Express line and priority turns: who qualifies and where

It is one law that replaced three. Act 354-2000 gave priority turns to people with physical, mental or sensory limitations, and was broadened by amendments to elderly people and pregnant women. Act 51-2001 created the "express service line". And Act 86-1997 established the preferred turn for anyone travelling between Puerto Rico, Vieques or Culebra who must return the same day. Article 9 of Act 297-2018 repealed all three and integrated them into a single piece, so today the correct citation is this law and not those. Later amendments — Acts 163-2019, 160-2025 and 99-2026 — are incorporated in the OGP compilation we cite.

People with impairments, as certified by the Department of Transportation and Public Works or by any state or federal government authority empowered by law to certify people with impairments. People sixty (60) or older, duly identified with any proof of age issued by a state or federal government authority. Pregnant women, when running errands in person. Veterans, as defined by Act 203-2007 (Bill of Rights of the 21st Century Veteran), identified with a card or any other proof of status issued by a competent government authority. And anyone with pending matters, errands or interviews — for themselves or a relative — who travelled between, and must return to, Puerto Rico, Vieques or Culebra by sea or air on the same day. The system also applies to those who come accompanied by relatives or guardians, to those acting on a beneficiary’s behalf exclusively in their favour, and to relatives, guardians or people accompanied by a person with an impairment, regardless of whose errand it is.

• Person with an impairment: certification from DTOP or any state or federal authority empowered by law to certify people with impairments.Verified against the official source
• Person 60 or older: any proof of age issued by a state or federal government authority.Verified against the official source
• Veteran: a card or any other proof of status, issued by a competent government authority.Verified against the official source
• Vieques or Culebra traveller: arrive no later than one (1) hour before service ends, and present a ticket or other document proving the same-day return.Verified against the official source

Information pending verification.

1. 1

   Step 1: Look for the sign — and if it is missing, that is your first evidence

   Every agency, public corporation, municipality, the Legislative Branch and every private entity receiving public funds must post, in an area visible to the public at eye level, a sign legible from ten (10) feet, no smaller than 11" x 14" with letters at least half an inch, reading: "EXPRESS LINE AND PRIORITY TURNS — For people with impairments, people sixty (60) or older, veterans, people who travelled between, and must return to, the islands of Puerto Rico, Vieques or Culebra by sea or air on the same day, and/or pregnant women". It must be made in compliance with the pertinent sections of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.

2. 2

   Step 2: Identify yourself on arrival, not in the queue

   The law creates no form and no prior procedure: the right is exercised on the spot, with the identification matching your group. For a person with an impairment, the DTOP certification or another authorized authority’s; for those 60 or older, any government proof of age; for veterans, the card or proof of status; for a pregnant woman, the law asks that she be running the errand in person.

3. 3

   Step 3: If you are accompanying someone, the right is yours too

   This is the part most often missed. The system applies to beneficiaries who come by themselves or accompanied by relatives or guardians, and to people running errands on their behalf, exclusively in their favour. And there is a broader rule still: it applies to relatives, guardians or people accompanied by a person with an impairment, regardless of whether the errand is for them or for the person with the impairment.

4. 4

   Step 4: From Vieques or Culebra: arrive early and bring the ticket

   This preferred turn has its two conditions written into the law: arrive no later than one (1) hour before service hours end, and present the tickets or any other document proving the return must be the same day. The law also requires every ticket for that trip to carry, printed on the front or back in legible type — even with a rubber stamp — the notice that government offices, municipalities, public corporations, the Legislative Branch and private entities with public funds will grant a preferred turn in that case.

5. 5

   Step 5: If you are refused

   The law places enforcement with three offices: the Ombudsman for People with Disabilities, the Office of the Veterans Advocate and the Office of the Elderly Advocate are charged with overseeing compliance. And Article 8 backs it with a penalty: any natural or juridical person who refuses to guarantee the priorities, interferes with their application, or declares false facts to claim the benefits commits a misdemeanour, with a fine of no less than $250 and no more than $500, earmarked for the Accrued Pensions Payment Account.

On site, at any agency or public corporation of the Government of Puerto Rico, at municipalities, at the Legislative Branch and at private entities receiving public funds that offer direct services to citizens. The Judicial Branch sets up its own system according to its administrative structure, applicable only to its administrative and non-adjudicative public-service functions. To report non-compliance, the three offices the law charges with oversight are the Ombudsman for People with Disabilities, the Office of the Veterans Advocate and the Office of the Elderly Advocate.

• Believing it is only for the elderly and people with impairments: the law includes veterans, pregnant women and Vieques and Culebra travellers.
• Not knowing the companion of a person with an impairment also has the turn, whoever the errand is for.
• Arriving late as a Vieques or Culebra traveller: you must arrive an hour before service closes and bring the ticket.
• Citing Act 354-2000, 86-1997 or 51-2001, all repealed by this one.
• Asking for it at the Property Registry, expressly excluded by Article 6.
• Thinking it applies only to state agencies: it covers municipalities, the Legislative Branch and private entities receiving public funds.

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

• Portal de Servicios del Gobierno de Puerto Rico (PR.gov)

  PR.gov

  bvirtualogp.pr.gov

• Government of Puerto Rico portal

  Gobierno de Puerto Rico

  www.pr.gov