PURPOSE: This rule clarifies procedures for issuance of Purple Heart license plates.

1. (1) The director of revenue shall make one
2. (1) set of special license plates available to the owner or joint owner of a motor vehicle who has been awarded the Purple Heart Medal. The special license plates, referred to as Purple Heart plates, shall display an image of the purple heart medal and shall contain five letters or five numbers or a combination of letters and numbers and PURPLE HEART in place of SHOW ME STATE. The letters, numbers, or both, shall be purple in color on a white background. These license plates shall expire in September each year. Personalized Purple Heart license plates also shall be available in which the applicant selects the plate configuration, subject to approval by the director, not to exceed five (5) letters, numbers, or both. Personalized Purple Heart plates shall expire in July each year.

3. (2) Purple Heart license plates shall be available in the following vehicle categories:

   1. (A) Passenger motor vehicles;
   2. (B) Local and beyond local trucks licensed for both six thousand pounds (6000 lbs.) or twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.); and
   3. (C) Recreational vehicles.

4. (3) The applicant shall submit his/her initial application for Purple Heart license plates to the Department of Revenue, motor vehicle bureau’s central office along with the appropriate fee and a copy of one (1) of the following documents as proof that the applicant did receive the Purple Heart Medal:

   1. (A) Enlisted Record and Report of Separation (Form WD AGO 53-55), General Orders, Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty (Form DD214), Correction to DD Form 214 (Form DD215) or Official Discharge Orders from the armed forces properly completed and signed which list the Purple Heart Medal as one (1) of the decorations/citations the applicant received; or
   2. (B) Military Order of the Purple Heart membership card.
5. (4) The fee for a Purple Heart license plate shall be fifteen dollars ($15) annually in addition to regular registration fees as required by law. The fee for a personalized Purple Heart license plate shall be thirty dollars ($30) annually in addition to regular registration fees. Applicants who surrender unexpired license plates for Purple Heart license plates shall receive credit for the number of months remaining on the surrendered plates. The credit allowed shall not exceed the number of months remaining before the Purple Heart license plate will expire. No refund will be made on the unused portion of the registration fees for any license plates surrendered in exchange for Purple Heart license plates.
6. (5) Recipients of Purple Heart license plates shall be required to comply with all Missouri laws and rules relating to the titling and registration of motor vehicles.
7. (6) Purple Heart license plates may be renewed annually upon payment of the special plate fee(s) and submission of all other documents and fees required by law. The applicant is not required to present proof at the time of renewal to verify that s/he is a Purple Heart Medal recipient.

AUTHORITY: sections 301.144, RSMo Supp. 1990, and 301.451, RSMo Supp. 1991.* Emergency rule filed Sept. 16, 1991, effective Sept. 26, 1991, expired Jan. 23, 1992. Original rule filed Sept. 16, 1991, effective Jan. 13, 1992. *Original authority: 301.144, RSMo 1977, amended 1979, 1983, 1984, 1989, and 301.451, RSMo 1991.