Disability license plate processes for tribe, state differ slightly

May 16—The process of getting a disability license plate from the State of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation varies slightly, but both entities require an existing disability placard and certain documentation.

"For handicap license plate, they have to have a current [disability] placard and fill out a form and mail it in to Service Oklahoma in Oklahoma City," said Fort Gibson Tag Agent Barry Steveson.

Applications can also be started online or at a physician's office, but all three methods require information from a applicant's physician.

Service Oklahoma no longer offers lifetime permanent disability placards, only five-year and temporary placards valid for a maximum of six months. As Steveson said, disability license plates are available for those with current five-year placards and are valid for a year. A current driver's license is also required and applicants fill out a form available at: https://oklahoma.gov/service/all-services/auto-vehicle/physically-disabled-lp.html.

To receive their plates same day, the applicant must make an appointment at Service Oklahoma headquarters. They can also visit a licensed operator location — also known as a tag agency — after which they will receive their new plate after 20 business days.

Service Oklahoma replaced the previous system when House Bill 3419 was signed into law May 19, 2022.

"Historically, disabled Oklahomans needing a disability parking placard went through an antiquated 10-step process that required an in-person visit to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Headquarters in Oklahoma City, meaning people living outside the city would have faced long travel times," said Jay Doyle, Service Oklahoma chief executive officer, when the new division won the 2022 Innovations in State Government award. "Additionally, once submitted there was no way to track their application, which often averaged one to two months to process."

According to the September 2022 press release, the new application shortened wait times by 80% and eliminated 60% of the required steps.

The process for applying for a Cherokee Nation handicapped tag begins once the individual has received a disability placard, which CN Tax Commission Administrator Sharon Swepston said is itself issued by the State of Oklahoma.

"In order to get a handicapped tag, the Cherokee Nation citizen has to bring in all required documents; for example, for a renewal they would need their insurance verification and their placard issued from the state of Oklahoma," said Swepston.

Swepston said the placard is verified that it is issued in the citizen's name from Oklahoma Tax Commission before Cherokee Nation issues the tag.

"If it is a new registration, they would need all the documents listed on our website and their placard," said Swepston. "They can also get a handicap tag if they are the caregiver/driver for a citizen with a disability, but there are affidavits that must be completed by the citizen with the placard in order to do this."

Over the past few months, a handful of people have called the Daily Press to complain that either the tribe or the state is handing out plates to people who aren't really disabled. State officials point out that physicians make the decisions on whether a person is eligible for a disability plate or placard, not a tribal nation or state.

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