Missouri lawmakers just signed off on a mobility makeover for drivers with disabilities, unanimously passing House Bill 1827 on April 23, 2026. The measure would let licensed occupational therapists sign the physician's statement needed for disabled license plates or removable windshield placards, and it would stretch the renewal cycle for removable placards from four years to eight. Supporters say that combo cuts down on repeat office visits and paperwork. The bill has cleared both chambers, been enrolled, and is now headed to the governor's desk.
What HB 1827 would change
Under HB 1827, "occupational therapists" would be added to the statutory definition of "other authorized health care practitioner," which means OTs could complete the Physician's Statement that has to accompany an Application for Disabled Person Placard. As laid out in the House bill text, the Department of Revenue would also be instructed to move current valid removable placards onto an eight-year renewal schedule. The plan is to automatically roll them over until every removable placard in the system lines up with the new timetable.
How the paperwork and fees work now
Right now, the Department of Revenue requires an applicant to file an Application for Disabled Person Placard (Form 2769) plus a Physician's Statement (Form 1776) that has to be filled out by a qualifying provider. Agency guidance notes that permanent placards do not carry a fee, while temporary placards cost $2 and can be renewed once for up to six months, according to the Missouri Department of Revenue.
Columbia drivers say accessible spots are tight
On the street, the paperwork is just one piece of the puzzle. Drivers in Columbia told a reporter that curbside accessible spaces downtown fill up quickly, forcing some people to park blocks away just to run errands. The Wayne County Journal-Banner reported that Columbia's budget lists about 100 accessible on-street spaces out of nearly 1,700 downtown spots overall, and residents said the designated spaces are often already taken.
OTs say they already make these determinations
Supporters, including occupational therapists who testified in a House committee, argue that this bill simply catches state law up with what they already do every day. OTs routinely assess a person's functional mobility and safety and say they are well positioned to determine when someone needs a parking accommodation. "Occupational therapists are experts in how people function during daily activities," Maria Lindbergh told lawmakers, according to materials from the Missouri Occupational Therapy Association.
Cost and next steps
The bill's fiscal note pegs the one-time information technology cost for the Department of Revenue at about $29,757 to update systems and forms, and oversight officials say the department could absorb most of the associated workload, per the fiscal note. After clearing the Senate, the measure was enrolled and sent to the governor. Under state practice, the governor has a 45-day window after adjournment to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature, as explained by legislative trackers such as LegiScan.
Supporters call it a simple fix
Advocates describe HB 1827 as a no-cost fix that relieves patients of an extra trip to a physician's office for paperwork they say an occupational therapist is fully qualified to handle. The Wayne County Journal-Banner reports that proponents estimate the change would open up authorization for these forms to roughly 7,000 additional health care professionals if the governor signs the bill.
