WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2026 REGULAR SESSION
ENROLLED
House Bill 4437
By Delegates Sheedy, D. Cannon, McCormick, Adkins, Green, Watt, Vance, Clay, Willis, Jennings, and Cooper
[Passed March 14, 2026; in effect 90 days from passage (June 12, 2026)]
AN ACT to amend and reenact §17A-3-14b of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to Gold Star Family license plates; exempting a gold star parent from registration fees for one Gold Star Family license plate; defining “gold star parent”; and clarifying definition of “gold star spouse”.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
(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. 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 veteran’s widow (remarried or not) or widower (remarried or not) who is eligible to receive a gold star lapel button under 10 U.S.C. § 1126.
(f) A gold star parent 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, "gold star parent" means a veteran’s parent who is eligible to receive a gold star lapel button under 10 U.S.C. § 1126.
The Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
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Clerk of the House of Delegates
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Clerk of the Senate
Originated in the House of Delegates.
In effect 90 days from passage.
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Speaker of the House of Delegates
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President of the Senate
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The within is ................................................ this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
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Governor