Victorian Disability Parking Permit Scheme update

From mid 2020, the Disability Parking Permit Scheme is changing to the Accessibility Parking Permit Scheme. This new statewide scheme will centralise and digitise the system, making the application and renewal process easier to use, simpler to understand and fairer for all.

The Victorian Government has invested $6.8 million to improve, centralise and digitise the current Victorian scheme aligning it with the Australian Disability Parking Scheme and needs of the community.

The purpose of the statewide Accessibility Parking Permit Scheme is to provide people who have significant mobility impairments with improved opportunity to access facilities and services throughout the state. 

Current permit holders should continue to use existing permits as normal, both in Victoria and when travelling interstate until advised otherwise.

The scheme is being updated

The old Disability Parking Permit Scheme in Victoria was last updated in 1995 and does not align with the Council of Australian Government (COAG) 2010 Australian Disability Permit Scheme (ADPS).

The scheme is administered by each of the 79 Victorian councils who have individual interpretations of the scheme and administration processes. That leads to confusion within the community as well as the potential for inequitable outcomes for applicants and opportunity for the misuse of permits.

The updated scheme will continue to be administered by the 79 Victorian councils, but the process for applying for and renewing permits will be streamlined.

The new scheme will align with the national scheme

The ADPS provides common high-level criteria as well as a standard, highly secure permit design.  The new Victorian scheme has adopted the principles of the ADPS, which will align our scheme with the other states and territories, while still having a range of elements that are specific to Victoria. 

For example, certain permit holders in Victoria can park for double the permissible time in an ordinary parking bay and permits are available to individuals with significant intellectual disabilities, which is not the case in other states and territories.

We are making important changes

The Accessibility Parking Permit Scheme aims to streamline the permit application and renewal processes, clarify eligibility requirements and introduce systems and tools to improve management of permits at a state level.

Changes being made include:

• Permit holders who have been medically assessed as having an agreed permanent disability will no longer have to return to their doctor for reassessment as part of the permit renewal process.
• The permit duration will be increased from 3 years to 5 years for individuals (with non-temporary permits).
• The permit application and renewal processes will be streamlined with applications to be submitted through a new statewide digitised system.
• Permits will adhere to a standard, highly secure permit design rather than the 79 variations which currently exist.
• The name of the scheme will be changed from ‘Disability Parking Permit Scheme’ to ‘Accessibility Parking Permit Scheme’.

The following features that are specific to the Victorian Disability Parking Permit scheme will be retained:

• Green Permits/Category 2 Permits will continue to allow a permit holder to park for twice the permissible time in an ordinary parking bay.
• Those with significant intellectual disabilities are eligible for a permit.

There are many benefits

The intention of the review was to clarify the eligibility criteria to assist in ensuring that permit applications are assessed consistently and introduce a secure and recognisable parking permit.

Centralisation and digitisation of the scheme will reduce the subjectivity of the medical assessment and enable greater ability to enforce the scheme.

Community members and stakeholders will experience an easier, more efficient, streamlined application process and misuse of permits will be reduced, freeing up parking bays for the people who really need them.

The new scheme will commence soon

The new Accessibility Parking Permit Scheme and online system is scheduled to be progressively rolled out across Victorian councils commencing in late 2019. 

Project communication

Sign up to keep informed on project updates as we shape the future of the scheme.

You can also contact the project team at [email protected]