A Guide To Disabled Parking In Texas
Why should you waste your energy walking through a parking lot when you could have access to closer, more convenient parking spaces? If you have a disability, you could be eligible for a Texas handicap parking permit today. This permit can allow you to have the benefit of closer parking places so your life becomes just a little bit easier. If you’re curious about disabled parking in Texas, read on for more information.
What are the qualifying conditions for disabled parking in Texas?
There are a variety of medical conditions that will let you qualify for a Texas disabled parking permit, including:
- Mobility issues that substantially impair your ability to ambulate (due to paralysis, lung disease, cardiac deficiency, wheelchair confinement, arthritis, foot disorder, needing to use a brace, cane, crutch, or other assistive device, or other conditions);
- Visual acuity of more than 20/200 or less in the better eye with corrective lenses;
- Visual acuity of more than 20/200 but with a limited field of vision in which the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle 20 degrees or less.
Image by 12019 on Pixabay: Don’t let your disability prevent you from hitting the open road in Texas.
These mobility or vision issues can be from a range of medical conditions. As long as your medical professional deems it necessary for you to receive a Texas disabled parking permit, you should be eligible. In order to get approved, you must have a medical professional fill out a section of your permit application that states you require the use of a handicap parking permit because of your health. These professionals can be one of the following:
- A physician licensed to practice medicine in Texas;
- A physician’s assistant in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, or Oklahoma (if the applicant lives in a county with a population of 125,000 or less);
- A physician practicing medicine in the U.S. military or on a military installation in Texas;
- A physician practicing medicine in a hospital or other health facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs;
- A person licensed to practice podiatry or optometry in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, or Oklahoma.
They’ll need to complete a portion of your application and then sign it. The signature of this person must be notarized unless you have a written prescription from the physician or authorized professional attached to the application. If you don’t have a medical professional who can help with this certification step, you can connect with one through Dr. Handicap. We can provide you with a licensed physician in Texas who can help you with the medical certification portion of your application.
How to get a disabled parking permit in Texas
First, you and your doctor should decide which type of permit you need. Blue placards are issued to individuals with permanent disabilities and need to be renewed every four years, while red ones are for temporary disabilities and are valid for up to six months. There are no fees attached to a blue placard and only a $5 fee for red ones. Texans can use their placards in other states as well. To apply, you can download the application form on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website. Fill out your information and get your physician to complete their portion. Don’t forget to get it notarized! You can then submit your application to your local county tax office. If you have questions about the application process, you can call the DMV at (888) 368-4689 or (512) 465-3000.
Image by 12019 on Pixabay: Explore great cities like Houston with your disabled parking permit in hand.
What are the rules I need to follow when using my permit?
With your official placard, you are permitted to park in any designated handicap parking places throughout Texas. You are also exempt from local and state government parking meter fees (although specific cities might have other ordinances in place). It’s important to note that you must always display your placard when your vehicle is parked, and remove it from the rearview mirror when your vehicle is in motion. You are also not permitted to let anyone else borrow your placard – even family or friends. If you violate these regulations, you are subject to fines of up to $2,500 and/or up to 50 hours of community service. A law enforcement officer also has the option of seizing your placard if they believe a parking offense was committed.
It’s also imperative that you keep your placard up to date and renew it before it expires. If your placard is lost or stolen, you can get it replaced by presenting a copy of your original application to your local county tax assessor-collector office. If you don’t have a copy or if the office can’t verify the placard was issued, you will be asked to apply for a new disabled placard with a brand-new application.
If you’ve been wondering how to get a disabled parking permit in Texas, hopefully, this post has included some helpful information for you. Just remember, you always have the option of requesting assistance or getting your questions answered by an employee of the DMV. Then, once you’ve successfully submitted your application, keep in mind the rules of the road while you’re out driving in the great Lone Star State.