Veteran License Plates

North Dakota offers several veteran-related plates, including Veterans, Disabled American Veteran (DAV), Prisoner of War (POW), Purple Heart, Gold Star, and National Guard plates, plus the Yellow Ribbon, Bald Eagle, American Flag, and Boonie Stomper plates available to the general public (the latter four fund ND veterans charitable/trust funds). The Veterans plate is for individuals eligible for interment in the North Dakota Veterans' Cemetery. DAV requires a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs certification letter stating the applicant is 100 percent service-connected disabled (or eligibility under Public Law 663 of the 79th Congress). POW requires that the veteran was a prisoner of war while serving in the U.S. armed forces and received an honorable discharge, certified by a Veterans Affairs office; the applicant must be a North Dakota resident. Purple Heart is available to recipients of the Purple Heart award (listed on the DD214 or certificate per the directory page), with the application verified/signed by a State or County Veterans' Service Officer. Gold Star covers qualifying family members (surviving spouse, parent, grandparents, child, and sibling, including certain step/adoptive/foster relationships) of an armed forces member who died while serving on active duty during a time of military conflict. The National Guard plate is for current National Guard members and retired members with 20 or more years of service.

The Veterans plate has a $15.00 initial fee (with $5 directed to the Veterans Cemetery maintenance fund) plus a $10.00 annual fee thereafter; personalized Veterans plates add $25.00 per year on top of the $10.00 annual fee and regular license fees. DAV plates have no annual license fee and qualify for state excise (sales) tax exemption on up to two vehicles at a time, with plates limited to vehicles under 26,000 lbs gross weight. POW plates qualify for excise tax exemption on up to two vehicles, limited to vehicles not exceeding 20,000 lbs, with no additional fee for personalized POW plates. Purple Heart recipients receive the plate at no initial cost and no annual surcharge, with registration fees exempt for one motor vehicle not exceeding 26,000 lbs registered gross weight. National Guard plates carry a one-time $5.00 fee (personalized plates add a $25.00 annual personalized fee).

Veterans and Purple Heart plates use form SFN 51628 (Application for ND Veterans Number Plate); DAV, POW, and National Guard plates use SFN 2872 (Application for Certificate of Title) submitted with the required VA/Adjutant General certification letter; Gold Star uses SFN 59183 (Application for North Dakota Gold Star Plate), completed/approved by the ND Department of Veterans Affairs before submission to the DOT with payment. All require the applicable certification or documentation.