please note: In all of the above situations where parking is permitted, it is permitted for a period not to exceed a maximum of 24 hours.

Vehicles displaying accessible permits are not exempt from the following general, unsigned prohibitions:

  • No Parking/No Stopping/No Standing areas in designated emergency or snow routes
  • No parking within 60 cm of a driveway
  • No stopping/parking on a bridge
  • No parking within 3 m of a fire hydrant
  • No parking within 9 m (where signs not required) or 15 m (where signs required) of an intersection
  • No parking in a designated fire route
  • No parking within a stand designated for taxicabs
  • No parking at a place marked by an authorized sign as a passenger or freight loading zone during the time shown on the sign
  • No parking in a position as will prevent the removal of any other vehicle previously parked
  • No parking on private/municipal property. If parked in a designated accessible location must pay a fee if one is required on that property also must display a valid accessible permit. If vehicle is parked in a regular parking spot (non-accessible), the permit holder must ensure that they follow the same rules as other users of the property
  • No overnight parking between the hours of 2:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m., from December 1 to March 31 in the former area of North York only

Vehicles displaying accessible permits are not exempt from the following site specific prohibitions, where parking regulation signs have been installed:

  • Parking in designated No Standing and No Stopping areas.
  • No parking in a public lane or a designated bike lane or cycle track
  • No parking within 15 m of an intersection.
  • No parking within 30.5 m of an intersection controlled by a traffic control signal.
  • No parking in front of an entrance to or exit from any building or enclosed space in which persons may be expected to congregate in large numbers
  • No parking within 7.5 m of any fire hall on the side of the highway on which the fire hall is located or within 30.5 m of the fire hall on the opposite side of the highway.
  • No parking within a turning basin.
  • No parking so as to interfere with the formation of a funeral procession.
  • No parking within 15 m of the termination of a dead-end street.
  • No parking within a “T”-type intersection.
  • No parking within the following distances of a crosswalk controlled by traffic control signals and located other than at an intersection:
    • 15 m of the crosswalk measured on each side of the highway in the direction of travel of vehicles on that side of the highway
    • 30.5 m of the crosswalk measured on each side of the highway in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of vehicles on that side of the highway
  • No parking or standing within a designated car-share vehicle parking area or car-share vehicle parking space, unless the vehicle is a car-share vehicle with a valid car-share parking permit for that car-share vehicle parking area.
  • No parking in locations designated as Motorcycle Parking Zones (April 1 to October 31 inclusive).

Please note: Despite any other provisions, no person shall park a vehicle on a highway in such a manner as to interfere with the movement of traffic or any location where it would create an impediment or obvious hazard.

For more information on Accessible parking permits, please refer to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and the Revised Regulations of Ontario 1990, Reg. 581.