Are you planning the ultimate road trip through the beautiful state of Mississippi? In order to fully explore this southern gem of a state which is home to some of America’s most beloved musicians and greatest literary minds, a road trip around this state is an absolute must.
On this trip, you will have the opportunity to celebrate literary giants, legendary musicians, and civil rights pioneers through a breathtakingly scenic loop through Mississippi from the capital to the coast. You can start your journey of roughly eight hundred miles in the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi, and pass through college towns and rural areas as well as a number of stops from the renowned Mississippi Blues Trail. Your journey will end where it began, in the capital city of Jackson.
The largest city in Mississippi as well as its capital city, Jackson, recently opened two brand new state-of-the-art museums: the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. These museums are both chock full of highly interactive exhibits; you can plan to spend at least a couple of hours at each one. Within the Mississippi Museum of Art is a new farm-to-table restaurant called Preserve, where you can enjoy the riches of this landscape made fertile by the flowing of the mighty Mississippi River.
Drive north via Highway 49 to Indianola to visit the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. B.B. King, the King of the Blues, is buried on the museum grounds. Dockery Farms nearby is a former cotton plantation which became known as the “birthplace of the blues.” Continue driving north and east on Highway 278 in order to reach Tupelo, the city where Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, was born.
Head south on Highway 45 to Meridian to visit the Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum. Then take Interstate 59 south and Highway 49 south to Biloxi to visit a number of attractions including the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum and to relax at the beach. From there, you can return to Jackson by travelling north on Highway 49.
If you are worried that this scenic and culturally packed road trip will be made difficult due to your disability, fear not. The following will show you the steps to take in order to receive a disabled parking permit from the state of Mississippi. Apply for one and avail yourself of the convenient designated disabled parking spaces available to make the most of your road trip through this gorgeous state.
Are You Eligible?
The state of Mississippi considers you eligible for a disabled parking permit if you have a severe impairment that hinders your mobility.
Specifically, if you cannot walk a distance of more than 200 feet without needing to stop and rest or if you can’t walk without using an assistive device like a cane, walker, or crutch, you are considered eligible.
Furthermore, if you have severe lung disease that restricts your breathing, if you have a severe heart condition, if you require the use of a portable oxygen tank, or if you are severely limited in your ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition, you are also eligible for a disabled parking permit.
The logic is that designated disabled parking spaces are located as close as possible to store fronts and other places of business, so if you have great difficulty walking due to one of the above conditions, a parking space that is as close as possible will make your life easier when you are going grocery shopping, visiting your doctor, or even travelling around the state to sightsee.
However, your eligibility will need to be certified by a qualified medical professional. The only ones qualified in the state of Mississippi to make such a determination are licensed physicians and nurse practitioners.
How to Apply
Take the Disabled Parking Application, otherwise known as Form 76-104, to your licensed physician or nurse practitioner and get it completed and signed by him or her.
Once you have the form signed by one of these medical professionals, you must bring it in person (in most cases, although application by mail is acceptable under special circumstances) to your local branch of the Mississippi Department of Revenue office. There, a deputy or a tax collector will help you to fill out the rest of the form and to complete your application.
Pay any fees that may apply. A temporary placard which is good for six months has no fee. Nor does a permanent placard which is good for 5 years. But a permanent license plate which is good for five years requires the standard registration fee. A special Disabled Veterans license plate which is good for five years and is only available to veterans who have become disabled by being wounded through their military service, has a fee of $1. The special veterans plate requires an additional certification by the Veterans Affairs office to show that their disability is 100 percent service related.
Permit Use
License plates must be attached to your vehicle’s back bumper. Placards must be hung from the rearview mirror of your car while you are parked in a disabled parking spot. Remember to remove the placard before beginning to drive, as the placard is not allowed to hang there while the car is in motion.
Permit Renewal and Replacement
Contact your local Mississippi Department of Revenue office in order to determine whether you must renew or replace your permit by mail or in person.
A disability shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying all the wonderful things Mississippi has to offer. Apply today for a disabled parking permit, and enjoy your future road trips!