How to get handicap sticker in texas

If you have a chronic illness like arthritis or lung disease that makes it painful or difficult to walk, you might qualify for a handicapped parking permit. Ask your doctor about eligibility. People with limited mobility can save time, energy, and frustration when they park in handicapped parking spots near the entrances to businesses.

Each state has its own forms and criteria for handicapped parking permits. Typically, the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) runs the program. Check on your state’s specific process.

The DMV will need your doctor to verify your medical condition. Other health-care professionals -- such as an optometrist, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner -- may also be able to document your condition. If you’re visibly disabled and appear at a DMV office, the requirement of a physician’s certification might be waived in some states.

Check with your own state to find out the specific criteria regarding who qualifies for disabled parking. Common conditions include:

  • Lung disease
  • Heart disease
  • Substantially impaired mobility, for example, use of a wheelchair, brace, or cane
  • A disease that significantly limits your ability walk or to use your legs
  • Documented vision problems, including low-vision or partial sightedness
  • Loss of one or both legs or loss of both hands, or limited use of these parts

Be aware that other conditions also may apply, so ask your doctor about your eligibility. For example, some states will grant permits to people who use portable oxygen or have an acute sensitivity to sunlight that causes burning and blistering of the skin.

How to Apply for a Handicap Parking Permit

  • Get a handicapped parking application from the DMV office or online.
  • Complete and sign the form. Ask your health-care provider to fill out and sign the portion that certifies disability. (Again, in some states, certification requirements might be waived if you’re visibly disabled and appear in person at the DMV.)
  • Submit the application by mail or in person.

Although many people apply for permanent disabled parking, states also offer placards for temporary disability, such as after having surgery. Typically, these temporary placards are valid for up to six months or up to the date that your doctor notes on the application.

Fees also vary. Some states charge a small fee, and others provide placards free of charge.

You are the only one legally allowed to use the placard, whether you’re a driver or passenger in the vehicle. It’s illegal for anyone else to use the placard if you’re not in the vehicle. Misusing the placard can result in cancellation of the permit, fines and other penalties.

As of January 2022, you must have a disabled license plate or placard displaying the International Symbol of Access (ISA) in order to park in a disabled parking space in

Texas

Driving presents special challenges for anyone with a disability, whether that’s a temporary injury or a permanent condition. That’s why every state provides license plates and placards authorizing disabled drivers to park in accessible spots. But the rules surrounding these crucial placards differ from state to state, so it’s important to know the regulations in your home state. 

If you’re one of the 11.8% of Texans with a disability, you may be eligible for a disabled parking placard. To find out how to get one, check out this guide from

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How to get a disabled parking placard or plate in Texas

To park in a disabled space anywhere in Texas, you’ll need one of three things: 

  • A red temporary disabled parking placard (expires in 6 months or less)

  • A blue permanent disabled parking placard (eligible for renewal every 4 years)

  • A disabled parking license plate (only for drivers with permanent disabilities)

All three of these passes display the International Symbol of Access (ISA), which you probably recognize as the little blue-and-white stick figure with a wheelchair. But you don’t need a wheelchair to get a disabled placard in Texas! Below is a list of the conditions, from temporary injuries to long-term conditions, that could qualify you for disabled parking permissions in the Lone Star State.  

Who’s eligible for a disabled parking placard?

Disabled parking eligibilities fall into two main categories: visual disabilities and mobility. You meet the legal definition of disability in Texas if: 

  • Your vision in your best eye is 20/200 or less with correcting lenses

  • Your vision is better than 20/200 in both eyes but your field of vision is limited, with the widest diameter subtending an angle of 20 degrees or less

  • You have any mobility issues that limit your ability to move around, including: 

  • Any medical condition requiring the use of a cane, brace, crutch, wheelchair, or other assistive devices

Say you took a bad fall while mountain biking with friends, and now you’ve got pins and screws holding your femur together. Because that injury constitutes a temporary disability affecting your mobility, you’d be eligible for a red six-month disabled parking placard, which should cover you through the rehabilitation process. 

