(a) Severely disabled veteran plate.--On the application of a veteran whose service-connected disability is certified at 100% by the service unit of the armed forces in which the veteran served or by the United States Veterans' Administration or who has a service-connected disability of the type enumerated in section 1338 (relating to person with disability plate and placard), the department shall issue a special registration plate designating the vehicle as belonging to a severely disabled veteran. The registration plate shall have a white background, shall have blue numbers or letters as the department may determine, shall have the words "disabled veteran" in at least ten-point bold type inscribed in red at the bottom of the plate and shall include the international symbol for access for persons with disabilities. A special registration plate issued to a veteran under this section may be used only on a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds. In the case of a motorcycle, the department shall issue a decal containing the international symbol for access for persons with disabilities and the words "disabled veteran" for display on the registration plate.

(b) Severely disabled veteran placard.--On the application of any person who meets the qualifications of subsection (a), the department shall issue one special parking placard of such size and design as the department shall specify, designating the vehicle in which it is displayed as being used for the transportation of a severely disabled veteran. When parking the designated vehicle, the severely disabled veteran parking placard shall be prominently displayed so that it may be viewed from the front and rear of the vehicle by hanging it from the front windshield rearview mirror of a vehicle only when that vehicle is utilizing a parking space reserved for persons with disabilities. When there is no rearview mirror, or the placard is not designed in such a manner to accommodate hanging from a rearview mirror, the placard shall be prominently displayed on the dashboard of the vehicle when it is in use for the transportation of such severely disabled veteran. Placards may also be issued for use in vehicles when operated for the use and benefit of severely disabled veterans provided that a severely disabled veteran is being transported in the vehicle.

(c) Disabled veteran plates.--On the application of any veteran having a disability certified by the service unit of the armed forces in which the veteran served or by the United States Veterans' Administration as service-connected, the department shall issue a special registration plate designating the vehicle as belonging to a disabled veteran. The registration plate shall have a white background, shall have numbers or letters as the department may determine and shall have the words "disabled veteran" in at least ten-point bold type inscribed at the bottom of the plate. A special registration plate issued to a veteran under this section may be used only on a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds.

(d) Prisoner of war plate.--On the application of an ex-prisoner of war whose imprisonment while in the service of the armed forces of the United States is certified by the appropriate branch of the armed forces, the department shall issue a special registration plate designating the vehicle as belonging to an ex-prisoner of war. The registration plate shall contain the letters "POW" and such other numbers or letters as the department may determine and shall have the words "prisoner of war" in at least ten-point bold type inscribed at the bottom of the plate. A special registration plate issued to an ex-prisoner of war under this subsection may be used only on a passenger car or truck with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds.

(e) Documentation of eligibility.--The department may require current holders of disabled veteran registration plates and placards to provide documentation of their eligibility under this section where current documentation is not sufficient.

(f) Return of plates and placard.--Upon the death of a veteran to whom a severely disabled veteran plate or placard has been issued under this section, the severely disabled veteran plate or placard shall be void 30 days after death and shall not be displayed on any vehicle. The personal representative of the deceased shall return the plate to the department. If there is no personal representative, the spouse or, if there is no spouse, the next of kin of the deceased shall return the plate or placard to the department.

(July 11, 1980, P.L.550, No.113, eff. 60 days; July 10, 1981, P.L.250, No.82, eff. imd.; May 9, 1986, P.L.158, No.51, eff. 60 days; Dec. 11, 1986, P.L.1530, No.166, eff. 60 days; Apr. 29, 1994, P.L.148, No.25, eff. imd.; Dec. 15, 1995, P.L.655, No.72, eff. 60 days; Dec. 21, 1998, P.L.1126, No.151, eff. 60 days; Dec. 18, 2007, P.L.436, No.67, eff. 60 days; July 2, 2014, P.L.988, No.109, eff. 60 days)

2014 Amendment. Act 109 amended subsecs. (a), (c) and (d).

1998 Amendment. Act 151 amended subsecs. (a), (b), (c) and (d).

1995 Amendment. Act 72 added subsec. (f).

Cross References. Section 1342 is referred to in sections 1341.1, 1346, 3354 of this title.