2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4141

By Delegate Mallow

[Introduced January 14, 2026; referred to the Committee on Government Organization then Finance]

A BILL to amend and reenact §17A-3-14b of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to exempting honorably discharged veteran of any branch of the armed services of the United States from the payment of vehicle registration fees under the provisions of this chapter, except for a special initial application fee of $10.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION; ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.

§17A-3-14b. Special registration plates for military personnel.

(a) The division may continue to issue special plates for any plate class authorized by enactments of §17A-3-14 of this code prior to the year 2023 for active, retired, or honorably discharged military personnel, or the next of kin of a member of any branch of the armed services of the United States killed in combat. The division shall charge an initial application fee of $10 for each special registration plate issued pursuant to this section, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter but the division shall not charge any other fees for the registration, renewal of registration, or other licensing of a vehicle for the first special plate issued pursuant to this subsection. A surviving spouse may continue to use his or her deceased spouse's military license plate until the surviving spouse dies, remarries, or does not renew the license plate.

(b) The applicant shall present documentation as determined by the commissioner as evidence of qualification for any plate authorized in this section.

(c) The division may issue a special registration plate pursuant to this section to any number of vehicles titled in the name of the applicant.

(d) If a new special plate as authorized in this section recognizes members of a military organization chartered by the United States Congress, the division may produce such plate upon receipt of a guarantee from the organization of a minimum of 100 applicants.

(e) A Gold star spouse shall be exempt from all registration fees otherwise required by the provisions of this chapter for the registration of one Gold Star Family license plate for personal use. For purposes of this section, a "Gold star spouse" means a widow (remarried or not) or widower (remarried or not) of a veteran who is eligible to receive a gold star lapel pin under 10 U.S.C. § 1126 (or its successor).

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to exempt honorably discharged veteran of any branch of the armed services of the United States from the payment of vehicle registration fees under the provisions of this chapter, except for a special initial application fee of $10.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.