To get a handicap placard in Texas, you need a medical provider to certify your disability on Form VTR-214 and then submit that form to your county tax assessor-collector’s office. A permanent placard is free; a temporary one costs $5. Apply in person and you can usually walk out with the placard the same day.
Do You Qualify
Texas law defines disability for parking purposes broadly. You qualify if any of the following applies:1State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 681.001 – Definitions
- You cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest, or cannot walk without a brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or another person’s help.
- You have lung disease with forced expiratory volume under one liter by spirometry, arterial oxygen tension below 60 mm Hg on room air at rest, or you use portable oxygen.
- Your cardiac condition is Class III or Class IV under American Heart Association standards.
- You have an arthritis, neurological, or orthopedic condition that severely limits walking.
- A podiatrist has determined a foot disorder limits your walking.
- Your corrected visual acuity is 20/200 or worse, or your visual field is 20 degrees or narrower.
- A licensed physician has determined another condition limits your ability to walk.
That last category is deliberately open. A physician’s opinion can qualify a condition that doesn’t fit the earlier definitions.
Complete Form VTR-214
The application is a single form, VTR-214, available from the Texas DMV website or any county tax assessor-collector’s office.2Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Disabled Parking, Placards & Plates
Page 1 is yours. Fill in your legal name, address, contact information, and Texas driver’s license or state ID number.3Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. VTR-214 – Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Placard and/or License Plate Match the name and address on your ID exactly, or the county office may kick the application back.
Page 2 is your medical provider’s. They describe the disability and mark it temporary or permanent. Texas accepts signatures from physicians, podiatrists, optometrists, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses licensed in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, or Oklahoma, or practicing at a U.S. military installation in Texas or a VA facility.3Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. VTR-214 – Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Placard and/or License Plate
One requirement catches people. The provider’s signature on Page 2 must be notarized unless you submit an original prescription with the application. Many medical offices have a notary on staff, so ask when you schedule the appointment. Show up at the county office without either a notarized form or a separate prescription and you’ll be sent back.
Submit It to Your County Tax Office
Turn in the completed VTR-214, any fee, and proof of eligibility at your local county tax assessor-collector’s office. You can also file in the county where you receive medical treatment if that’s different from where you live. Accepted payment methods include personal checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks.3Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. VTR-214 – Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Placard and/or License Plate
Applying in person is faster. County offices typically issue the placard on the spot. Mailing the application means waiting several weeks for it to arrive at your home address, and mail submissions need a copy of your state ID included.
Keep a photocopy of everything you submit. You’ll want it later for renewals and replacements.
Temporary or Permanent
Texas issues two placard types, color-coded for law enforcement. A red placard covers a temporary disability and expires in six months or less. A blue placard covers a permanent disability and is renewable every four years.2Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Disabled Parking, Placards & Plates Both show the international symbol of access, a unique ID number, and a hole-punched expiration date.4State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 681.002 – Disabled Parking Placard
The permanent placard is free. The temporary placard costs $5.5Office of the Texas Governor. Accessible Parking If a temporary condition lasts beyond six months, you’ll file a new application with fresh medical certification rather than extending the old one.
Renewing or Replacing a Placard
When a blue placard nears its four-year expiration, submit a new VTR-214 to your county tax office. Your doctor doesn’t need to redo the disability statement. Fill out Page 1 and submit it along with a copy of your original application. If you no longer have that copy, you can turn in the expiring placard instead.2Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Disabled Parking, Placards & Plates
For a lost or stolen placard, bring a copy of your original VTR-214 to the county office for a replacement. Without that copy, and if the county can’t verify the placard in its records, you’ll start over with a full new application and new medical certification.
Using the Placard
Hang the placard from the rearview mirror when parked in an accessible space, and take it down before you drive.5Office of the Texas Governor. Accessible Parking A hanging placard can block your view, and driving with it displayed isn’t required.
Placard holders are exempt from state and local government parking meter fees.2Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Disabled Parking, Placards & Plates You still can’t exceed posted time limits, though some cities have local ordinances extending meter time for placard holders.
The person the placard was issued to must be in the vehicle when it’s parked in a disabled space. This catches caregivers off guard. Running into a pharmacy to pick up the placard holder’s prescription without them in the car is not allowed, and using the placard that way is a criminal offense. The placard can be confiscated on the spot.
Penalties for Misuse
Texas treats placard misuse as a misdemeanor. A first offense carries a fine between $500 and $750, and repeat violations bring higher fines and community service, escalating to $1,250 and 50 hours of community service for a fifth or subsequent offense.6State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 681.011 – Offenses These penalties cover using someone else’s placard, parking in a disabled space without a placard, and using a counterfeit or expired placard.
A Note for Disabled Veterans
Veterans with a service-connected disability follow a separate path. If the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has certified a disability rating of 50% or more, or 40% or more due to amputation of a lower limb, you’re eligible for Disabled Veteran license plates and placards through Form VTR-615 rather than VTR-214.7Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Application for Disabled Veteran License Plates and/or Parking Placards DV plates give the same parking privileges as a placard and stay on the vehicle. Veterans who don’t meet those thresholds but qualify under the general definitions can still apply for a standard placard using VTR-214.