Permanent disabilities, on the other hand, might actually be less obvious. If your asthma makes the long trek across the H-E-B parking lot a struggle, or if you’re still squinting even with your optometrist’s strongest glasses prescription, you can apply for a permanent disabled parking placard

You can also apply for a disabled parking license plate, but the drawback is that it only applies to your vehicle. If you get the placard instead, it can move with you from car to car, whether you’re the driver or the passenger. 

How to apply

First, you’ll need to provide your identifying information: name, address, and driver’s license or ID card number. You’ll then get to select the type of permit you’re applying for: 

  • Disabled person license plate with no placard 

  • Disabled person license plate and one placard 

  • One placard and no license plate 

  • Two placards and no license plate

Texas law only allows you to get one placard if you’re also applying for license plates, but if you’d rather just use the placard, you can get two instead. If you do choose to apply for plates, you’ll need to provide your car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) along with the model year and make. 

Next, the Disability Statement portion of the application must be completed by a licensed medical professional. Your doctor will need to fill out this section of the form, certifying that you meet the state’s legal definition of disability (the form includes a detailed list of conditions that qualify). Take note that, in order to make the application official, your doctor must be licensed in one of the following states: 

    The only exceptions apply to doctors practicing at a military installation in Texas or doctors in a facility run by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. 

    Finally, your doctor’s signature must be notarized before you can turn your form in. Once that last step is complete, you’re ready to go! Submit the form to

    your county’s tax assessor-collector’s office

    , and include a copy of your photo ID if you send the form by mail. 

    For permanent disability permits, there’s no fee, but if you’re applying for a temporary permit, you’ll need to include a $5 payment with your application. You can pay by personal check, cashier’s check, or money order; just make sure it’s payable to the tax office. 

    Renewing a disabled parking placard

    If your temporary disability extends beyond six months, you’ll need to fill out a full application for a new temporary pass. If you’re applying for a renewal for a permanent placard, on the other hand, you only need to complete page 1 of the form—your doctor’s notarized statement isn’t required for renewal. 

    Key Takeaway To apply for a disabled parking placard in Texas, you’ll need a notarized statement from a licensed medical professional certifying that you have a qualifying vision or mobility issue. 

    Guidelines for veterans with disabilities

    For veterans with disabilities in Texas, the rules surrounding handicap placards are a little different. Until 2022, disabled veteran license plates authorized veterans to use disabled parking spaces—but disabled veteran plates don’t display the ISA, which is now a requirement to use disabled parking spots in Texas. 

    Here’s where things get tricky: the VA’s definition of service-connected disabilities is broader than the legal definition of disability. In other words, the disability that permitted you to get disabled veteran plates might not qualify you for a placard or license plate displaying the ISA. This means that, as of January 2022, some disabled veterans in Texas are losing disabled parking privileges. 

    For more information on how the new laws impact disabled veterans’ parking permissions, check out the Texas DMV’s

    website

    Key Takeaway The rules for disabled veteran license plates changed in Texas in 2022, so you’ll need to apply for a placard or plate with the ISA in order to park in disabled spots. 

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    FAQs

    How do I get a disabled placard in Texas?

    How to Apply.
    Download the Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Placard and/or License Plate (Form VTR-214).
    Have your doctor or health care provider complete the Disability Statement section of the application..
    Submit the completed application and payment (if applicable) to your county tax office..

    How much does a handicap placard cost in Texas?

    There is no fee for a placard issued to a person with a permanent disability, and a $5 fee (per placard) if issued to a person with a temporary disability. Disabled Person license plates displaying the International Symbol of Access (ISA) may be issued to persons with a permanent disability (limit one set of plates).

    Can you get handicap placard online in Texas?

    Don't worry, though – the process for online handicap placard renewal in Texas is simple, as you simply need to download the appropriate forms. However, to submit the application itself, you'll need to either mail it in or visit the local county tax assessor-collector's office.

    Do you need a prescription for a handicap placard in Texas?

    The prescription must include the disabled person's name, the doctor's original signature, and a statement if the disability is temporary or permanent. Prepare the fee. There is a fee of $5 for a placard for a temporary disability. There is no fee for a permanent placard or for disabled license plates.