(1) The legislature recognizes that the armed forces license plate collection has been reviewed and approved by the special license plate review board.

     (2) The department shall issue a special license plate collection, approved by the special license plate review board and the legislature, recognizing the contribution of veterans, active duty military personnel, reservists, and members of the national guard. The collection includes six separate designs, each containing a symbol representing a different branch of the armed forces to include army, navy, air force, marine corps, coast guard, and national guard.

     (3) Armed forces special license plates may be used in lieu of regular or personalized license plates for vehicles required to display one and two vehicle license plates, excluding vehicles registered under chapter 46.87 RCW, upon terms and conditions established by the department.

     (4) Upon request, the department must make available to the purchaser, at no additional cost, a decal indicating the purchaser's military status. The department must work with the department of veterans affairs to establish a list of the decals to be made available. The list of available decals must include, but is not limited to, "veteran," "disabled veteran," "reservist," "retiree," or "active duty." The department may specify where the decal may be placed on the license plate. Decals are required to be made available only for standard six-inch by twelve-inch license plates.

     (5) Armed forces license plates and decals are available only to veterans as defined in RCW 41.04.007, active duty military personnel, reservists, members of the national guard, and the families of veterans and service members. Upon initial application, any purchaser requesting an armed forces license plate and decal will be required to show proof of eligibility by providing: A DD-214 or discharge papers if a veteran; a military identification or retired military identification card; or a declaration of fact attesting to the purchaser's eligibility as required under this section. "Family" or "families" means an individual's 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.

     (6) The department of veterans affairs must enter into an agreement with the department to reimburse the department for the costs associated with providing military status decals described in subsection (4) of this section.

     (7) Armed forces license plates are not available free of charge to disabled veterans, former prisoners of war, or spouses of deceased former prisoners of war under the privileges defined in RCW 73.04.110 and 73.04.115.

[2008 c 183 § 1; 2005 c 216 § 1.]