A. On receipt of an application, the Commissioner shall issue special license plates to applicants who are veterans who have been certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to have a service-connected disability or unremarried surviving spouses of disabled veterans as defined in § 46.2-100. These license plates shall be special permanent red, white, and blue license plates bearing the letters "DV." The application shall be accompanied by a certification from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that the veteran's disability is service-connected. License plates issued under this subsection shall not permit the vehicles upon which they are displayed to use parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities that limit or impair their ability to walk.

B. On receipt of an application, the Commissioner shall issue special DV disabled parking license plates displaying the international symbol of access in the same size as the numbers and letters on the plate and in a color that contrasts to the background to veterans who are also persons with disabilities that limit or impair their ability to walk as defined in § 46.2-100. The Commissioner shall require that such application be accompanied by a certification signed by a licensed physician, licensed podiatrist, licensed chiropractor, licensed nurse practitioner, or licensed physician assistant to that effect. Special DV disabled parking license plates issued under this subsection shall authorize the vehicles upon which they are displayed to use parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities that limit or impair their ability to walk.

C. No annual registration fee, as prescribed in § 46.2-694, and no annual fee, as set forth in subdivision B 3 of § 46.2-725, shall be required for any one motor vehicle owned and used personally by any disabled veteran as defined in § 46.2-100 or the unremarried surviving spouse of such disabled veteran, provided that such vehicle displays license plates issued under this section.

D. The provisions of subdivisions B 1 and 2 of § 46.2-725 shall not apply to license plates issued under this section.

1972, c. 80, § 46.1-149.1; 1976, c. 410; 1977, c. 167; 1989, c. 727; 1994, c. 866; 1995, c. 747; 1997, cc. 774, 816; 2007, c. 715; 2015, c. 457.