An Act Regarding Veterans License Plates
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0990
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: ROSEN, DESCHAMBAULT, FARRIN, LUCHINI, COREY, KINNEY
Amends: 29-A MRSA §523

Legislative Document
No. 990
S.P. 320
In Senate, March 10, 2021
An Act Regarding Veterans License Plates
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator ROSEN of Hancock.
Cosponsored by Senators: DESCHAMBAULT of York, FARRIN of Somerset, LUCHINI of 
Hancock, Representatives: COREY of Windham, KINNEY of Knox.
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 2017, c. 43, §2 and PL 2019, 
c. 377, §6, 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 a one-time 
payment of 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 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 up to 3 vehicles, the 
Secretary of State may issue in accordance with this section a set of special veterans 
registration plates for each vehicle, and the registration fee required by section 501 or by 
section 504, subsection 1 must be paid annually for each additional plate issued after the 
first set.
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, Maine Bureau of 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 registration fee 
required by section 501 or by section 504, subsection 1 is a one-time payment for the 
special disability registration plate for a veteran for the first plate issued to that veteran and 
an annual fee for each additional plate issued. 
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 2011, c. 356, §12 and PL 
2019, c. 377, §6, 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 and the registration fee required by section 515, 
subsection 1, shall issue a registration certificate and a special veterans registration plate 
for up to 3 designated motorcycles 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.  
The registration fee required by section 515, subsection 1 is a one-time payment for the 
first plate issued and an annual payment for each additional plate issued. 
Each application must be accompanied by the applicant's Armed Forces Report of Transfer 
or Discharge, DD Form 214, 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, Maine Bureau of 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 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 use the plate or plates as long as the 
surviving spouse remains unmarried.  Upon remarriage, the surviving spouse may not use 
the plate or plates, but may retain them.  Upon the death of the surviving spouse, the family 
may retain the plate or plates, but may not use them.
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 allows a veteran who applies for a special veterans registration plate for an 
automobile or a motorcycle to pay the registration fee only once for the first set of plates 
issued.  Any additional issuance of plates requires payment of the fee annually.