21.140 Legion of Valor (LV) License Plates (VC §5101.4)

Recipients of LV recognition awards may obtain multiple LV license plates (one set for each vehicle the recipient owns or co-owns). The LV award recipient is not required to have more than one award to order more than one set of license plates.

LV License Plates may be assigned to vehicles owned by a recipient of any of the following decorations for valor:

The license plates display an adhesive sticker denoting which decoration for valor the recipient was awarded. LV License Plates are not available for motorcycles or as personalized license plates.

Exchange—Existing personalized license plates may not be exchanged to Legion of Valor License Plates.

Renewal/Reassignment—No additional fee is required for renewal or reassignment.

Retention—No additional fee is required for retention as an heirloom only (cannot be used on a vehicle). A family member is allowed to keep one LV License Plate as a family heirloom upon the death of LV License Plate owner and/or surviving spouse, if applicable. For this purpose, a family member is limited to the following: parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, grandparent, step grandparent, sibling, and stepsibling.

The following must be submitted:

Surrender of License Plates Required—License plates must be surrendered to DMV within 60 days following the death of the LV License Plate owner or the surviving spouse, as appropriate, or upon the vehicle registration expiration date, whichever occurs first.

Transfer of Ownership—The license plate remains with the owner and the transfer is processed as usual. Refer to Chapter 11 for transfer procedures.

21.135 Lake Tahoe Conservancy License Plates (VC §5075)

Lake Tahoe Conservancy License Plates are available in a sequential series or personalized with two to seven characters and may be issued to automobiles, commercial vehicles, trailers, and motorcycles (two to five characters).

Exchange—Existing personalized license plates may be exchanged to Lake Tahoe Conservancy personalized license plates for a fee.

Original Personalized License Plate Application—the following must be submitted:

Original Sequential License Plate Application—the following must be submitted:

Exchange—Existing personalized license plates may be exchanged to personalized Lake Tahoe Conservancy License Plates for a fee.

Renewal/Reassignment—An additional fee is required for renewal and reassignment.

Retention—No additional fee is required.

Transfer of Ownership—The license plate remains with the owner and the transfer is processed as usual. Refer to Chapter 11 for transfer procedures.

21.130 Kids License Plates (VC §5072)

Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids (Kids) License Plates are available in sequential series or personalized with two to six characters and may be issued to automobiles, commercial vehicles, trailers, and motorcycles (two to five characters).

Original Personalized License Plate Application—the following must be submitted:

Original Sequential License Plate Application—the following must be submitted:

Renewal/Reassignment—An additional fee is required for renewal or reassignment.

Exchange—Existing personalized license plates may be exchanged to personalized Kids License Plates for a fee.

Retention—No additional fee is required.

Transfer of Ownership—The license plates remain with the owner and the transfer is processed as usual. Refer to Chapter 11 for transfer procedures.

21.125 Honorary Consul License Plates (VC §5006)

Updated per VIN Memo 2021-09: Discontinued Honorary Consul License Plates (PDF)

21.120 Historical Vehicle and Horseless Carriage License Plates (VC §5004)

Permanent special identification plates may be issued to vehicles of historic value and interest. Vehicles assigned Horseless Carriage or Historical Vehicle License Plates are limited to operation or movement over the highway primarily for the purpose of historical exhibition or other similar, noncommercial purposes, such as parades or historic vehicle club activities, and are subject to a fixed annual vehicle license fee (VLF) of $2. Historical Vehicle and Horseless Carriage License Plates are not available as personalized plates.(R&TC §10753.5)

Horseless Carriage License Plates are issued to two types of motor vehicles:

Historical Vehicle License Plates are issued to motor vehicles or trailers that are:

Original Sequential License Plate Application—the following must be submitted:

A completed Special Recognition License Plate Application (REG 17A) form.

Exchange—Existing personalized license plates may not be exchanged to Historical Vehicle License Plates.

Reassignment—Horseless Carriage and Historical Vehicle License Plates are permanently assigned to the vehicle and cannot be reassigned.

Renewal—No additional fee for renewal.

Retention—The license plates cannot be retained.

