Section 5101.8 Of Article 8.5. Environmental License Plates From California Vehicle Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 8.5.
5101.8
. (a) Any person otherwise eligible under this article who is
a Purple Heart recipient may apply for special license plates for
vehicles that are not used for transportation for hire, compensation,
or profit, under this article. The special plates assigned to the
vehicle shall run in a separate numerical series, shall have
inscribed on the plate the Purple Heart insignia, and shall contain
the words "Combat Wounded" and "Purple Heart" or at least the letters
"PH" as part of the numerical series. The department shall reserve
and issue the special plates to all applicants providing the proof
required by subdivision (b).
(b) The applicant, by satisfactory proof, shall show that the
applicant is a Purple Heart recipient.
(c) Special plates may be issued pursuant to subdivision (a) only
for a vehicle owned or coowned by a Purple Heart recipient.
(d) Upon the death of a person issued special license plates
pursuant to this section, his or her surviving spouse may retain the
special license plates subject to the conditions set forth in this
section. If there is no surviving spouse, the special license plates
shall be returned to the department either (1) within 60 days
following that death or (2) upon the expiration of the vehicle
registration, whichever occurs first. However, in the absence of a
surviving spouse, another surviving member of the deceased Purple
Heart recipient's family may retain one of the special license plates
as a family heirloom, subject to the conditions set forth in
subdivision (h).
(e) If a surviving spouse who has elected to retain the special
license plates as authorized under subdivision (d) dies while in
possession of the special license plates, the special license plates
shall be returned to the department either within 60 days following
that death, or upon the expiration date of the vehicle registration,
whichever date occurs first. However, another surviving member of the
deceased Purple Heart recipient's family may retain one of the
special license plates as a family heirloom, subject to the
conditions set forth in subdivision (h).
(f) When an applicant for the Purple Heart license plate qualifies
as a disabled veteran, as specified in subdivision (b) of Section
22511.55, the applicant may also apply for a distinguishing placard
described in subdivision (a) of Section 22511.55 to be used in
conjunction with the Purple Heart license plate for the purpose of
allowing special parking privileges pursuant to subdivision (a) of
Section 22511.5.
(g) Sections 5106 and 5108 do not apply to this section.
(h) The special license plates issued under this section are not
valid for use for vehicle registration purposes or for the purposes
of Section 9105, or Section 10783 or 10783.2 of the Revenue and
Taxation Code, by a person other than the person issued the special
license plates under subdivision (a) and the surviving spouse of that
person.
(i) For purposes of this section, "family" means grandparents,
stepgrandparents, parents, stepparents, siblings, stepsiblings,
children, and stepchildren of the person issued the special license
plates under subdivision (a).
