(a) Motor vehicle owners who are veterans of the armed forces of the United States who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, shall be eligible to receive special and distinctive vehicle license plates for private passenger cars, trucks, or recreational vehicles used for personal transportation, provided that the requisite number of applications are received by the commissioner as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section. Such license plates shall be issued in compliance with the state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles as prescribed in Article 2 of this chapter.

(b) A veteran who qualifies for the special and distinctive license plate pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section shall make application therefor with the commissioner and include the requisite fee. The commissioner shall design a distinctive license plate as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section and issue the distinctive license plates to present and future qualifying applicants. There shall be no minimum required number of applicants for such distinctive license plate. The commissioner shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to enforce compliance with all state license laws relating to the use and operation of private passenger cars and trucks before issuing these license plates in lieu of the regular Georgia license plates. The manufacturing fee for such special and distinctive license plates shall be $25.00. The commissioner is specifically authorized to promulgate all rules and regulations necessary to ensure compliance in instances where such vehicles have been transferred or sold. Except as provided in subsection (d) of this Code section, such plates shall be nontransferable.

(c) The special and distinctive vehicle license plates shall be as prescribed in Article 2 of this chapter for private passenger cars or trucks used for personal transportation. Additional words or symbols, in addition to the numbers and letters prescribed by law, shall be inscribed upon such license plates so as to identify distinctively the owner as a survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

(d) The license plate issued pursuant to this Code section shall be transferred between vehicles as provided in Code Section 40-2-80. The spouse of a deceased survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, shall continue to be eligible to be issued a distinctive personalized license plate as provided in this Code section for any vehicle owned by such veteran ownership of which is transferred to the surviving spouse or for any other vehicle owned by such surviving spouse either at the time of the qualifying veteran's death or acquired thereafter, so long as such person does not remarry.

(e) Special license plates issued under this Code section shall be renewed annually with a revalidation decal as provided in Code Section 40-2-31. It shall be a requirement that a county name decal shall be affixed and displayed on license plates issued under this Code section.

(f) Any resident motor vehicle owner who is the spouse or legal guardian of a person who is disabled as prescribed in this Code section shall be authorized to obtain such specialized plates for such vehicle.