(A) The department may issue a "Veteran" special motor vehicle license plate for use on a private passenger motor vehicle, as defined in Section 56-3-630, or motorcycle as defined in Section 56-3-20, registered in a person's name in this State who served in the United States Armed Forces, active or reserve components, and who was honorably discharged from service. An application for this special motor vehicle license plate must include official military documentation showing the applicant was honorably discharged from service. Only four plates may be issued to a person.

(B) The requirements for production, collection and distribution of fees for a special license plate under this section are those set forth in Section 56-3-8100. The biennial fee for this plate is the regular registration fee set forth in Article 5, Chapter 3 of this title. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall imprint the special license plates with the word "Veteran", with numbers the department may determine.

(C) A license plate issued pursuant to this article may be transferred to another vehicle of the same weight class owned by the same person upon application being made and being approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is unlawful for a person to whom the plate has been issued to knowingly permit it to be displayed on any vehicle except the one authorized by the department.

(D) The provisions of this article do not affect the registration and licensing of motor vehicles as required by other provisions of this chapter but are cumulative to those other provisions. A person violating the provisions of this article or a person who (1) fraudulently gives false or fictitious information in any application for a special license plate, as authorized in this article, (2) conceals a material fact, or (3) otherwise commits fraud in the application or in the use of a special license plate issued is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both.

(E) If a person who qualifies for the special license plate issued under this section also meets all requirements for the handicapped license plate issued pursuant to Section 56-3-1910 (B), then the license plate issued pursuant to this section also shall include the distinguishing wheelchair symbol used on license plates issued pursuant to Section 56-3-1910(B).

(F) If a person who qualifies for a special license plate issued under this section also is certified by the Veterans' Administration or County Veterans' Affairs office with a service-related disability, then the license plate issued under this section shall also include the word "disabled".

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 297, Section 4, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on June 12, 2008); 2012 Act No. 272, Section 17, eff December 26, 2012; 2013 Act No. 56, Section 3, eff June 12, 2013.