An Act Concerning Maine Veterans License Plates
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0027
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: McKANE, TRAHAN, CEBRA, COTTA, DAVIS, FREDETTE, MORISSETTE, SANDERSON, SARTY, WEAVER
Amends: 29-A MRSA §523

Legislative Document 
No. 27 
H.P. 19 
House of Representatives, January 4, 2011 
An Act Concerning Maine Veterans License Plates 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative McKANE of Newcastle. 
Cosponsored by Senator TRAHAN of Lincoln and 
Representatives: CEBRA of Naples, COTTA of China, DAVIS of Sangerville, FREDETTE of 
Newport, MORISSETTE of Winslow, SANDERSON of Chelsea, SARTY of Denmark, 
WEAVER of York. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §523, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2009, c. 80, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
3.  Special veterans registration plates.  The Secretary of State, on application and 
evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, section 1482 and the 
registration fee required by section 501, shall issue a registration certificate and a set of 
special veterans registration plates to be used in lieu of regular registration plates for a 
vehicle with a registered gross weight of not more than 10,000 pounds to any person who 
has served in the United States Armed Forces and who has been honorably discharged or 
to a person who has served in the United States Armed Forces for at least 3 years and 
continues to serve.  If a person who qualifies for a special veterans registration plate 
under this subsection is the primary driver of 3 vehicles, the Secretary of State may issue 
in accordance with this section a set of special veterans registration plates for each 
vehicle. 
Each An initial application must be accompanied by the applicant's Armed Forces Report 
of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214 or other Department of Defense form or military 
certification indicating military service that the Secretary of State approves, certification 
from the United States Veterans Administration  or the appropriate branch of the United 
States Armed Forces verifying the applicant's military service and honorable discharge, or 
a letter from the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau 
of Maine Veterans’ Services verifying active duty military service and length of service.  
The Secretary of State shall keep copies of accepted documentation as a record of proof 
of veteran status on file to be used for subsequent applications by the same applicant. 
The Secretary of State shall recall a special veterans registration plate of a recipient who 
has been less than honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces. 
All surplus revenue collected for issuance of the special registration plates is retained by 
the Secretary of State to maintain and support this program. 
The surviving spouse of a special veteran plate recipient issued plates in accordance with 
this subsection may retain and display the special veteran plates as long as the surviving 
spouse remains unmarried.  Upon remarriage, the surviving spouse may not use the 
special veteran plates on a motor vehicle, but may retain them as a keepsake.  Upon the 
death of the surviving spouse, the family may retain the special veteran plates, but may 
not use them on a motor vehicle. 
The Secretary of State may issue a special disability registration plate for veterans in 
accordance with section 521, subsections 1, 5, 7 and 9.  The special disability registration 
plate for veterans must bear the International Symbol of Access. 
The Secretary of State may issue a set of special veterans registration plates when the 
qualifying veteran is the primary driver of a company-owned vehicle if: 
A.  The company is owned solely by a veteran who qualifies for a veteran plate under 
this section; 
B.  The vehicle is leased by a veteran who qualifies for the veteran plate under this 
subsection; or 
C.  The vehicle is leased by the employer of a veteran who qualifies for the veteran 
plate and the employer has assigned the vehicle exclusively to the veteran. The 
employer must attest in writing that the veteran will have exclusive use of the vehicle 
and agrees to the display of the special veteran plate. 
Sec. 2.  29-A MRSA §523, sub-§3-A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 80, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
3-A.  Motorcycle plates; veterans.  In addition to any plate issued pursuant to 
subsection 3, the Secretary of State, on application and evidence of payment of the excise 
tax required by Title 36, section 1482, the registration fee required by section 515, 
subsection 1 and a one-time additional fee of $5, shall issue a registration certificate and a 
special veterans registration plate for one designated motorcycle owned or controlled by a 
person who has served in the United States Armed Forces and who has been honorably 
discharged or to a person who has served in the United States Armed Forces for at least 3 
years and continues to serve. 
Each An initial application must be accompanied by the applicant's Armed Forces Report 
of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214 or other Department of Defense form or military 
certification indicating military service that the Secretary of State approves, certification 
from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the appropriate branch of the 
United States Armed Forces verifying the applicant's military service and honorable 
discharge, or a letter from the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency 
Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans’ Services verifying active duty military service 
and length of service.  The Secretary of State shall keep copies of accepted 
documentation as a record of proof of veteran status on file to be used for subsequent 
applications by the same applicant. 
The Secretary of State shall recall a special veterans registration plate of a recipient who 
has been less than honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces. 
All surplus revenue collected for issuance of the special veterans registration plates is 
retained by the Secretary of State to maintain and support this program. 
Upon request the Secretary of State shall issue special veterans registration plates for a 
motorcycle that are also vanity plates.  These plates are issued in accordance with this 
section and section 453.  Vanity plates issued under this subsection may not duplicate 
vanity plates issued in another class of plate. 
The surviving spouse of a recipient of a special veterans registration plate issued in 
accordance with this subsection may retain and display the plate as long as the surviving 
spouse remains unmarried.  Upon remarriage, the surviving spouse may not use the plate 
on a motorcycle, but may retain it as a keepsake.  Upon the death of the surviving spouse, 
the family may retain the plate, but may not use it on a motorcycle. 
The Secretary of State may not issue special commemorative decals under subsection 5 or 
for use on special veterans registration plates for a motorcycle. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the law that requires a veteran of the United States Armed Forces 
who is eligible to receive veterans license plates to show proof of veteran status to specify 
that proof is required only for the initial application and that the Secretary of State shall 
keep the copies of the documents on file to be used for any subsequent application for 
plates.  It also expands the list of acceptable documents to provide for veterans who do 
not have their original discharge from military service papers.