I had asked my OS for a temp placard but when he completed the paperwork he actually put in for permanent. Guess he was factoring in my previous spine surgery and remaining issues. The folks at the county where you get your plates loved that he filled it all out and basically wrote a prescription for it. Got my placard that same day, free of charge here in Texas. I rarely use it, I have to be having a really, really bad day. Not so much a vanity thing as I know there are lots of older disabled folks around here that need it more than I do.