Section 40-2-85.1. Special and distinctive license plates for veterans

   (a) For purposes of this Code section, the term:

   (1) "Military medal award" means the following medals, decorations, or other recognition of honor for military service awarded by a branch of the United States military:

      (A) Medal of Honor;

      (B) Bronze Star Medal;

      (C) Silver Star Medal;

      (D) Distinguished Service Cross;

      (E) Navy Cross;

      (F) Air Force Cross;

      (G) Defense Distinguished Service Medal;

      (H) Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal;

      (I) Distinguished Service Medal;

      (J) Navy Distinguished Service Medal;

      (K) Air Force Distinguished Service Medal;

      (L) Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal;

      (M) Defense Superior Service Medal;

      (N) Legion of Merit;

      (O) Distinguished Flying Cross;

      (P) Purple Heart; and

      (Q) Air Medal.

   (2) "Served during active military combat" means active duty service in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, the Global War on Terrorism as defined by Presidential Executive Order 13289, Section 2, the war in Afghanistan, or the war in Iraq, which includes either Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.

   (3) "Veteran" means a former member of the armed forces of the United States who is discharged from the armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable.

(b) (1) Motor vehicle and trailer owners who are veterans of the armed forces of the United States, or who have received a military medal award, or persons who served during active military combat shall be eligible to receive special and distinctive vehicle license plates for private passenger cars, trucks, or recreational vehicles used for personal transportation. Such license plates shall be issued in compliance with the state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles as prescribed in Article 2 of this chapter.

   (2) (A) Motor vehicle and trailer owners who are veterans or have received a military medal award or served during active military combat shall be issued upon application for and upon compliance with the state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles a veteran's license plate, military medal award recipient license plate, or commemorative service license plate for service during active military combat. One such license plate shall be issued without the requisite registration fee, manufacturing fee, or annual registration fee.

      (B) Each member or former member of the armed forces listed in this subsection shall be entitled to no more than one such free license plate at a time; provided, however, that upon payment of a manufacturing fee of $25.00, a member shall be entitled to one additional such license plate. For each additional license plate for which a $25.00 manufacturing fee is required, there shall be an additional annual registration fee of $25.00 which fee shall be collected by the county tag agent at the time of collection of other registration fees and shall be remitted to the state as provided in Code Section 40-2-34.

(c) The commissioner shall design a veteran's license plate, a military medal award recipient license plate, and a license plate to commemorate service with the United States armed forces during active military combat. The commissioner shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to enforce compliance with all state license laws relating to the use and operation of private passenger cars, trucks, and trailers before issuing these license plates in lieu of the regular Georgia license plates. The manufacturing fee for such special and distinctive license plates shall be $25.00. The commissioner is specifically authorized to promulgate all rules and regulations necessary to ensure compliance in instances where such vehicles have been transferred or sold. Except as provided in subsection (e) of this Code section, such plates shall be nontransferable.

(d) The special and distinctive vehicle license plates shall be as prescribed in Article 2 of this chapter for private passenger cars, trucks, and trailers used for personal transportation. Such plates shall contain such words or symbols, in addition to the numbers and letters prescribed by law, so as to identify distinctively the owners as veterans of the armed forces of the United States, recipients of a military medal award, or persons who served during active military combat and shall additionally identify distinctly the owner as a veteran of one of the following branches of the armed forces: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, or Coast Guard.

(e) The license plate issued pursuant to this Code section shall be transferred between vehicles as provided in Code Section 40-2-80. The spouse of a deceased veteran of the armed forces of the United States or of a deceased person who received a military medal award or who served during active military combat shall continue to be eligible to be issued a distinctive personalized license plate as provided in this Code section for any vehicle owned by such veteran ownership of which is transferred to the surviving spouse or for any other vehicle owned by such surviving spouse either at the time of the qualifying veteran's death or acquired thereafter, so long as such person does not remarry.

(f) Special license plates issued under this Code section, except as provided in subparagraph (b)(2)(A) of this Code section, shall be renewed annually with a revalidation decal as provided in Code Section 40-2-31 without payment of an additional $25.00 annual registration fee.

Code 1981, § 40-2-85.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1991, p. 1036, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 779, § 15; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2785, § 1.1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 413, § 4; Ga. L. 1994, p. 564, § 3; Ga. L. 1997, p. 419, § 31; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1179, § 27; Ga. L. 2001, p. 479, § 1; Ga. L. 2007, p. 668, § 2/SB 81; Ga. L. 2012, p. 155, § 5/HB 732; Ga. L. 2013, p. 141, § 40/HB 79; Ga. L. 2013, p. 265, § 2/SB 121.