(A) Any member of the immediate family of a person who died in a combat zone while a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, motor home, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar that the family member owns or leases and for issuance of "gold star family" license plates for that motor vehicle. The application for "gold star family" license plates may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the completed application and compliance with division (B) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration, a set of "gold star family" license plates with a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, "gold star family" license plates shall be inscribed with a gold star and the words "gold star family." "Gold star family" license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Gold star family" license plates and a validation sticker or, when applicable, a validation sticker alone shall be issued upon submission by the applicant of an application for registration of a motor vehicle under this section, payment of the regular license tax as prescribed under section 4503.04 of the Revised Code, any applicable motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504. of the Revised Code, and any applicable additional fee prescribed by section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code, and compliance with all other applicable laws relating to the registration of motor vehicles.

(C) No person who is not a member of the immediate family of a person who died in a combat zone while a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is such a family member for the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section.

(D) As used in this section, "member of the immediate family" of a person who died in a combat zone while a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States means all of the following:

(1) A spouse;

(2) A parent, stepparent, or other person who acted in loco parentis;

(3) A sibling, whether of the whole or half-blood, or by adoption;

(4) A child, including those by adoption, or a stepchild;

(5) A grandparent.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 159, §1, eff. 9/14/2016.

Effective Date: 2008 SB25 04-25-2008