Disability Placards in Missouri
The procedure to obtain disability placards in Missouri must be performed through the state’s Department of Revenue (DOR). Prior to applying for a handicap placard, residents must be diagnosed by a health care professional with either a temporary or a permanent physical disability that hinders their ability to walk significantly. As such, drivers may begin the disabled placard application procedure only after satisfying a set of eligibility criteria.
MO disability placards are issued to eligible drivers so that they may park their vehicles in designated spots marked for individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, motorists also need to periodically apply for a handicap placard renewal, whenever these credentials approach their expiration dates.
In addition, a disability placard replacement may be necessary for those who lose their permits or face their theft. For more information about the procedures and requirements regarding these credentials, read the sections below.
Eligibility Requirements for Disability Placards in Missouri
Motorists may obtain a temporary or permanent handicap placard after they satisfy certain eligibility criteria. As such, drivers may qualify to apply for disability placards after their physical impairment is diagnosed and certified by an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician assistant, chiropractor, physical therapist, podiatrist, optometrist or licensed physician.
Therefore, a disabled person parking placard may be issued to motorists who prove to have at least one of the following conditions:
- Inability to walk 50 feet without rest due to a severe arthritic, orthopedic, neurological or other disabling condition.
- Inability to walk without the help of another person or without the assistance from a wheelchair, cane, brace, crutch or prosthetic device.
- Restriction due to a respiratory disease.
- Reliance on a portable oxygen device.
- Cardiac condition classified as Class III or Class IV by the American Heart Association.
- Visual impairment.
After satisfying the abovementioned list of qualifications for disability placards, motorists need to submit an application form to the MO DOR along with a physician’s statement and payment for the applicable fees. In general, the application procedure for disability placards in Missouri does not mandate additional documentation.
How to Apply for a Disability Placard in Missouri
Motorists who want to perform a Missouri disabled placard application procedure may do so by mail or in person at a local DOR office. In any case, eligible drivers who want to apply for these credentials must satisfy the following disability placard requirements:
- Complete the proper application form.
- Provide a physician’s statement, in the case of individual applicants.
- Provide a physician’s statement on a business letterhead, in the case of agencies applying for these credentials.
- Pay any handicap placard fees, if required.
Once motorists collect the abovementioned documents required for an application for disability placards in Missouri, they must submit them to the DOR by mail or in person.
Note: When applying for a temporary handicap placard, agencies may not be able to submit a statement on business letterhead.
How to Apply for a Disability Placard by Mail
Drivers who plan to apply for a Missouri disabled person placard by mail need to download an application form from the DOR’s official website, then complete it with the required information. Furthermore, applicants for disability placards need to ask a licensed health care professional to prepare a statement, which must be sent along with the application form and the fees payment method via mail.
How to Apply for a Disability Placard in Person
Residents may perform an MO disabled placard application procedure in person at a nearby DOR branch. When requesting a handicap placard at a DOR office, motorists need to submit the proper application form, a physician’s statement and an acceptable payment method for the applicable fees.
How to Renew Disability Placards in Missouri
Motorists need to request a handicap placard renewal in Missouri whenever these disability credentials approach their expiration dates. As a general rule, permanent disabled person placards are valid for four years, and their expiration date is on September 30th of the fourth year. On the other hand, temporary disability placards are valid for up to 180 days, and may only be renewed once for a period of no more than 180 days.
Furthermore, holders of permanent placards receive a renewal notice at their mailing address when these credentials approach their expiration dates. In any case, drivers wondering how to renew a disability parking permit in Missouri must be mindful that this procedure may be performed by mail or in person at a local DOR office.
How to Renew Disability Placards by Mail
Drivers who wish to renew MO disability placards by mail need to download the required form through the state’s official online portal, then fill it out with the necessary details. When renewing a temporary handicap placard, motorists must not only complete an application form, but also supply a physician’s statement and an acceptable payment method for the applicable fees.
In the case of permanent handicap placards, residents will receive a renewal notice that must be submitted along with a new statement from a physician. As such, applicants must send their handicap placard renewal notices and physician statements to a designated DOR mailing address.
In the case of motorists who are 75 years of age or disabled veterans, a permanent handicap placard renewal procedure will not require a physician statement to be completed and sent. Thus, these applicants must simply send a filled out renewal notice to the MO DOR.
How to Renew Disability Placards in Person
Holders of temporary and permanent disability placards in Missouri may renew these credentials by visiting a local DOR office in person. In addition to the handicap placard renewal notice, motorists may be required to provide a statement completed by a health care professional. Then, an acceptable payment method for applicable handicap placard fees must be submitted along with the application package at a local DOR branch.
How to Replace Disability Placards in Missouri
A Missouri disability placard replacement procedure must be performed when drivers face a lost, stolen, mutilated, destroyed or never received handicap permit. Drivers who are wondering how to replace a handicap placard need to know that they may do so by mail or in person at a DOR office. In any case, both temporary and permanent disability placards may be replaced by preparing the following documents:
- The proper application form.
- A copy of the latest validated receipt for the original placard.
- Payment for the applicable replacement fees.
Note: Applicants who are unable to provide a copy of their latest receipt need to ask a licensed health care professional to complete a new statement for the purposes of obtaining these disability credentials.
How to Replace Disability Placards by Mail
Motorists who want to replace their Missouri handicap placards using the mail-in method are required to prepare the documentation previously mentioned. Then, the necessary paperwork for a Missouri disability placard replacement procedure must be sent to a specific DOR mailing address.
How to Replace Disability Placards in Person
Disabled drivers may opt to replace their disability placards in Missouri by visiting a local DOR branch. As such, applicants must prepare the mandatory documents for a disability placard replacement and submit them in person.
Missouri Disability Placard Fees
In order to finalize a Missouri disabled placard application procedure, motorists need to submit payment for the applicable placard costs. In general, residents are not required to pay handicap placard fees when they apply for, renew or replace a permanent disability credential.
On the other hand, that is not the case for drivers with temporary disabilities, who are eligible for short-term permits. The state’s DOR has established application, renewal and replacement fees for residents to obtain a temporary handicap placard.