Section 40-2-69. Free license plates and revalidation decals for certain disabled veterans

   (a) Any veteran who was discharged under honorable conditions and who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States or on active duty in a reserve component of the United States, including the National Guard, shall, upon application therefor, be issued a free motor vehicle license plate upon presentation of proof that such veteran is receiving or that he or she is entitled to receive a statutory award from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for:

   (1) Loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet;

   (2) Loss or permanent loss of use of one or both hands;

   (3) Loss of sight in one or both eyes; or

   (4) Permanent impairment of vision of both eyes of the following status: central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye, with corrective glasses, or central visual acuity of more than 20/200 if there is a field defect in which the peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends on angular distance no greater than 20 degrees in the better eye.

(b) Any veteran who was discharged under honorable conditions and who has been adjudicated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being 100 percent totally disabled and entitled to receive service connected benefits shall, upon application therefor, be issued a free motor vehicle license plate upon presentation of proof that he or she is receiving or that he or she is entitled to receive benefits for a 100 percent service connected disability, as long as he or she is 100 percent disabled. A veteran who claims that such 100 percent total disability is permanent shall furnish proof of such permanent disability through a letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

(c) (1) Once a veteran has established his or her eligibility to receive free motor vehicle license plates as a result of being permanently disabled, he or she shall be entitled to receive free plates or free revalidation decals in succeeding years on any automobile, private passenger pickup truck, motorcycle, station wagon, or van type vehicle of three-quarter tons or less that he or she may own or jointly with his or her spouse own or acquire in the future.

   (2) Once a veteran has established his or her eligibility to receive free motor vehicle license plates as a result of having a 100 percent total disability which has not been determined to be a permanent disability, he or she shall be entitled to receive free plates or free revalidation decals in succeeding years upon furnishing, on an annual basis, proof of such 100 percent disability through a letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Such free plates or free revalidation decals shall apply to any automobile, private passenger pickup truck, motorcycle, station wagon, or van type vehicle of three-quarter tons or less that he or she may own or jointly with his or her spouse own or acquire in the future.

   (3) (A) Two license plates or revalidation decals each year shall be furnished for vehicles other than motorcycles to veterans qualifying under this Code section unless the originals are lost. Such plates shall be fastened to both the front and the rear of the vehicle.

      (B) One license plate or revalidation decal each year shall be furnished for motorcycles to veterans qualifying under this Code section unless the original is lost. Such plate shall be fastened to the rear of the vehicle.

   (4) In the event of the death of the person who received the special license plates pursuant to this Code section, upon complying with the motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles, his or her surviving spouse may continue to receive the free special license plates and revalidation decals until the death of the surviving spouse.

Ga. L. 1956, p. 336, § 1; Ga. L. 1957, p. 69, § 1; Ga. L. 1959, p. 349, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 554, § 1; Ga. L. 1965, p. 325, § 1; Ga. L. 1968, p. 1211, § 1; Ga. L. 1970, p. 315, § 1; Ga. L. 1970, p. 316, § 1; Ga. L. 1975, p. 720, § 1; Code 1981, § 40-2-68; Ga. L. 1985, p. 149, § 40; Ga. L. 1990, p. 45, § 1; Code 1981, § 40-2-69, as redesignated by Ga. L. 1990, p. 2048, § 2; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1498, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 393, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1559, § 3; Ga. L. 2007, p. 668, § 1/SB 81.