1. (a) Purpose. Transportation Code, Chapters 504 and 681, charge the department with the responsibility for issuing specially designed license plates and identification placards for disabled persons. For the department to perform these duties efficiently and effectively, this section prescribes the policies and procedures for the application, issuance, and renewal of Disabled Person license plates and placards.

2. (b) Issuance.

   1. (1) Disabled Person license plates.

      1. (A) Eligibility. In accordance with Transportation Code, §504.201, the department will issue specially designed license plates displaying the international symbol of access to permanently disabled persons or their transporters instead of regular motor vehicle license plates.
      2. (B) Specialty license plates. The department will issue Disabled Person insignia on those specialty license plates that can accommodate the identifying insignia and that are issued in accordance with §217.45 of this title (relating to Specialty License Plates, Symbols, Tabs, and Other Devices).
      3. (C) License plate number. Disabled Person license plates will bear a license plate number assigned by the department or will bear a personalized license plate number issued in accordance with §217.45.
   2. (2) Windshield identification placards. The department will issue removable windshield identification placards to temporarily or permanently disabled persons and to the transporters of permanently disabled persons. A person who has been issued a windshield identification placard shall hang the placard from a vehicle's rearview mirror when the vehicle is parked in a disabled person parking space or shall display the placard on the center portion of the dashboard if the vehicle does not have a rearview mirror.
3. (c) Renewal of Disabled Person license plates. Disabled Person license plates are valid for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance, and are renewable as specified in §217.28 of this title (relating to Vehicle Registration Renewal).

4. (d) Replacement.

   1. (1) License plates. If Disabled Person license plates are lost, stolen, or mutilated, the owner may obtain replacement license plates by applying with a county tax assessor-collector.

      1. (A) Accompanying documentation. To replace permanently Disabled Person license plates, the owner must present the current year's registration receipt and personal identification acceptable to the county tax assessor-collector.
      2. (B) Absence of accompanying documentation. If the current year's registration receipt is not available and the county cannot verify that the Disabled Person license plates were issued to the owner, the owner must reapply in accordance with this section.
   2. (2) Disabled Person identification placards. If a Disabled Person identification placard becomes lost, stolen, or mutilated, the owner may obtain a new identification placard in accordance with this section.

5. (e) Transfer of Disabled Person license plates and identification placards.

   1. (1) License plates.

      1. (A) Transfer between persons. Disabled Person license plates may not be transferred between persons. An owner who sells or trades a vehicle to which Disabled Person license plates have been issued shall remove the Disabled Person license plates from the vehicle. The owner shall return the license plates to the department and shall obtain appropriate replacement license plates to place on the vehicle prior to any transfer of ownership.

      2. (B) Transfer between vehicles. Disabled Person license plates may be transferred between vehicles if the county or the department can verify the plate ownership and the owner of the vehicle is the disabled person or the vehicle is used to transport the disabled person.

         1. (i) Plate ownership verification may include:

            1. (I) a Registration and Title System (RTS) inquiry;
            2. (II) a copy of the department Application for Disabled Person license plates; or
            3. (III) the owner's current registration receipt.
         2. (ii) An owner who sells or trades a vehicle with Disabled Person license plates must remove the plates from the vehicle.

   2. (2) Identification placards.

      1. (A) Transfer between vehicles. Disabled Person identification placards may be displayed in any vehicle driven by the disabled person or in which the disabled person is a passenger.
      2. (B) Transfer between persons. Disabled Person identification placards may not be transferred between persons.

6. (f) Seizure and revocation of placard.

   1. (1) If a law enforcement officer seizes and destroys a placard under Transportation Code, §681.012, the officer shall notify the department by email.
   2. (2) The person to whom the seized placard was issued may apply for a new placard by submitting an application to the county tax assessor-collector of the county in which the person with the disability resides or in which the applicant is seeking medical treatment if the applicant is not a resident of this state.

Source Note:The provisions of this §217.41 adopted to be effective March 12, 2015, 40 TexReg 1096; amended to be effective March 1, 2018, 43 TexReg 1145.