Motor Vehicle Disability

Reference Material for Disabled Person License Plate/Placard Application

Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 55-21-101 through 55-21-108

For Disabled Person License Plate/Placard Application, click here.

 (1) A disabled person is:

• one who is disabled by paraplegia, amputation of leg, foot or both hands, or other condition, certified by a physician duly licensed to practice medicine, resulting in an equal degree of disability (specifying the particular condition) so as not to be able to get about without great difficulty, including impairments that, regardless of cause or manifestation, confine such person to a wheelchair or cause such person to be so ambulatory disabled that he or she cannot walk two hundred feet (200') without stopping to rest and includes, but is not limited to, those persons using braces or crutches, arthritics, spastics and those with pulmonary or cardiac ills who may be semi-ambulatory;"
• the owner of a motor vehicle with vision of not more than 20/200 with correcting glasses.
• the owner of a motor vehicle who is so ambulatory disabled that he or she cannot walk two hundred feet (200') without stopping to rest and who is seeking treatment and/or healing solely by prayer through spiritual means in the practice of religion in accordance with the creeds or tenets of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts. Such condition shall be certified by a Christian Science practitioner listed in The Christian Science Journal as resulting in a degree of disability so that such person is not able to get about without great difficulty.

(2) One (1) registration and license plate shall be provided free to those disabled persons who are permanently and totally confined to a wheelchair, when so certified by a physician's statement.

(3) Any owner or lessee of a motor vehicle who is permanently disabled as certified by a physician licensed to practice medicine, a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner acting in conjunction with a written protocol developed jointly by a physician, or a Christian Science practitioner OR any owner or lessee of a motor vehicle who is the parent or legal guardian of a person who is permanently disabled and who is incapable of operating a motor vehicle, qualifies for a disabled person license plate.

(4) Permanent and temporary placards shall be issued by the participating county clerks.

Permanent placards

• may be issued to persons who are permanently disabled as noted on the physician's statement;
• may be issued to the parent or legal guardian of a permanently disabled individual;
• shall cost the same as the regular fee for passenger motor vehicles;
• shall expire two (2) years from the date issued.

Temporary placards

• may be issued to persons who are temporarily disabled by a non-ambulatory or semi-ambulatory condition due to surgery, bone fracture or breakage, or similar condition, and whose temporary disabling condition and the estimated duration of such condition is noted on the physician's statement;
• shall cost $10.00 for the initial placard issuance and subsequent renewals;
• shall be issued for the estimated duration of the condition, but not in excess of six (6) months;
• the use of a "prescription pad" statement can also be used as evidence to determine eligibility for a temporary placard if it is attached to form RV-1310301 and describes the mobility disabilities as "non-ambulatory" or "semi-ambulatory".

NOTE: An affidavit must accompany this application when replacing a lost or stolen placard. If the placard is mutilated, the remaining portion of the placard must also accompany the application.

Disabled Veteran Wheel Tax Exemption

Per TCA 5-8-102, any disabled veteran who has one hundred percent (100%) permanent total disability is exempt from the motor vehicle privilege tax (wheel tax) upon submission of evidence of such disability. Proof of a 100% rating (i.e., signed VA letter) must be submitted at time of application. No refunds will be issued after application has been processed.