Substitute Plates—If another type of license plate is requested for a vehicle with Horseless Carriage or Historical Vehicle License Plates:

Transfer of Ownership—The license plate remains with the vehicle and the transfer is processed as usual. Refer to Chapter 11 for transfer procedures.


21.115 Gold Star Family License Plates

Gold Star Family License Plates are issued to qualified family members whose relative lost their life in the line of duty while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States (U.S.) during one of the following:

Qualified family members are:

The license plates must be assigned to a California-registered vehicle owned by the qualified family member. Gold Star Family License Plates are available in a sequential series only through the Special Processing Unit (SPU) at DMV headquarters.

Original Sequential License Plate Application must include—the following must be submitted:

Exchange—Existing personalized license plates may be exchanged to personalized Gold Star Family License Plates for a fee.

Renewal—No additional fee for renewal.

Reassignment—An additional fee is required for reassignment of the license plates.

Retention—The license plates cannot be retained.

Transfer of Ownership—The license plates remain with the owner and the transfer is processed as usual. Refer to Chapter 11 for transfer procedures.


21.110 Foreign Organization License Plates (VC §5006.5)

Foreign Organization License Plates are only issued to automobiles that are currently registered to an officer or designated employee of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO). The license plates have a December 31 expiration date and must be renewed annually. Vehicles assigned Foreign Organization License Plates are exempt from all fees (use tax included), except fees for transfer, duplicate certificates, license plates, and stickers. Foreign Organization License Plates are not available as a personalized license plate.

All information regarding an individual’s eligibility is provided to DMV by the American Institute in Taiwan, which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

Original Sequential License Plate Application—the following must be submitted:

Exchange—Existing personalized license plates may not be exchanged to Foreign Organization personalized license plates.

Renewal— No additional fee for renewal.

Reassignment—The license plates cannot be transferred between vehicles.

Retention—The license plates cannot be retained.

Transfer of Ownership—The license plates must be surrendered to DMV if the vehicle is transferred.

21.105 Ex-Prisoner of War (POW) License Plates (VC §§ 324.5, 4001, 5101.5, 9501)

A POW is any person who, while serving as a member of the U. S. Armed Forces, as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Armed Forces as part of the U. S. Expeditionary Force, or as a U. S. citizen, was held as a POW by forces hostile to the United States during any armed conflict and is currently a resident of California.

An eligible POW is exempt from the payment of all fees, except fees for duplicates, for one passenger motor vehicle, motorcycle, or commercial motor vehicle with an unladen weight of 8,000 pounds or less, which is owned by the POW and assigned POW License Plates. The vehicle cannot be used for transportation for hire, compensation, or profit.

Note The fee exemption is for one vehicle only. An individual who qualifies for more than one type of fee-exempt license plate, such as POW or Disabled Veteran (DV) License Plates, cannot obtain both.

Vehicles assigned POW License Plates are assigned expiration dates and must be renewed annually.

Evidence of Eligibility—Applicants for POW License Plates must present written documentation of eligibility that indicates the applicant was held prisoner of war by forces hostile to the United States during a period of conflict. Acceptable evidence
includes:

Note The fee exemption is for one vehicle only. An individual who qualifies for more than one type of fee-exempt license plate, such as POW or Disabled Veteran (DV) License Plates, cannot obtain both.

Vehicles assigned POW License Plates are assigned expiration dates and must be renewed annually.

Evidence of Eligibility—Applicants for POW License Plates must present written documentation of eligibility that indicates the applicant was held prisoner of war by forces hostile to the United States during a period of conflict. Acceptable evidence includes:

Note Information about obtaining documentation is available on The National Archives website at www.archives.gov by searching for Standard Form 180. Applicants may also obtain written documentation of eligibility by sending a letter with their name, birthdate, service or social security number, branch of service, capture date, capturing country, and any other pertinent information to:

Modern Military Records (NWCTM)
National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001

Original Personalized/Sequential License Plate Application—the following must be submitted:

License Plate Assignment or Reassignment—the procedures below must be followed:

Family Heirlooms—A family member (limited to: parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, grandparent, step grandparent, sibling, or stepsibling) may keep one POW License Plate as a family heirloom upon the death of the license plate owner and surviving spouse (if any). The exemption from registration fees is not extended to family members. Additional POW License Plates will not be made for family members as heirlooms.

