Texas Handicap Placard

Dr Handicap - Texas

Texas residents are eligible for a handicap placard if they have a qualifying disability. The different types of handicap permits issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles include:

  • Temporary handicap placards
  • Permanent handicap placards
  • Handicap license plates

When you receive your Texas handicap placard, you may park in designated handicap spots and park for free in metered spaces. Anyone visiting Texas is welcome to use their out-of-state placard as long as they follow the handicap placard rules for the state of Texas.

 

Texas Handicap Placard Laws

When parked in a designated handicap spot for any length of time, you must display your handicap parking placard from your vehicle’s rearview mirror. Failure to display it clearly could result in a citation. You must also remove the placard when the vehicle is put into motion.

The person who was issued the disabled parking badge must either be the driver or the passenger in the vehicle. Anyone who is not disabled, but using a disabled parking badge, could be subject to significant fines or a citation.

 

Texas Handicap Parking Requirements

When you fill out your Texas handicap placard application form, you must certify that you meet the following requirements:

  • Not being able to walk 200 feet without resting
  • Needing an assistive device for mobility, including a cane, brace, crutch, prosthetic device, wheelchair, another person or other devices
  • Severe mobility problems resulting in a person’s inability to ambulate
  • Visual acuity of no more than 20/200 in the best eye with corrective lenses
  • Visual acuity of greater than 20/200, but with a limited field of vision with an angle of 20 degrees or less
  • Being restricted by a severe lung disease
  • Requiring the use of a portable oxygen tank
  • Limited mobility due to a neurological, arthritic or orthopedic condition
  • Having a Class III or Class IV cardiac condition according to the American Heart Association standards
  • Having a foot disorder that impairs walking ability
  • Having any other disability a medical professional deems to impair or limit walking ability

 

How To Apply for a Handicap Parking Placard in Texas

You can send in your completed handicap application form by mail or in person when applying in Texas. The application process includes:

  • Completing the Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Placard and/or License Plate (Form VTR-214)
  • Having the medical certification section completed by one of the following medical professionals (must be licensed in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma or New Mexico, or work for the U.S. military or Veterans Affairs):
    • Physician
    • Optometrist
    • Podiatrist
    • Physician’s assistant
    • Nurse practitioner
  • Paying the applicable fees
  • Providing a valid form of identification

Please click here for more information on how to get your online medical certification from a licensed physician in Texas.

 

Other Information

Temporary handicap placards are valid for up to six months and can be renewed by submitting a new application with a new medical certification.

Permanent handicap placards are valid for up to four years and can be renewed by completing the affidavit section on the original application and resubmitting your original application or the placards that are expiring soon.

Handicap license plates are renewed along with your vehicle registration.

If you have a disability and live in Texas, you may be entitled to receive a disabled parking badge, so contact us today to see if you qualify. We have licensed physicians in every state ready to provide you with a medical evaluation to determine your qualifications.

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