Section 249-9.2 - Special number plates; military service(a) In lieu of the number plates contracted on behalf of the counties by the director of finance of the city and county of Honolulu, the director of finance shall provide, for a fee, one set of special number plates upon the receipt of an application together with:(1) Specific proof that the applicant was awarded the Purple Heart by the United States Department of Defense for wounds received in military or naval combat against an armed enemy of the United States;(2) Certification that the applicant is a veteran;(3) Specific proof that the applicant was serving the United States in the military or as a civilian, on Oahu, or offshore at a distance of not more than three miles at the time of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. Certification from the Hawaii state chairperson of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association shall constitute sufficient proof;(4) Specific proof that the applicant was confined as a prisoner of war while providing military service to the United States;(5) Certification from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the state office of veterans' services that the applicant is a combat veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam conflict, the Korean conflict, World War II, the Persian Gulf conflict, the Iraq war, or the Afghanistan war; or(6) Specific proof that the applicant would qualify for a gold star lapel button under the criteria established by title 10 United States Code section 1126; provided that the applicant shall not be disqualified for the special number plates because the applicant is the grandparent of the deceased member of the United States armed forces; provided that applicants, except civilian applicants under paragraph (3) and civilian applicants and applicants who are currently serving the United States in the military under paragraph (6), shall also provide a copy of the applicant's most recent discharge paper or separation document that indicates an honorable discharge or general (under honorable conditions) discharge from active duty.
(b) The design of the plates for:(1) Purple heart recipients shall include the words "COMBAT WOUNDED";(2) Veterans shall include the word "VETERAN";(3) Pearl Harbor survivors shall include the words "PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR";(4) Former prisoners of war shall include the words "FORMER PRISONER OF WAR";(5) Combat veterans shall include the words "COMBAT VETERAN";(6) Veterans of the Vietnam conflict shall include the words "VIETNAM VETERAN";(7) Veterans of the Korean conflict shall include the words "KOREA VETERAN";(8) Veterans of World War II shall include the words "WORLD WAR II VETERAN";(9) Veterans of the Persian Gulf conflict shall include the words "PERSIAN GULF VETERAN"; (10) Veterans of the Iraq war shall include the words "IRAQ VETERAN";(11) Veterans of the Afghanistan war shall include the words "AFGHANISTAN VETERAN"; and(12) Gold star family members, including grandparents, shall include the words "GOLD STAR FAMILY". These designations shall be imprinted on the left side of the license plates in a manner similar to congressional and honorary consul license plates.
(c) Registration certificates and license plates issued under this section shall not be transferable to any other person. Special number plates for military service shall be assigned to a noncommercial passenger motor vehicle, a noncommercial motorcycle, or motor scooter registered in the name of the qualified applicant and shall be available in any category of special number plates for military service. Prior to the transfer of the ownership of the qualified person's vehicle to another party, the special number plates shall be surrendered to the director of finance as a condition to the issuance of replacement special number plates; provided that the director of finance shall allow the survivor of the qualified person, upon request, to retain the front special number plate as a memorial.(d) The director of finance shall authorize the design of a license plate that is readily identifiable and distinguishable under actual traffic conditions and shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to carry out this section.Amended by L 2024, c 83,§ 1, eff. 6/21/2024.Amended by L 2011, c 70, § 1, eff. 5/31/2011.L 1991, c 210, §2; am L 1996, c 85, §2 and c 86, §2; am L 1997, c 326, §3; am L 1999, c 208, §3; am L 2001, c 57, §1; am L 2002, c 254, §1; am L 2010, c 78, §1 . Special license plates for persons with disabilities, see § 291-51.5.