We’re all familiar with the blue badge that allows the less able of us to park closer to their destination.  It is being replaced with something called the carte mobilité inclusion (CMI).  Here are the steps to apply for one in France.

What is it?

A card which allows the holder to park for free and for as long as they wish in all public parking spaces.

The local municipality can decide to limit the time allowed, but in any case it can not be less than 12 hours.

But please note that you may have to pay if you park in a car park with barriers that can be reached by the disabled from their vehicle.

Who qualifies?

  • Anyone who has a long term and significant reduction in his/her ability to get around by him/herself on foot.
  • Or anyone who needs a third person to help them get about (for example a person with a mental or sensory defect)

The state deems anyone who meets the following criteria to have reduced mobility/be unable to get about by him/herself:

  • A person who can not walk for more than 200m
  • A person who routinely has to use an aid to walk (human, cane, other equipment operated with one or two upper limbs, vehicle for handicapped people)
  • A person with a false leg.
  • A person who needs to use oxygen equipment every time they leave the house.
  • Anyone who routinely uses a wheelchair is considered to fulfill the conditions whether or not they can use it alone and without a problem.

If you are a registered war invalid you have to apply for a different card.

What to do

  1. Fill in Form Cerfa no 15692*01. The old form 13788*01 is now redundant.  Make sure you write in capital letters.  A2 is for children & A4 should only be completed if the person concerned has a legal representative (i.e. is not capable of legally acting for themselves). You can ignore A5 for a disabled badge application.  If you have difficulty getting hold of the medical certificate you can say why at the top of page 4.   Fill in B but just tick the relevant box at the top of page 7 which is about parking, and explain your case in the blank box on page 8.  Ignore C & D.  Tick the box in E1 Vous avez plus de 20 ans:  for the Carte mobilité inclusion – mention stationnement if you just need parking.  The one above (Carte mobilité inclusion – Mention invalidité) if you need to be accompanied or have priority.  Ignore F..
  2. See your doctor and get a medical certificate,  This is a special form for applying for services from the Maison départementale des personnes handicappées.  This is an example certificate to take to the doctor to be filled in.
  3. Get together the usual identity papers i.e. a copy of your passport, proof of address (utility bill etc), proof that you are allowed to live in France if not an EU citizen.
  4. Get a passport photo.
  5. Take photocopies of everything just in case.
  6. Send all of it off to the nearest Maison départementale des personnes handicappées, preferably as a registered letter.  You can put in your postcode to find your nearest office on the government website.

Once you have it

The card is awarded either permanently if you qualify for the personal autonomy allowance and you are rated in group 1 or 2 of the AGGIR (Autonomy, Gerontology, IsoResources Groups) rating table which is used to see how much help the disabled require.

Alternatively it is renewable at most annually or less frequently depending on your situation.

You must place it on the windscreen inside the vehicle and take it out when you are no longer using it.

It is valid in all EU countries so can also be used across the border in Spain.

Comments


  1. I have a permit from US, Colorado. Is it ok to use in France

    1. Good evening. I’m an Israeli citizen and I’m going to travel in France this summer. I’m disabled. How can I get a disabled parking sign in France

      1. @Alex, You won’t be able to get hold of a French disabled badge unless you are resident here. You need to ask the Israeli authorities if the one that you use there is valid in France or not. It may be that there is a reciprocal agreement.

  2. Does anyone know how long this application takes? We are in Manch/St Lo.

    1. Sorry, time frames tend to vary wildly depending on time of the year, departement you live in etc. so it’s not really possible to give a time frame. It may be worth asking on Facebook or similar if there is a group for your area, or popping in to your local France Services help point and asking if they know and/or can find out. They will also help you with filling in the forms if you need it, and can communicate in French.

  3. Hello, I had French Blue Badge application accepted mid April. I then said that I will get my printed card sent to me, which is processed through a separate company. I am still waiting for this it is now August. Do I wait longer as I know it did take a few months to process the initial application.

    1. I think we have all learnt that the wheels of French administration move very slowly, particularly in summer, but it never does any harm to send them an email and check that those wheels are turning for you somewhere. Bon courage.

  4. I had a letter telling me I was awarded a blue badge , and that I would be contacted by the printer within 30 Days that was 35 days ago still waiting ,My Doctor applied in October 2021 , still waiting anyone else waited so long.

    1. Try contacting the department that sent you the letter, sometimes there are glitches in the printing of official documents and they made need to restart the process.

  5. Hi my badge runs out end October 2026, I have been told by a parking official in Switzerland that I should have the new badge now, I will need one by end Dec 2026 anyway! So my question is, should I wait for the expiry date or apply now, I do know I should apply 6 months before expiry anyway!
    Regards Déborah

  6. Do you know if a non-EU citizen can apply for the CMI? My boss who is a paraplegic (has a Blue Badge) has just purchased a holiday home in France and has asked me to see if we can get him a disabled parking badge. I am trying to contact the local departementale handicapees but the phone number can only be called inside France and I am in UK.

    1. Hi Jess,
      I would say that the limiting factor is not that he is a non-EU citizen but that he isn’t resident in France. It doesn’t state anywhere that non-residents are exempt but you have to get a medical certificate from a French doctor to show that you are disabled, although you can tick a box and explain why you can’t supply it.
      It is worth ringing to ask. There should be a landline number for the local MDPH, if you let me know where the holiday home is, I can look it up for you.

  7. Excellent article, thank you. Do you know if the current UK Blue Badges used by UK visitors to P.O. will continue to be honoured?

    1. Hi Wally,
      Disabled badges can still be used post-Brexit in some EU countries but the position in France is not yet clear according to the UK government site https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-using-it-in-the-eu/using-a-blue-badge-in-the-european-union
      The current advice for France is to check with the French Embassy.
      The website for disabled motorists in the EU says that France does not recognise non-EU permits. However this may be different for the UK. If I were you, I would contact the either the British Embassy in France or the French Embassy in London and ask.
      If you do find out, could you let us know please? Thanks.

  8. Hi Kate, can you let me know the site I can find the form on as service-public.fr doesn’t recognise the Cerfs no and can’t download from your great article. I had no idea I could be eligible for the sticker it would be an enormous help.

    1. Hello Shirley
      I have repaired all the links so they should work now. Some of the URLs had changed. Try again et bonne chance. x

  9. Thank you an interesting piece as we are about to apply. Have downloaded the form but not via your link as it doesn’t seem to work for me. Nor am I able to download the example medical certificate.
    Perhaps because I am working on a tablet??
    Am sure our very helpful doctor will sort it!!

    1. Hello Linda
      I have repaired all the links so they should work now. Some of the URLs had changed. Try again et bonne chance.

  10. Please could you send me a Form Cerfa no 1378*01 so that I can apply for a French blue badge (disability badge)

    Thank you

    My address is Le Jayne Nord, Cazals 46250

    1. Hello Susan.
      I’m sorry, we’re not a government agency. You will need to click on the links and download the relevant document. Bonne chance.

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