Miami-Dade Investigates Hundreds of Disabled Parking Permits as County Audit Targets Potential Fraudulent Applications

Countywide audit expands enforcement focus on permanent and temporary placards

Miami-Dade County officials have opened investigations into hundreds of disabled parking permit applications as part of a broad audit aimed at identifying permits that may have been improperly issued or fraudulently obtained. The enforcement effort centers on both permanent and temporary disabled parking permits and includes referrals to state and local law enforcement when suspected fraud is identified.

County officials said an initial review examined 2,340 applications, with 682 flagged for immediate and thorough investigation and possible revocation. The review process includes two separate evaluations of each application, with the second review continuing. Cases that raise fraud concerns are set to be referred to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Timeline: audit began in December 2025; cancellations followed in January 2026

The audit was launched in December 2025 as a countywide review of disabled parking permit activity. County communications have described the audit scope as covering applications filed within the prior 24 months, while the most recent enforcement update characterized the active review as focusing on permits issued over the past 12 months, within the broader audit framework.

By January 8, 2026, county officials said letters were being sent to individuals whose permits were determined to have been improperly issued or obtained fraudulently. Those notices stated the permits were canceled and must be returned immediately, and warned that continued use could lead to criminal penalties and a period of ineligibility to obtain a disabled parking permit.

How Florida’s disabled parking permits work

Florida law authorizes disabled parking permits for long-term and short-term mobility impairments, as well as for people certified as legally blind. Permanent permits are issued at no cost and are generally valid for four years, while temporary permits require a fee and may be issued for up to six months, based on medical certification.

• Permanent permits: typically valid for four years; no fee.
• Temporary permits: up to six months; $15 fee.
• Applications require a state form completed by the applicant and signed by a certifying medical authority.

Potential legal exposure: false statements and unlawful use

Florida law treats knowingly providing false information in a disabled parking permit application as a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. Unlawfully displaying or using another person’s disabled parking permit while the permit holder is not being transported can also trigger criminal penalties. Law enforcement officers and authorized parking enforcement personnel may confiscate permits that are fraudulently used, expired, reported lost or stolen, or otherwise invalid.

Officials described the audit as an effort to protect access for residents with legitimate mobility disabilities while removing permits tied to irregular or fraudulent applications.

The county has said the audit will continue, with revocations and referrals pursued when violations are confirmed.