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06/16/2008: "Armed Forces Plates Available To Family"

Thanks to Senate Bill 6237, Washington family members of eligible veterans and military personnel can now purchase Armed Forces License Plates for their vehicles beginning this Thursday.

The Washington Department of Licensing began issuing Armed Forces specialty plates in Jan. 2006, offering six separate designs, each representing a different branch of the armed forces to include Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and WA National Guard.

Since the passing of the armed forces and veterans license plates law during the 2005 legislative session, sale of the plates has been restricted to active duty, reserve, retired, or honorably discharged veterans, or surviving spouses. During the 2008 legislative session, at the request of a number of families who wanted to honor the service and sacrifice of their sons, daughters or other family members currently serving in the military, those restrictions were broadened to include family members.


Senate Bill 6237, which changed “spouses of deceased veterans” to “families of veterans and service members”, goes into effect June 12, 2008. Qualifying family members eligible to purchase one of the armed forces license plates now include spouse, child, parent, sibling, aunt, uncle or cousin. A child includes stepchild, adopted child, foster child, grandchild, and son or daughter-in-law. A parent includes stepparent, grandparent, and in-laws. A sibling includes brother, half brother, stepbrother, sister, half sister, stepsister, and brother or sister-in-law.

The special license plates may be used in place of regular or personalized license plates for motor vehicles, including motorcycles, required to display one and two motor vehicle license plates.

Two new decals will be available, at no extra charge, for the plates:
• the Family decal is for those who have family members who are now serving or have served in the armed forces; and
• the Gold Star decal is for those who have had a family member die while serving in the armed forces or as a result of such service. The original cost to purchase an Armed Forces plate(s) is $40.00 plus any applicable licensing fees. $28 from the purchase and renewal of each plate will be directed to the Veterans Stewardship Account and is tax deductible.

The Veterans Stewardship Account is used for activities that benefit veterans, such as maintaining the future state veteran’s cemetery in eastern Washington and providing programs and services for homeless veterans.
The same bill also now allows Washington residents that are members of the national guard in another state to purchase an Armed Forces plate, and changes the POW ruling to having received a prisoner of war medal, instead of being captured and incarcerated for more than twenty nine days.

For additional information, please call 1-800-562-0132 option 1, or visit the WDVA website at http://www.dva.wa.gov/armed_forces_license_plate.html