An Act To Increase the Maximum Registered Gross Weight Allowed for Vehicles with Disabled Veterans or Special Veterans Registration Plates
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0444
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: THIBODEAU, GILLWAY, COLLINS, DIAMOND, MASON, ROSEN, FARRIN, GOLDEN, HANINGTON, WHITE
Amends: 29-A MRSA §523

Legislative Document
No. 444
S.P. 146
In Senate, February 7, 2017
An Act To Increase the Maximum Registered Gross Weight Allowed 
for Vehicles with Disabled Veterans or Special Veterans 
Registration Plates
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by President THIBODEAU of Waldo.
Cosponsored by Representative GILLWAY of Searsport and
Senators: COLLINS of York, DIAMOND of Cumberland, MASON of Androscoggin, ROSEN 
of Hancock, Representatives: FARRIN of Norridgewock, GOLDEN of Lewiston, 
HANINGTON of Lincoln, WHITE of Washburn.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §523, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2007, c. 383, §14, is 
further amended to read: 
2.  Disabled veterans; special free license plates.  The Secretary of State, on 
application and upon evidence of payment of the excise tax required by Title 36, section 
1482, shall issue a registration certificate and set of special designating plates to be used 
in lieu of regular registration plates for a vehicle with a registered gross weight of not 
more than 10,000 26,000 pounds to any 100% disabled veteran when that application is 
accompanied by certification from the United States Veterans Administration or any 
branch of the United States Armed Forces as to the veteran's permanent disability and 
receipt of 100% service-connected benefits.  A disability placard is issued in addition to 
the disabled veteran registration plate at no fee. 
These special designating plates must bear the words "Disabled Veteran," which indicate 
that the vehicle is owned by a disabled veteran. 
Sec. 2.  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 or by section 504, subsection 1 for a vehicle with 
a registered gross weight over 10,000 pounds, 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 26,000 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 application must be accompanied by the applicant's Armed Forces Report of 
Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, 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 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. 
SUMMARY 
This bill increases from 10,000 pounds to 26,000 pounds the upper registered gross 
weight limit of vehicles that may have disabled veteran or special veterans registration 
plates.