The following must be submitted:

Retention of License Plates by Surviving Spouse—The surviving spouse of a POW License Plate owner may retain the special license plates and all license plate privileges, such as the accompanying exemption from registration fees, license plate reassignment, adding or deleting a co-owner, and replacing a lost license plate.

Surrender of License Plates—POW License Plates must be returned to DMV within 60 days of the license plate owner’s or surviving spouse’s death, as appropriate, or by the vehicle registration expiration date, whichever occurs first. If a family member chooses to retain one license plate as a heirloom, only one license plate must be surrendered.

21.100 Environmental License Plates (VC §5101)

Environmental License Plates (ELP) are the original personalized license plate. ELPs are only available personalized with two to seven characters and may be issued to automobiles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and trailers.

Original Personalized License Plate Application—the following must be submitted:

Exchange—Existing personalized license plates may be exchanged to ELPs for a fee.

Renewal/Reassignment—An additional fee is required for renewal or reassignment.

Retention—An additional fee is required for retention.

Transfer of Ownership—ELPs remain with the owner and the transfer is processed as usual. Refer to Chapter 11 for transfer procedures.

21.095 Disabled Veteran License Plates and Fees Exemption (VC §§5007 and 9105)

A qualified disabled veteran is exempt from the payment of all fees, except fees for duplicate certificates, license plates, and stickers for one passenger motor vehicle, motorcycle, or commercial motor vehicle with an unladen weight of 8,000 pounds or less, that is not used for transportation for hire, compensation, or profit that is owned by the disabled veteran and displays Disabled Veteran (DV) License Plates. Vehicles assigned DV License Plates expire on 12/31/XX and must be renewed annually.

Note The fee exemption in VC §9105 can be used for one vehicle only. An individual who qualifies for more than one type of fee-exempt license plate, such as POW or DV License Plate, cannot obtain both.

Certification Card—A disabled veteran must present a Disabled Person or Disabled Veteran License Plate Certification Form (REG 3060), upon request, to law enforcement or parking enforcement personnel, which verifies the person’s eligibility for DV License Plates. The license plate owner must be the driver or a passenger for the vehicle to be eligible for disabled person (DP) parking privileges.

Disabled Veterans With Special Interest License Plates—A qualified disabled veteran who chooses to have special license plates on his/her vehicle rather than DV License Plates must have a DP placard displayed in the vehicle to receive the disabled veteran parking privileges.

Disabled Veterans Who Are Also Purple Heart Recipients—A disabled veteran who is also a Purple Heart recipient may request the DV License Plate fee exemption and issuance of Purple Heart License Plates in lieu of DV License Plates.

In this case, advise the applicant that a DP placard must be displayed in the vehicle to receive the DP parking privileges.

In addition to the requirements for a DV License Plate application, the applicant must provide the proof of eligibility documentation required for the issuance of Purple Heart License Plates, as shown in the Purple Heart License Plates section in this chapter.

Original Sequential License Plate Application—The following must be submitted:

The USDVA certification letter:

Note Continue to accept a letter from the USDVA that certifies the applicant meets the service-connected qualifications of a disabled veteran as described in VC § 295.7 in lieu of the medical certification

The license plates currently assigned to the vehicle or a completed Statement of Facts (REG 256) form requesting fees exemption but not disabled veteran license plates.

Proof of Eligibility Required—The veteran must submit a letter issued by a USDVA Regional Office specifically for the disabled veteran program stating the veteran’s service-connected disabilities or a USDVA letter certifying that the veteran meets the service-connected qualifications of a disabled veteran, according to the provisions of VC §295.7.

Renewal/Reassignment—No additional fee for renewal or reassignment . Retention—Do not require an additional fee for retention.

Surrender of License Plates Required—DV License Plates must be returned to DMV within 60 days of the death of the disabled veteran, or by December 31 of the current registration year, whichever occurs first.

Transfer of Ownership—The DV License Plate remains with the owner and the transfer is processed as usual. Refer to Chapter 11 for transfer procedures.