(1) Any legal resident of the State of Mississippi who is a veteran of service in the Armed Forces of the United States and is rated as having service-connected disability by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, but who is not rated as having one hundred percent (100%) permanent service-connected disability by such department, is privileged to obtain annually under this section a distinctive license tag for any motor vehicle registered in his name upon payment of the road and bridge privilege taxes, ad valorem taxes and registration fees as prescribed by law for private carriers of passengers, pickup trucks and other noncommercial motor vehicles. The distinctive license tag so issued shall be of such color and design as the Department of Revenue may prescribe and shall consist of such letters or numbers, or both, as may be necessary to distinguish each license tag or plate. The registration year of such motor vehicle shall commence the first day of the month in which application for registration is made, as provided in Section 27-19-31.

(2) Application for the distinctive license tags authorized by this section shall be made to the county tax collector on forms prescribed by the Department of Revenue. Proof of ownership of a particular motor vehicle for which a license tag is requested must be shown at time of application for such tag.

(3) A regular license tag must be properly displayed as required by law until replaced by a distinctive license tag under this section. The regular license tag must be surrendered to the tax collector upon issuance of the distinctive license tag under this section. The tax collector shall issue up to two (2) license decals for each distinctive license tag issued under this section, which will expire the same month and year as the regular license tag. A license tag issued under this section shall not be transferable to any other person.