Disability Law

If you live in Texas and have a disability that requires better parking locations wherever handicapped spots are available, there are designated license plates that enable you to park as close to your destination as possible. Since these parking spaces are in close proximity to facility entrances, it reduces the distance that you must travel to get to the door.

The State of Texas deems people disabled if:

?    They cannot maintain their balance without help. Forms of assistance include braces, canes, crutches, prosthetic limbs, and people flanking the disabled person?s side for support.

?    They are incapable of efficient mobility without manual wheelchairs or power wheelchairs.

If you match the requirements, you may be entitled to receive the special license plates at no additional cost beyond the expected vehicle registration fees. Handicapped hangtags displayed on the rearview mirror are $5 and can be transferred to whatever vehicle the disabled person is driving or being transported in.

If you intend to travel out of state, your new license plate and hangtag is valid anywhere in the United States. Likewise, plates and hangtags distributed outside of Texas are certified for use in Texas as well. In the interest of preparation, you may want to contact the other state?s DMV to request a temporary hangtag just to be safe.

Regardless of whether you?d like to register for a disabled license plate or hangtag, a physician must verify the presence of your disability and specify if it is short-term or long-term. Only permanently disabled people are allowed handicapped license plates, while hangtags are assigned to the temporarily disabled. Hangtags can also be used to indicate long-term disability, and temporary ones expire after six months.

Any Texas driver wanting to obtain a disability license plate or parking hangtag must complete the Application for Disabled Person Identification Placard or Disabled Person License Plate, which is available from the Texas Department of Transportation. A portion of this document must be filled out by your doctor. Then, the finished form needs to be mailed to your county tax assessor-collector.

If you would like to read about the Texas program for handicapped license plates and hangtags in greater detail, check out the Basic Facts for People with Disabilities brochure at the local DMV, or call the customer assistance line at (512) 465-7611.