TRENTON – The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) will begin the issuance of parking placards for use by home care service employees including:

• nurses
• nurse aides
• homemaker-home health aides
• personal care assistants
• hospice workers
• social workers
• physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists

The placards can only be obtained by application from the home health business or agency directly to the NJMVC. Directions are available at NJMVC.gov.

“The NJMVC is pleased to support the state’s home health agencies and their caregivers in better access to parking, especially in congested urban areas and places where parking is limited,” said NJMVC Chief Administrator Sue Fulton. “As the population ages, more and more New Jerseyans are receiving care at home. It’s critically important for home health workers to be able to park legally, safely and efficiently to provide that care.”

“Having the ability to receive parking placards will not only improve parking for home health employees, but it will also help improve access to care for the home bound, and help home health agencies recruit and retain staff,” said Assemblywoman Carol Murphy, who wrote and introduced the legislation. The new law, which passed in 2018, recently took effect. “I am proud of the work done to improve the lives of home health care employees, who are often overlooked. I would like to thank all those involved, especially the advocates and NJMVC for making these placards a reality.”

Placards are yellow in color and will hang from the rearview mirror of a vehicle. Placards must be displayed while the vehicle is parked when employees render service, and can only be used by the employee while they are on the job providing home care.

Placard use allows for:

• daytime or overnight parking normally reserved for municipal residents, municipal parking lots, and college/university parking lots
• parking at meters for up to 24 hours with no penalties

Placards cannot be used for parking in PWAD (Person with a Disability) labeled parking spots.

Eligible home care service agencies must:

• be licensed, such as by the Department of Health or registered with the Division of Consumer Affairs
• have employees who include nurses, nurses’ aides, homemaker-home health aides, personal care assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, or hospice care workers
• pay the initial registration fee of $50 per placard, and annual renewal fees.

NJMVC | Home Care Service Agency Placards