TITLE XXI
MOTOR VEHICLES

Chapter 261-C
MULTI-USE VETERANS DECAL PLATES

Section 261-C:1

    261-C:1 Multi-Use Veterans Decal Plates Authorized. – The department of safety shall issue multi-use veterans decal plates. The design shall provide an area 3 inches by 3 inches for the placement of decals representing branches of service and medals authorized under RSA 261-C:4. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, multi-use veterans decal plates shall have the same effect and be issued in the same manner as other number plates. Multi-use veterans decal plates shall retain the "live free or die" logo.

Source. 2016, 279:1, eff. July 1, 2017.

Section 261-C:2

    261-C:2 Decals. –
I. Decals shall be made of nonreflectorized material and manufactured to maintain their visibility for a minimum of 36 months.
II. Decals shall include a unique sequence number.
III. The department of military affairs and veterans services, division of veterans services may issue decals to eligible veterans who qualify under this chapter and shall collect a fee of $10 for the set of decals. The division of veterans services shall provide gold star family decals to those who qualify under RSA 261-C:3-a free of charge. Revenue collected under this paragraph shall be restricted revenue to the division of veterans services and shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the division.

Source. 2016, 279:1, eff. July 1, 2017. 2018, 25:1, eff. July 1, 2018. 2019, 160:3, eff. Sept. 7, 2019; 273:7, eff. Sept. 17, 2019. 2020, 37:63, eff. Sept. 27, 2020. 2021, 53:2, eff. July 24, 2021.

Section 261-C:3

    261-C:3 Eligibility. – Multi-use veterans decal plates shall be issued only to those veterans defined in RSA 21:50, I(a). Additionally, an individual shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director of the division of veterans services that he or she was a member of a specific branch of service or was awarded the medal represented on the requested decal.

Source. 2016, 279:1, eff. July 1, 2017. 2019, 273:7, eff. Sept. 17, 2019.

Section 261-C:3-a

    261-C:3-a Gold Star Family Decals; Eligibility. –
I. In this section, "family member" means spouse, grandfather, grandmother, father, stepfather, adoptive mother, adoptive father, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, adoptive son, adoptive daughter, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepbrother, or stepsister.
II. A family member of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces shall qualify for a gold star family decal in accordance with RSA 261-B:3-c and RSA 261-C:2, III. These gold star family decals shall be issued upon payment of the regular registration fees and a $15 decal plate fee.
III. For purposes of this section, a motor vehicle is owned by a family member of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces if the family member of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces is the motor vehicle's owner under RSA 259:72, I, or if the legal ownership of the motor vehicle is held by a trust established by the family member of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces and the family member of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces has use of the motor vehicle or the motor vehicle is used for the transportation of the family member of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces. The division of veterans services shall establish the documentation required for a motor vehicle held in trust to be eligible for decals under this section. The office shall not issue more than one set of decals under this section to any trust. A trustee of the trust or the administrator of the estate may be fined up to $500 for failing to return within 60 days of the death of the family member of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces any decals issued under this section for a motor vehicle held in trust.
IV. A stepfather, stepson, or stepdaughter of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces shall only be eligible for gold star family decals if, in the case of a stepfather, his marriage license is dated prior to the member's fifteenth birthday and the stepfather provides a copy of the marriage license to the director, or in the case of a stepson or stepdaughter, if the member's marriage license is dated prior to the stepson's or stepdaughter's fifteenth birthday and the stepson or stepdaughter provides a copy of the marriage license to the office. The stepfather shall also be required to provide a DD Form 1300 to the director of the office. A stepfather shall not receive decals under this section if another stepfather of the person killed while on duty holds gold star family decals furnished under this section.
V. Pursuant to RSA 261-C:2, the department of military affairs and veterans services, division of veterans services shall provide gold star family decals to those who qualify under this section free of charge.

Source. 2019, 160:1, eff. Sept. 7, 2019; 273:7, eff. Sept. 17, 2019. 2020, 37:64, eff. Sept. 27, 2020. 2021, 53:3, eff. July 24, 2021.

Section 261-C:4

    261-C:4 Authorized Decals. –
I. The following decals shall be issued in accordance with this chapter:
(a) Branch of service:
(1) United States Army.
(2) United States Navy.
(3) United States Air Force.
(4) United States Marine Corps.
(5) United States Coast Guard.
(6) United States Space Force.
(b) Medal for Valor:
(1) Medal of Honor.
(2) Distinguished Service Cross.
(3) Navy Cross.
(4) Air Force Cross.
(5) Coast Guard Cross.
(6) Silver Star.
(7) Bronze Star.
(c) Gold star family member decals pursuant to RSA 261-C:3-a and RSA 261-B:3-c, if such individual meets the definition of a veteran as outlined in RSA 261:87-b.
(d) Distinguished Service Medal.
(1) Defense Distinguished Service Medal.
(2) Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal.
(3) Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army).
(4) Navy Distinguished Service Medal.
(5) Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.
(6) Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal.
(7) Defense Superior Service Medal.
(8) Legion of Merit.
(e) Medal for Heroism.
(1) Distinguished Flying Cross.
(2) Army Soldier's Medal.
(3) Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
(4) Airman's Medal.
(5) Coast Guard Medal.
II. The division of veterans services shall provide a report annually to the director of the division of motor vehicles. Such report shall contain the names of veterans to whom decal or decals were issued, indicating which decal was issued and its issue number.
III. Eligible veterans shall obtain new decals no less frequently than 36 months from the date of issue.

Source. 2016, 279:1, eff. July 1, 2017. 2019, 160:4, eff. Sept. 7, 2019; 273:7, eff. Sept. 17, 2019. 2023, 16:1, eff. July 3, 2023.

Section 261-C:5

    261-C:5 Vehicles Eligible. – Multi-use veterans decal number plates may be used on passenger motor vehicles and recreation vehicles.

Source. 2016, 279:1, eff. July 1, 2017.

Section 261-C:6

    261-C:6 Misuse of Decals. – Only decals authorized under this chapter may be displayed on multi-use veterans decal number plates. Use of an unauthorized decal shall be a violation punishable by a fine of $50 plus penalty assessment.

Source. 2016, 279:1, eff. July 1, 2017.

Section 261-C:7

    261-C:7 Rulemaking. – The commissioner of the department of safety in consultation with the director of the division of veterans services shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A relative to the administration of the multi-use veterans decal number plate program.

Source. 2016, 279:1, eff. July 1, 2017. 2019, 273:7, eff. Sept. 17, 2019.