A new state law enacts a new requirement for disabled Texas veterans who park in handicapped spaces.
According to Senate Bill 792, beginning on Jan. 1, 2022, anyone parking in a disabled parking space must have a license plate or a disabled parking placard that features the International Symbol of Access (ISA).
Currently, disabled veteran license plates do not feature the ISA, and all Texans with these plates are permitted to use disabled parking.
Beginning in 2022, disabled Texas veterans who meet the ISA eligibility requirements and park in disabled-marked parking spaces need to apply for a disabled parking placard or a new disabled veteran license plate that includes the ISA.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles urges applicants to submit their paperwork at their local county tax assessor-collector office. Current placards will remain valid; however, applicants must meet new requirements at the time of renewal.
Placard and plate eligibility is based on a medical condition that meets the Texas legal definition of a disability as 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
- Mobility problems impairing a person’s ability to move
Mobility impairments include paralysis, lung disease, cardiac deficiency, arthritis, neurological or orthopedic condition, foot disorder, wheelchair confinement, and individuals using portable oxygen, braces, canes, or crutches.
A parking placard or plate with the ISA is only valid when used by the person with the disability or someone driving the person with the disability.