Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 27 - TAXATION AND FINANCE (§§ 27-1-1 — 27-117-15) › Chapter 19 - MOTOR VEHICLE PRIVILEGE AND EXCISE TAXES (§§ 27-19-1 — 27-19-NEW) › Article 1 - MOTOR VEHICLE PRIVILEGE TAXES (§§ 27-19-1 — 27-19-179) › Section 27-19-56.557 - Special license tags or plates; honorably discharged former member of the United States Merchant Marine

(1)
(a)
In recognition of the patriotic services rendered by Mississippians who are honorably discharged from service as members of the United States Merchant Marine, any such person, upon complying with the motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles, and upon payment of the road and bridge privilege taxes, ad valorem taxes and registration fees as prescribed by law for private carriers of passengers, pickup trucks and other noncommercial motor vehicles, and upon payment of an additional annual fee in the amount provided in subsection (3) of this section, shall be privileged to obtain one (1) distinctive motor vehicle license plate or tag for each motor vehicle registered in his or her name identifying him or her as a former member of the United States Merchant Marine. The tags shall be of such color and design as the Department of Revenue may prescribe and shall consist of such letters or numbers, or both, as may be necessary to distinguish each license tag.
(2)
Application for the distinctive license tags shall be made to the county tax collector on forms prescribed by the Department of Revenue. An applicant for such distinctive license tags shall present to the issuing official written proof that the applicant is an honorably discharged former member of the United States Merchant Marine. Such proof shall include a copy of the applicant's certificate of discharge or similar document or other certification of service from the United States Merchant Marine or other appropriate entity identifying the person as a former member of the United States Merchant Marine. The application and the additional fee, less Two Dollars ($2.00) to be retained by the tax collector, shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue on a monthly basis as prescribed by the department. The portion of the additional fee retained by the tax collector shall be deposited into the county general fund.
(3)
Beginning with any registration year commencing on or after July 1, 2023, any person applying for a distinctive license tag under this section shall pay an additional fee in the amount of Thirty Dollars ($30.00) for each distinctive license tag applied for under this section, which shall be in addition to all other taxes and fees. The additional fee paid shall be for a period of time to run concurrently with the vehicle's established license tag year. The additional fee is due and payable at the time the original application is made for a distinctive license tag under this section and thereafter annually at the time of renewal registration as long as the owner retains the distinctive license tag. If the owner does not wish to retain the distinctive license tag, he or she must surrender it to the local county tax collector.
(4)
The Department of Revenue shall deposit all fees into the State Treasury on the day received. At the end of each month, the Department of Revenue shall certify the total fees collected under this section to the State Treasurer who shall distribute such collections as follows:
(a)
Twenty-four Dollars ($24.00) of each additional fee collected on distinctive license tags issued or renewed under this section shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of a special fund to be administered by the board of the Mississippi Veterans Affairs for the support of indigent veterans who are residents of the state veterans homes and the support of the operations of the state veterans homes and cemeteries.
(b)
One Dollar ($1.00) of each additional fee collected on distinctive license tags issued or renewed pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the Mississippi Burn Care Fund created pursuant to Section
7-9-70
.
(c)
Two Dollars ($2.00) of each additional fee collected on distinctive license tags issued or renewed pursuant to this section shall be deposited to the credit of the State Highway Fund to be expended solely for the repair, maintenance, construction or reconstruction of highways.
(d)
One Dollar ($1.00) of each additional fee collected on distinctive license tags issued or renewed pursuant to this section shall be deposited to the credit of the special fund created in Section
27-19-44.2
.
(5)
A regular license tag must be properly displayed as required by law until replaced by a distinctive license tag under this section. The regular license tag must be surrendered to the tax collector upon issuance of the distinctive license tag under this section. The tax collector shall issue up to two (2) license decals for each distinctive license tag issued or renewed under this section, which will expire the same month and year as the regular license tag.
(6)
In the case of loss or theft of a distinctive license tag issued or renewed under this section, the owner may make application and affidavit for a replacement distinctive license tag as provided by Section
27-19-37
. The fee for a replacement distinctive license tag shall be Ten Dollars ($10.00). The tax collector receiving such application and affidavit shall be entitled to retain and deposit into the county general fund five percent (5%) of the fee for such replacement license tag and the remainder shall be distributed in the same manner as funds from the sale of regular distinctive license tags issued or renewed under this section.
Added by Laws, 2023, ch. 527, HB 1136,§ 8, eff. 7/1/2023.