# Is Handicapped Parking Free in California?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-handicapped-parking-free-in-california/652598>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 11, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-handicapped-parking-free-in-california/652598 "2013-03-11T02:09:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-handicapped-parking-free-in-california/652598/1 "2013-03-11T02:09:59Z")

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I Googled, and found others have asked the same question. I found a debate about it on [snopes.com](http://snopes.com). The CA DMV doesn’t say so. But a friend was outraged when a hotel parking lot charged him to park, even though he has handicapped license plates.

I thought handicapped parking places were intended for convenience – they’re close to entrances – but that there isn’t any additional burden on facility operators to make such parking free of charge. What’s the skinny?

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-handicapped-parking-free-in-california/652598/2 "2013-03-11T02:14:12Z")

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Public parking is free or time limits can be ignored. Hotel parking is private.

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**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-handicapped-parking-free-in-california/652598/3 "2013-03-11T02:44:54Z")

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It depends. Some city garages will not charge some will. Private can charge if they want. If there is a parking meter you donot have to feed it and most parking control officers will not worry about the time limit.

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**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-handicapped-parking-free-in-california/652598/4 "2013-03-11T02:58:23Z")

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It’s free if they park at a meter. Occasionally, the local news stations will do a report on able-bodied people abusing this and other disabled parking.

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**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-handicapped-parking-free-in-california/652598/5 "2013-03-11T06:11:28Z")

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The City of Sacramento is pretty succinct about it: [http://www.cityofsacramento.org/transportation/parking/onstreetplacard.html](http://www.cityofsacramento.org/transportation/parking/onstreetplacard.html)

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**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2013, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-handicapped-parking-free-in-california/652598/6 "2013-03-11T06:52:10Z")

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Thank’ee, everyone, especially **IAmNotSpartacus** , for the answers and for the link. I’m betting that Sacramento’s rules are pretty much the same here in San Diego. Mil milion gracias!