The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that gives people with disabilities the right to access public programs and public accommodations. Having accessible parking spaces, and the ability to reserve those spaces for people with disabilities, is vital for access. State and local laws, regulations, and codes dictate the requirements for accessible parking spaces.
The ADA Standards for Accessible Design (ADAAG) sets standards for accessible parking, which are in turn incorporated into state and local building codes. Accessible parking spaces must generally be provided in all parking areas open to the public and located on the shortest access route from the parking area to the facility entrance. The following information comes primarily from the ADAAG, but it's important to check the building codes applicable in your locality to make sure that there are no additional requirements.
To report the use of expired placards or the suspected misuse or alteration of placards or plates, a person should call the Virginia State DMV at 804-367-6602, TTY 800-272-9268.
To report parking violations, i.e., vehicles parked in an accessible parking space without a valid disabled placard or plate, a person should call the local police non-emergency number in the jurisdiction in which the violation happened (see list below). When calling, have a description of the vehicle (make, model and color), license plate number, location, date, and time.
- Fairfax County: Voice/TTY 703-691-2131
- City of Fairfax: 703-385-7960, TTY 703-359-2480
- City of Falls Church: 703-241-5053, TTY 703-532-4489
- Town of Herndon Police Department: Voice/TTY 703-435-6846
- Town of Vienna Police Department: 703-255-6366
With some exceptions, a housing provider is required to provide an assigned accessible parking space as a reasonable accommodation to the tenant’s disability. A reasonable accommodation is a change or modification to existing rules, processes, or procedures to allow a person with a disability equal use and enjoyment of the property. A reasonable accommodation request can be made verbally or in writing, although the latter is always recommended. A valid accommodation request must establish a nexus between the person’s disability and the need for the accommodation. In this instance, the person seeking the accessible parking spot would need to establish that, but for her disability, she would not require an assigned accessible parking space. Along with the request, the housing provider may ask that the resident provide documentation or justification, such as a letter from a doctor or a copy of a valid disabled parking placard. If a request which is otherwise valid and reasonable is rejected, then the person with a disability may seek recourse with offices having authority to enforce fair housing laws:
- Disability Rights Office of the US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Housing Office at 800-669-9777, TTY 800-927-9275
- Fairfax County Human Rights Commission at 703-324-2953, TTY 703-324-2900