(A) An identification placard must be issued to a hearing impaired licensed driver upon application. The application is to be on a form prescribed by the department and may be made in person or by mail. The application must include an original certificate from a licensed physician, as defined in Section 40-47-5, that the applicant has a permanent, uncorrectable hearing loss of forty decibels or more in one or both ears. No licensed applicant may be denied a placard if the completed application includes an original certificate from a licensed physician. The placard shall expire on the licensee's birth date of the fifth calendar year after the calendar year in which a hearing impaired driver is issued a license.

(B) The placard must be rectangular in shape, approximately the same size as an average motor vehicle sun visor, as determined by the department, to enable it to be attached to a sun visor in a motor vehicle. The department shall determine the shape, size preferred, and manner in which a hearing impaired motorcycle operator is to carry or display the placard. The placard must contain the heading "Hearing Impaired Driver" in boldface type and the name, signature, and driver's license number of the hearing impaired person along with an explanation of appropriate use if the hearing impaired driver is stopped by a law enforcement officer while driving.

(C) A fee not to exceed five dollars may be charged to each applicant issued a placard in accordance with this section. These fees must be placed by the Comptroller General into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167.

HISTORY: 2012 Act No. 147, Section 3.B, eff April 23, 2012; 2016 Act No. 275 (S.1258), Section 32, eff July 1, 2016.