Danske Handicaporganisationer says 969 disability parking permits have been reported stolen to the organization since March 1, 2024. The group is calling for tighter checks by parking attendants and police.
Danske Handicaporganisationer (DH) says theft of disability parking permits is a growing problem in Denmark. DR reported on August 24, 2026 that the organization has now received reports of 969 stolen permits covering the period from March 1, 2024 to the present.
DH director Katrine Mandrup Tang described the figure as alarming. According to her, the reports come especially from parts of Copenhagen and from the area around Copenhagen Airport. She said the thefts often happen after a car window has been smashed.
A disability parking permit gives access to reserved disabled bays. In certain situations it also allows the holder to avoid ordinary parking charges. For people with significant mobility problems, parking close to a destination can determine whether daily errands are possible at all.
Per DR, holders must wait for a replacement card before their routines can return to normal. Mandrup Tang said the theft also affects other permit holders. If a stolen card is used by someone else, a disabled bay can be occupied by a driver with no right to it.
Serial numbers blocked when cards are reported stolen
When a permit is reported stolen or lost, its serial number is registered as invalid. As stated by DH in its user guidance, thefts must be reported both to the police and to the organization, and a closed card cannot be reactivated. A new card is issued once payment has been received.
Copenhagen Municipality’s Center for Parking has previously confirmed, in a written reply from October 2023, that parking attendants can scan serial numbers to check whether a card is valid. Suspected forgeries are referred to the police. DH says control should be handled by those able to check the cards correctly, and warns against ordinary citizens judging who has a disability.
Mandrup Tang noted that some disabilities are invisible but still qualify for a permit. In a DH survey, one in three respondents said they had either had to take account of other people’s reactions or had been confronted. That element of the report was described by DR alongside the theft figures.
Earlier figures show a smaller total. CPH Post reported in December 2025 that more than 700 permits had been reported stolen to DH in less than two years.
Ekstra Bladet reported on the same day as DR that almost 200 permits were reported stolen in the first half of 2026. The outlet linked the numbers to a proposal from De Konservative to allow driving licenses to be withdrawn from people who misuse or forge disability permits. DR reported that several parties have opened the door to tougher penalties, while SF has called license removal a possible overreaction.
