2023 New York Laws › VAT - Vehicle and Traffic › Title 4 - Registration of Vehicles › Article 14 - Registration of Motor Vehicles › 404-A - Registration of Motor Vehicles of Severely Disabled Persons.

§ 404-a. Registration  of motor vehicles of severely disabled persons.
1.  Legislative intent. It is the sense of the legislature to facilitate
the usual and special uses of  the  highways  and  other  motor  vehicle
facilities  accorded  to  severely disabled residents of this state. The
commissioner is hereby empowered to issue to such  persons,  upon  their
application,  special  motor  vehicle  registrations, one set of vehicle
identification plates for motor vehicles owned by  such  persons  to  be
used for the transportation of such severely disabled person and one set
of  vehicle  identification  plates for each motor vehicle owned by such
persons and used by a severely disabled member of the owner's family.
2. Registration of vehicles owned by severely  disabled  persons.  The
commissioner  shall  assign to such motor vehicles, including any van or
pick-up truck used for transporting persons with disabilities  which  is
not  used  for commercial purposes, owned by such persons, a distinctive
number and issue and deliver in such  manner  as  the  commissioner  may
select to the owner a certification of registration, in such form as the
commissioner  shall  prescribe  and  two  number plates, called disabled
person  plates.  Said  disabled  person  plates  shall  conform  to  the
requirements of section four hundred one of this chapter, but shall bear
distinctive marks to distinguish them from number plates to be issued to
other  persons,  qualifying under this chapter. The commissioner, in his
discretion, may issue, for any registration year, only one  plate  as  a
set  for a motor vehicle, in which event a set of disabled person plates
for a motor vehicle  shall  consist  of  one  plate.  Where  a  severely
disabled  person owns more than one vehicle and such vehicle or vehicles
is or are used by severely disabled members of the  owner's  family  who
reside  with  the  owner, the commissioner shall issue one set of plates
for each additional vehicle  used  by  such  severely  disabled  person,
provided  that  such user qualifies as a severely disabled person in the
manner required by this section.
3. Registration of vehicles owned by severely disabled  veterans.  The
commissioner  shall assign to such motor vehicles, including any vans or
pick-up trucks used for transporting handicapped veterans which are  not
used  for  commercial purposes and which are owned by such veterans or a
not-for-profit corporation serving such veterans, a  distinctive  number
and  issue  and deliver in such manner as the commissioner may prescribe
to the owner a certification  of  registration,  in  such  form  as  the
commissioner  shall  prescribe  and  two  number plates, called disabled
veteran plates. Said severely disabled veteran plates shall  conform  to
the  requirements of section four hundred one of this chapter, but shall
bear distinctive marks to distinguish them  from  number  plates  to  be
issued to other persons, qualifying under this chapter. The commissioner
in  his discretion, may issue, for any registration year, only one plate
as a set for a motor vehicle, in which event a set of severely  disabled
veteran  plates  for a motor vehicle shall consist of one plate. Where a
severely disabled veteran owns more than one vehicle and such vehicle or
vehicles is or are used by severely  disabled  members  of  the  owner's
family  who  reside with the owner, the commissioner shall issue one set
of plates for each additional vehicle used  by  such  severely  disabled
veteran,  provided  that  such  user  qualifies  as  a severely disabled
veteran in the manner required by this section.  For  purposes  of  this
subdivision,  the term "severely disabled veteran" shall mean any member
of the armed forces of the United States who served in time of  war,  as
defined  in  section  eighty-five  of  the  civil service law, and whose
disability qualifies him  as  a  severely  disabled  person  within  the
meaning of such term as defined in subdivision four of this section.
4.  Issue  of  plates.  The commissioner shall issue sets of plates to
such person in accordance with subdivision  two  of  this  section  with

proof  of  such  disability of such person or such members of his or her
family  certified  by  a  physician,  physician   assistant   or   nurse
practitioner,  to  the  extent  authorized  by  law  and consistent with
subdivision  three  of  section  six  thousand  nine  hundred two of the
education law, or podiatrist pursuant  to  subdivision  four-a  of  this
section  or  optometrist pursuant to subdivision four-b of this section,
to the satisfaction of the commissioner who is empowered  to  carry  out
the effects of this section by formulating rules and regulations.
For  the  purposes of this section, a "severely disabled person" shall
mean any person having any one or more  of  the  following  impairments,
disabilities or conditions which are permanent in nature:
(a) Has limited or no use of one or both lower limbs;
(b) Has a neuro-muscular dysfunction which severely limits mobility;
(c)  Has  a  physical or mental impairment or condition which is other
than those specified above, but is of such nature as to  impose  unusual
hardship  in  utilization  of  public transportation facilities and such
condition is certified by a  physician,  physician  assistant  or  nurse
practitioner,  to  the  extent  authorized  by  law  and consistent with
subdivision three of section  six  thousand  nine  hundred  two  of  the
education  law, duly licensed to practice in this state, or, pursuant to
subdivision four-a of  this  section,  a  podiatrist  duly  licensed  to
practice  podiatry  in  this state or, pursuant to subdivision four-b of
this section, an optometrist duly licensed to practice optometry in this
state, as constituting an equal degree  of  disability  (specifying  the
particular  condition)  so as to prevent such person from getting around
without great difficulty in accordance  with  subdivision  two  of  this
section; or
(d) A blind person.
4-a.  Certification  of  disability by a podiatrist. A podiatrist duly
licensed to practice podiatry in  this  state  may  certify  only  those
conditions  which  he  or  she  treats  in the course of the practice of
podiatry, as defined by section seventy hundred  one  of  the  education
law.
4-b.  Certification  of  disability  by an optometrist. An optometrist
duly licensed to practice optometry in this state may certify only those
conditions which he or she treats in  the  course  of  the  practice  of
optometry,  as  defined  in  section  seventy-one  hundred  one  of  the
education law.
5. Application for registration. (a) The application for  registration
under  this  section  shall  be  filed  with  the  commissioner of motor
vehicles in such form and detail as the  commissioner  shall  prescribe,
setting  forth  such  information  as  the  commissioner  may reasonably
prescribe beyond such information required under  section  four  hundred
one of this chapter.
(b)  The  commissioner  may  require the applicant for registration to
furnish such proof of his or her disability or such proof of  disability
of  such  members  of  his  or  her  family  from a physician, physician
assistant or nurse practitioner, to the extent  authorized  by  law  and
consistent  with  subdivision three of section six thousand nine hundred
two of the education law, or podiatrist pursuant to  subdivision  four-a
of  this  section  or optometrist pursuant to subdivision four-b of this
section,  as  the  commissioner  deems  necessary  either  for   initial
registration  or  renewal thereof; provided, however, that a handicapped
or disabled permit issued by a municipality to such  applicant  pursuant
to  section  twelve  hundred  three-a  of  this  chapter shall be deemed
sufficient proof of disability for purposes of this paragraph.
(c) Application under this section  shall  only  apply  to  a  vehicle
subject  to  registration  pursuant  to  subdivision six of section four

hundred one of this chapter and to a van or pick-up truck as provided in
subdivision two of this section.
6.  Fee  requirements. As provided in section four hundred one of this
chapter,  the  registration  and  disabled  person   plates   shall   be
accompanied  only  by the required fee otherwise required to be paid for
vehicle registration.
7. Refueling notice. Upon the issuance or renewal  of  a  registration
pursuant  to  this section, the commissioner shall notify the registrant
of the availability of full service  motor  vehicle  refueling  at  self
service prices as provided for in section three hundred ninety-six-bb of
the general business law.