Getting a Disabled Parking Placard in Potter County

A disabled parking placard isn't something you order online from the state. In Potter County it runs through the same tax office that handles your registration, at 900 S. Polk, Suite 106, on the first floor of the Santa Fe Building in downtown Amarillo. The application is Form VTR-214, and the medical part has to be signed off by your doctor or another health care provider; the office can't take your word for the disability.

There are two flavors. A red placard is for a temporary disability and lasts six months or less. A blue one is for a permanent disability and renews every four years. You fill out the form, have the medical section completed, and hand it in at the county window with any fee due.

The placard belongs to the person, not the car or the family. It's legal to use only when the person with the disability is the one driving or riding along — borrowing Grandma's placard to grab a closer spot while she's at home isn't allowed, and misuse runs up to a $1,250 fine and community service.