Driver’s Licenses and Personal IDs
This page shares information about Driver's Licenses and State Identification Cards for people with disabilities in Texas. Nothing on this page should be considered as legal advice.
On this page:
Personal Identification Cards
Issuance of State Identification Cards (Texas Transportation Code, Section 521.101 - 521.102)
Surrender of Driver's License (Texas Transportation Code, Section 521.183)
- Allows the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to issue personal identification cards in addition to driver's licenses.
- Provides that no individual, corporation, or association may deny access to goods, services, or facilities to individuals who have personal identification cards instead of driver's licenses.
- Requires an applicant to surrender their driver's license to receive a state identification card.
Medical Information
Medical Information and Emergency Contact Database (Texas Transportation Code, Section 521.142)
Communication Impediments (Texas Transportation Code, Section 521.1251-521.1252)
- Requires the Texas Department of Public Safety to maintain a database for emergency contacts and medical information.
- Allows applicants to place information about health conditions that may impede communication with a peace officer on driver’s licenses.
- Prohibits sharing of this information except to a peace officer that is authorized to obtain information in the file, and only for specific purposes:
- Informing the listed contact about the card holder's death or injuries.
- Learning the nature of any medical information reported by the card holder.
- Learning whether the card holder has a health condition that may impede communications with them.
- Allows the card holder to amend this information by submitting an electronic form on the Department of Public Safety's website.
- Offers an option where applicants can request "communication impediment" or "deaf/hard of hearing" to be placed on their license or identification card.
Driver License Ineligibility
Ineligibility (Texas Transportation Code, Section 521.201)
Revocation of License (Texas Transportation Code, Section 521.294)
Appeal Process (Texas Transportation Code, Section 521.308)
- Allows the Department of Public Safety to refuse to issue a license to a person who has been judged by a court to be totally incapacitated or incapacitated to act as the operator of a motor vehicle unless the person has been restored to capacity by judicial decree or released from the hospital for the mentally incapacitated on a certificate by the superintendent or administrator of the hospital that the person has regained capacity.
- Provides the Department of Public Safety the ability to determine a person to be afflicted with a mental or physical disabilty or disease that prevents from exercising reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle while operating it on the highway. A person may not be refused a license because of a physical defect if common experience shows that the defect does not prevent the person from safely operating a motor vehicle.
- Requires the Department of Public Safety to revoke a person's license if it is determined that the person is incapable of safely operating a motor vehicle, has failed to provide medical records or undergo medical examinations required by the medical advisory board, and/or has failed to pass an examination required by the director. Other reasons for revocation include noncompliance with the terms of a citation or committing an offense that is grounds for revocation.
- Allows a person to appeal a suspension or revocation that has been sustained by the presiding officer of a hearing. The petition for an appeal must be no later than the 30th day after the date on which the department order was entered in the county court at law where the person resides. The petition must be submitted to the Department of Public Safety as a file-stamped copy that is certified by the clerk of the court in which the petition is filed.
Safety Belt
(Texas Transportation Code, Section 545.413(e))
- Allows individuals to defend against a violation of the safety belt requirement with have a written statement from a licensed physician stating that for a medical reason the person should not wear a safety belt.
Contact
Texas Department of Public Safety (Online Services and FAQ)
Assistance for People with Disabilities (DPS Accommodations)
(512) 424-2600 (DPS Customer Service)