(a)

(1) The department shall provide and issue, free of charge, to each disabled veteran in this state, registration and license plates for any motor vehicle authorized by § 55-4-210(c) that is registered in the name of or leased by a disabled veteran, or by the disabled veteran and the spouse of the disabled veteran, including, but not limited to, a motor home containing life support equipment; provided, that the authorized motor vehicle or motor home shall not be used for rehire or for any other commercial purpose.

(2) One (1) disabled veteran memorial license plate may be issued free of charge to any qualified applicant pursuant to this section; provided, that one (1) additional plate may be obtained by any eligible person upon payment of the regular registration fee for plates, as prescribed under § 55-4-111, and payment of one-half (½) of the fee provided for in § 55-4-204(c)(1). Additional disabled veteran license plates may be obtained by any disabled veteran upon payment of the regular license fee for plates, as prescribed under § 55-4-111, plus the payment of a fee equal to the cost of actually producing the plate.

(3) For the purposes of this section, “disabled veteran” means a veteran having served in the military, naval, marine or air services of the United States, who is a resident of Tennessee and who is entitled to compensation under the laws administered by the veterans' administration for any of the following due to disability incurred in or aggravated by active military, naval, marine or air services of the United States:

(A) Loss or permanent loss of use of one (1) or both feet;

(B) Loss or permanent loss of use of one (1) or both hands; or

(C) Permanent impairment of vision of both eyes of the following status: central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye, with corrective glasses, or central visual acuity of more than 20/200 if there is a field defect in which the peripheral field has contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than twenty degrees (20°) in the better eye.

(b) Any disabled veteran in this state who has any other service-connected disability that is determined by the veterans' administration to constitute a one hundred percent (100%) permanent total disability shall be entitled, upon compliance with the registration laws and without being required to pay a fee, to the issuance of the registration plates provided for by this section.

(c) Disabled veteran registration plates shall bear:

(1) The words “Disabled Veteran”;

(2) A registration number composed of the prefix “DV” and a unique identifying number; and

(3) A representation of the United States flag in the background.

(d) A disabled veteran who is entitled under this section to be issued a memorial registration plate, free of charge, may elect in the alternative for the issuance of a registration plate for holders of the Purple Heart, free of charge, for one (1) motor vehicle authorized by § 55-4-210(c) or one (1) motor home, as defined in subdivision (a)(1), which is owned or leased by the disabled veteran; provided, that a disabled veteran shall meet the requirements of § 55-4-257(c) in order to be eligible for the issuance of a registration plate for a holder of the Purple Heart.