Disabled Parking Placards Come From the Hood County Tax Office

Disabled parking placards aren't a doctor's-office or pharmacy item in Texas. They come from the county tax assessor-collector, which in Hood County is the office at 1410 W. Pearl St. in Granbury. The application is TxDMV Form VTR-214, and a doctor or other health care provider has to fill out and sign the disability statement section before it's any good.

The color tells you the term. A red placard is for a temporary disability and expires in six months or less; a blue one is for a permanent condition and renews every four years. Either way it's tied to the person, not the car. It's only legal when the person with the disability is driving or riding along, and misuse carries real fines.

Bring the completed VTR-214 with the provider's section signed when you go to the Pearl Street office, and check ahead on hours and accepted payment so a placard renewal doesn't turn into a second trip.