§ 56-3-14910 — Special license plates reflective of valorous awards.

(A) The department may issue the following special license plates reflective of valorous awards for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles to active or prior service members who received the following awards: (1) Medal of Honor- Army (2) Medal of Honor- Navy (3) Medal of Honor- Air Force (4) Distinguished Service Cross- Army (5) Distinguished Service Cross- Navy (6) Distinguished Service Cross- Air Force (7) South Carolina Medal of Valor (8) Silver Star (9) Bronze Star (with valor) (10) Soldier's Medal (11) Navy and Marine Corps Medal. (B) The qualifying active or prior service members must be one of the registrants of the vehicle. No more than three license plates per award type may be issued to the award recipient. License plates for awards specified in subsection (A) are exempt from the regular motor vehicle registration fee contained in Article 5, Chapter 3, Title 56. These special license plates must be issued or revalidated for a biennial period which expires twenty-four months from the month it is issued. (C) The application for a special license plate must include official military documentation (a DD-214, NGB Form 22, or official orders) demonstrating the applicant is the recipient of an award specified in subsection (A). (D) A person issued a license plate under the provisions of subsection (A) may park in metered or timed parking places without being subject to parking fees or fines. This section has no application to areas or during times in which the stopping, parking, or standing of all vehicles is prohibited or which are reserved for special types of vehicles. As a condition to this privilege, a vehicle must display a distinguishing license plate issued by the department for vehicles registered to recipients of an award specified in subsection (A). (E) License plates authorized under subsection (A) are exempt from the provisions contained in Section 56-3-8100.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 2021 Act No. 38 (H.3805), SECTION 1, eff May 6, 2022; 2024 Act No. 178 (H.4674), SECTION 11, eff November 20, 2024. Effect of Amendment 2024 Act No. 178, SECTION 11, in (A), inserted (11), and made a nonsubstantive change.