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Q: |
Am I Eligible for a Permit? |
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A: |
A person's medical condition must meet the legal definition
of a disability to qualify. "Disability" means a condition
in which a person has:
- visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting
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 of 20
degrees or less, or
- mobility problems that substantially impair a person's ability to move
around; these problems can be caused by:
- paralysis,
- lung disease,
- cardiac deficiency,
- wheelchair confinement,
- arthritis,
- foot disorder, or
- other medical condition causing a person to use a brace, cane,
crutch or other assistive device.
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Q: |
Where Do I Apply? |
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Q: |
How Do I Apply for or Renew
my Permit? |
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A: |
To apply for a new permit, you must:
- ask your doctor to complete the Disability Statement section of the
permit application,
- complete the rest of the application, and
- submit the application and payment to your
county tax office.
To renew a permit, you must:
- complete the lower portion of a new application (not the disability
statement), including the signature of the applicant, and
- submit the expiring permit(s) or a copy of the original application,
along with the new application and payment to your county tax office.
Permits for permanent disabilities must be renewed every four years.
Permits for temporary disabilities are valid for six months or until your
disability ends.
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Q: |
Can I Park Anywhere Using my
Permit? |
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A: |
Vehicles displaying disabled plates, disabled veteran plates or permits are the
only vehicles allowed to park in spaces clearly marked for the disabled. In some
parking lots, the disabled spaces are colored red and others are marked in the
traditional blue color. People who have a blue disabled parking permit or
disabled veteran license plates can park in either the red or blue spaces. Those
with a red disabled permit are only to park in the red spaces. If the parking
lot ONLY has blue-colored spaces, then it is permissible for those with red
permits to park in those spaces.
- Blue designates the person needs assistance for
mobility, such as a wheelchair, walker, brace or other
device.
- Red designates the person suffers a debilitating
health condition that impairs mobility.
The Texas Legislature created the color-coded system to
ensure disabled parking spaces designed to accommodate
specially-outfitted vehicles and the maneuvering of mobility
aids in and out of vehicles are kept available for those
they are intended to help.
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Q: |
Can a Nursing Home Get
Permits for their Vehicles? |
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A: |
Nursing homes, retirement communities, institutions and
other facilities that transport people with disabilities may obtain blue parking
permits for their vehicles, including vans and buses. These permits can only be
used when transporting people with disabilities.
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Q: |
What Happens if a Permit is
Misused? |
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A: |
People who misuse disabled parking permits are subject to
fines of up to $1,000 and/or up to 50 hours of community service.
A law
enforcement officer may seize a permit if the officer believes a parking offense
has been committed. Confiscated permits are returned to TxDOT.
The owner
of the permit may request a hearing to explain the situation, after which we
determine if the permit should be returned to the owner.
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Q: |
What's the difference
between a red permit and a blue permit? |
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The
following information will help you learn about disabled parking
permits, including eligibility requirements, application
instructions and penalties for misuse.
125 East 11th Street . Austin, Texas 78701