(a) The department shall, upon application accompanied by a physician's statement, provide and issue a decal or placard of distinctive design indicating that the driver of the vehicle is deaf.

(b) The placard shall be personal to the deaf driver and shall only be used by that person. Any other person using the placard commits a Class A misdemeanor.

(c) These decals shall be placed in the upper corner on the driver's side of the front windshield. When a deaf recipient transfers the automobile, the decal shall be removed, and a new decal shall be issued by the department, without cost to the deaf individual, upon the individual's presenting the department with the used decal.

(d) When the deaf recipient of a decal or placard dies, any decals and placards shall be returned to the commissioner by the responsible representatives of the deceased.

(e) One (1) decal or placard shall be provided free to a deaf individual. If the individual desires both a decal and a placard, or desires a second decal or placard, the department may charge the individual a fee not to exceed five dollars ($5.00) for the decal or placard.

(f)

(1) The department shall, upon application accompanied by a physician's statement, provide and issue registration and registration plates to deaf owners of motor vehicles. The registration plates shall conform to the requirements of § 55-4-103, except that they shall bear a distinctive series of letters and numbers to inform law enforcement officers that the owner of the vehicle is deaf.

(2) The department shall divulge the distinctive series of letters and numbers only to the department of safety and other law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction in this state, and shall not make the information available to the general public.

(3) All applicable registration and licensing fees shall be paid by the deaf owner.

(4) Except as expressly provided by this section, registration and license plates for the deaf shall be issued and renewed in accordance with chapter 4, part 1 of this title.

(5) All law enforcement officers charged with the enforcement of this chapter shall receive, as part of in-service training, instruction in the identification of the special license plates for deaf drivers provided for in this section.