Sec. 803e.

(1) A person who has been a prisoner of war or a person whose spouse has been a prisoner of war may make application to the secretary of state for a special registration plate that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by the letters "EX-POW" and shall have the words "ex-prisoner of war" inscribed beneath the registration number.

(2) A person who was a member of the armed services during World War I may make application to the secretary of state for a special registration plate, that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by the letters "WWI" and shall have the words "World War I veteran" inscribed beneath the registration number.

(3) A person who was a member of the armed services during 1941, stationed at a United States military or naval establishment at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian islands, and who survived the attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 may make application to the secretary of state for a special registration plate, that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers and shall have the words "Pearl Harbor survivor" inscribed beneath the registration number.

(4) A person who is a recipient of the purple heart medal may make application to the secretary of state for a special registration plate that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers and shall have the words "combat wounded veteran" inscribed beneath the registration number. In addition, the special registration plate described under this subsection shall be inscribed with a vignette of the official purple heart medal.

(5) Application for a special registration plate shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, and shall be accompanied by any proof of the applicant having been a prisoner of war, World War I veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor, recipient of the purple heart medal that the secretary of state may require. Application for a "Gold Star Family" special registration plate described in subsection (9) shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall be accompanied by any proof of the applicant having been a gold star family member that the secretary of state may require. The application for a special registration plate shall also be accompanied with payment of a $5.00 service fee.

(6) Upon proper application and payment of the $5.00 service fee, the secretary of state shall issue 1 or more special registration plates for each applicant for use on a passenger vehicle. A person who is disabled who makes application for a special registration plate under this section and who makes payment of the $5.00 service fee shall be issued a tab for persons with disabilities as provided in section 803f for his or her special registration plate. The secretary of state shall require the same proof that the applicant is a disabled person as is required for issuance of a permanent windshield placard under section 675. One person in any household is entitled to 1 special registration plate issued under subsection (1) that is exempt from payment of the tax provided in section 801. The person who is issued an additional special registration plate under subsection (1) shall be assessed the applicable tax provided for in section 801. A person issued 1 or more special registration plates under subsection (2), (3), (4), or (9) shall be assessed the applicable tax provided in section 801.

(7) The use of a special registration plate on a vehicle other than the vehicle for which the plate is issued, or by a person who does not qualify under this section, is a misdemeanor.

(8) The special registration plate issued under this section expires on the birthday of the vehicle owner in a year in which new plates are issued by the secretary of state. Application for renewal of the special registration plate shall be accompanied by a $5.00 service fee. The applicant is not required to furnish the proof provided in subsection (5).

(9) A gold star family member may make application to the secretary of state for a special registration plate that shall be inscribed with special identification numbers preceded by a gold star and shall have the words "Gold Star Family" inscribed beneath the registration number.

(10) As used in this section, "gold star family member" means a person who has had an immediate family member die while serving in the United States armed forces or in forces incorporated as part of the United States armed forces if the immediate family member meets any of the eligibility criteria specified in 10 USC 1126(a)(1) to (3) for a gold star lapel button.

History: Add. 1982, Act 152, Imd. Eff. May 17, 1982 ;-- Am. 1986, Act 260, Imd. Eff. Dec. 9, 1986 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 148, Eff. Nov. 11, 1988 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 149, Eff. Nov. 11, 1988 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 150, Eff. Nov. 11, 1988 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 104, Eff. Oct. 1, 1994 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 68, Imd. Eff. May 4, 1998 ;-- Am. 2003, Act 30, Imd. Eff. June 30, 2003 ;-- Am. 2011, Act 46, Eff. July 1, 2011