(a)For purposes of this Code section, the term:
(1)"Military medal award" means the following medals, decorations, or other recognition of honor for military service awarded by a branch of the United States military:
(D)Distinguished Service Cross;
(G)Defense Distinguished Service Medal;
(H)Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal;
(I)Distinguished Service Medal;
(J)Navy Distinguished Service Medal;
(K)Air Force Distinguished Service Medal;
(L)Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal;
(M)Defense Superior Service Medal;
(O)Distinguished Flying Cross;
(R)Soldier's Medal; and (S) Meritorious Service Medal.
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(a) For purposes of this Code section, the term: (1) "Military medal award" means the following medals, decorations, or other recognition of honor for military service awarded by a branch of the United States military: (A) Medal of Honor; (B) Bronze Star Medal; (C) Silver Star Medal; (D) Distinguished Service Cross; (E) Navy Cross; (F) Air Force Cross; (G) Defense Distinguished Service Medal; (H) Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal; (I) Distinguished Service Medal; (J) Navy Distinguished Service Medal; (K) Air Force Distinguished Service Medal; (L) Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal; (M) Defense Superior Service Medal; (N) Legion of Merit; (O) Distinguished Flying Cross; (P) Purple Heart; (Q) Air Medal; (R) Soldier's Medal; and (S) Meritorious Service Medal. (2) "Served during active military combat" means active duty service in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, the Global War on Terrorism as defined by Presidential Executive Order 13289, Section 2, the war in Afghanistan, or the war in Iraq, which includes either Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. (3) "Veteran" means: (A) A former member of the armed forces of the United States who is discharged from the armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable; or (B) An individual who served in the armed forces of an ally of the United States during active military combat in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, or the Global War on Terrorism and who is discharged or separated under conditions other than dishonorable. (4) "Woman veteran" and "women veterans" means former members of the armed forces of the United States who are female and discharged from the armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable. (b) (1) Motor vehicle and trailer owners who are veterans or women veterans, who have received a military medal award, or who served during active military combat shall be eligible to receive special and distinctive vehicle license plates for private passenger cars, motorcycles, trucks, or recreational vehicles used for personal transportation. 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. (2) (A) Motor vehicle and trailer owners who are veterans or women veterans, who have received a military medal award, or who served during active military combat shall be issued upon application for and upon compliance with the state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles a veteran's license plate, a woman veteran's license plate, a military medal award recipient license plate, or a commemorative service license plate for service during active military combat. One such license plate shall be issued without the requisite registration fee, manufacturing fee, or annual registration fee. (B) Each member or former member of the armed forces of the United States listed in this subsection shall be entitled to no more than one such free license plate at a time; provided, however, that, upon payment of a manufacturing fee of $25.00, a member shall be entitled to one additional such license plate. For each additional license plate for which a $25.00 manufacturing fee is required, there shall be an additional annual registration fee of $25.00, and such fee shall be collected by the county tag agent at the time of collection of other registration fees and shall be remitted to the state as provided in Code Section 40-2-34 . (c) The commissioner shall design a veteran's license plate, a woman veteran's license plate, a military medal award recipient license plate, and a license plate to commemorate service with the United States armed forces during active military combat. The design of a veteran's license plate issued to a veteran defined in subparagraph (a)(3)(B) of this Code section shall be distinctive in nature by inclusion of the legend "Allied Veteran" in lieu of the name of the county of issuance and display such other distinctive design as determined by the commissioner. The commissioner shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary relating to design and issuance of such distinctive "Allied Veteran" plates. 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, motorcycles, trucks, and trailers before issuing such 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 (e) of this Code section, such plates shall be nontransferable. (d) The special and distinctive vehicle license plates shall be as prescribed in Article 2 of this chapter for private passenger cars, motorcycles, trucks, recreational vehicles, and trailers used for personal transportation. Such plates shall contain words or symbols, in addition to the numbers and letters prescribed by law, so as to identify distinctively the owners who are veterans, who are recipients of a military medal award, or who served during active military combat and shall additionally identify distinctively the owner as a current or former member of one of the following branches of the armed forces of the United States: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard. (e) 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 veteran or of a deceased person who received a military medal award or who served during active military combat 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 person, 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 person's death or acquired thereafter, so long as such surviving spouse does not remarry. (e.1) The spouse of any person eligible to be issued a special license plate under this Code section shall also be eligible for such license plate, provided that no motor vehicle is registered in the name of the eligible person and all other requirements relating to registration and licensing relative to motor vehicles as prescribed in Article 2 of this chapter have been satisfied. (f) Special license plates issued under this Code section, except as provided in subparagraph (b)(2)(A) of this Code section, shall be renewed annually with a revalidation decal as provided in Code Section 40-2-31 without payment of an additional $25.00 annual registration fee.