(A) Any hearing-impaired person may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for an identification card identifying the person as hearing-impaired. The application for a hearing-impaired identification card shall be accompanied by a signed statement from the applicant's personal physician certifying that the applicant is hearing-impaired. Upon receipt of the application for the identification card and the signed statement from the applicant's personal physician, and upon presentation by the applicant of the applicant's driver's or commercial driver's license or motorcycle operator's license,the registrar shall issue the applicant an identification card. A hearing-impaired person may also apply for a hearing-impaired identification card at the time the person applies for a driver's or commercial driver's license or motorcycle operator's license or endorsement. Every hearing-impaired identification card shall expire on the same date that the cardholder's driver's or commercial driver's license or motorcycle operator's license expires.

(B) The hearing-impaired identification card shall be rectangular in shape, approximately the same size as an average motor vehicle sun visor, as determined by the registrar, to enable the identification card to be attached to a sun visor in a motor vehicle. The identification card shall contain the heading "Identification Card for the Hearing-impaired Driver" in boldface type, the name and signature of the hearing-impaired person to whom it is issued, an identifying number, and instructions on the actions the hearing-impaired person should take and the actions the person should refrain from taking in the event the person is stopped by a law enforcement officer while operating the motor vehicle. The registrar shall determine the preferred manner in which a hearing-impaired motorcycle operator should carry or display the hearing-impaired identification card, and the color and composition of, and any other information to be included on, the identification card.

(C) As used in this section, "hearing-impaired" means a hearing loss of forty decibels or more in one or both ears.

Effective Date: 07-13-1990; 09-16-2004.