Ohio's Keith's Law: What Families Should Know About the Disability Verification Form

The HB 144 Disability Verification Form is a voluntary registration document that:

• Adds a person (or their license plate number) to a statewide database accessible by participating county 9-1-1 systems

• Requires sign-off from a qualifying medical or clinical provider confirming a diagnosed disability

• Can be completed by the individual with the disability, or by a parent/legal guardian if the individual is a minor

• Allows registration of multiple license plate numbers — useful for families, caregivers, or transportation providers who regularly drive the individual

• Results in a confirmation receipt sent to the email provided on the form

• Can be updated any time a vehicle or license plate changes (a new form is required for each addition or removal)

How the information is used: When a 9-1-1 call involves a registered individual or vehicle, dispatchers and responding officers, EMS, or firefighters in participating counties are notified that a disability is on file — helping them adjust their approach, communication, and expectations during the interaction.

This is where a lot of confusion tends to happen, so it's worth being direct:

• It is not a diagnosis or a disability determination. It doesn't grant benefits, services, accommodations, or legal disability status of any kind.

• It does not disclose your specific diagnosis to police. Officers are only informed that the person has a registered disability — not what the disability is.

• It is not mandatory. Registration is entirely voluntary; choosing not to register has no legal consequence.

• It is not a public record. Per Ohio Revised Code 5502.08, information submitted is not accessible to the public.

• It is not a substitute for other safety tools, such as the Blue Envelope Program, medical alert jewelry, or a written communication plan — many families use these tools together, not as replacements for one another.

• It is not processed instantly — there's a manual verification and mailing/submission step, so it shouldn't be relied on as an immediate safety measure while pending.

1. Download the form:HB 144 Disability Verification Form (PDF)

2. Have it signed by a qualifying provider: physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner

3. Submit the completed form using one of the following methods:

   • Mail: Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Attn: Remittance/DPU, PO Box 16521, Columbus, OH 43216-6521

   • Email:VIS-Administration@dps.ohio.gov

   • In person: Any Ohio BMV Deputy Registrar location

   Watch for confirmation: A receipt will be emailed to the address listed on the form once it's processed

Do I have to disclose my specific medical condition? No. You do not disclose personal medical details to law enforcement. A qualifying provider must sign the form confirming a diagnosed condition, but the diagnosis itself isn't shared with responders.

Will police know what disability I have? No. Officers are informed only that a registered individual has a disability — not the nature of it.

What if I use a transportation provider or ride with someone else regularly? The individual with the disability still completes and submits the form, and can list the license plate numbers of vehicles they frequently ride in — including a provider's or caregiver's vehicle.

Is this the same as the Blue Envelope Program? No — they're separate, complementary tools. The Blue Envelope Program is a physical envelope kept in a vehicle with personal/emergency information, while Keith's Law creates a digital record accessible to 9-1-1 systems. Many families choose to use both.

Is my information public? No. Per Ohio law, information submitted through this database is not a public record.