Several months ago, reader Mike G. reached out to us and said: “An article on handicapped-accessible parking regulations would be informative. The rules are hard to find + people don’t know if they can park only in identified spots, or in regular metered spaces with their placard displayed.” We’ve been digging into this for awhile — and we’re sorry it’s taken us so long to share the info. Here’s what you need to know.

Handicapped-accessible street parking spaces | City of Raleigh

• In 2018, the City of Raleigh installed the first 16 designated accessible spaces for street parking downtown. Additional spots have since been added + all are located near wheelchair ramps or sidewalk access points.

• Earlier this week, the City Council approved the installation of additional spaces along Hillsborough Street near NC State, continuing phase two of Raleigh’s accessible space expansion in and around the downtown area. Residents can expect to see these new spaces installed over the next few weeks.

• On-street handicap spaces — in addition to accessible spaces located within all parking garages downtown — are identified by signs and blue paint. DYK: The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require cities to provide accessible on-street parking.

• Parking in handicap spaces within metered zones is not free — users are responsible for the usual rate per hour at pay stations — however ADA spaces are exempt from time limits assigned to metered zones, i.e. you can park for longer than two hours without penalty if need be, so long as you have a displayed placard visible through your windshield or on your license plate.

New accessible spaces on Hillsborough Street | City of Raleigh

• ADA-compliant parking spaces must be eight feet wide and van accessible + have a vertical clearance of at least 98 inches. Reserved parking signs are also required and must be installed at a tall enough height to be visible to law enforcement.

• The NC Statute on handicapped parking accessibility (20-37.6) was most recently updated March 1, 2020 — you can view the complete text of our statewide laws on the topic here or read up on other FAQs here.