How to get a veteran or Disabled Veteran license plate — what states issue, what proof you need, and how Texas does it under Transportation Code 504.202
Veteran license plates are a state benefit, not a VA one, so the plate types, fees, rating thresholds and any parking or registration-fee privileges are set by each state's motor vehicle law. Most states offer a general veteran plate, branch and era plates, plates for specific decorations (Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Medal of Honor and others) and a Disabled Veteran plate tied to a VA rating. Proof is usually a DD-214 or other separation document, a VA letter for a rating-based plate, and the award citation or DD-214 entry for a medal plate. In Texas, Transportation Code 504.202 gives a veteran with at least a 50 percent service-connected disability (or 40 percent due to amputation of a lower extremity) who receives VA compensation Disabled Veteran plates and registration of one vehicle without the usual registration fees; the plate carries the International Symbol of Access, and with it disabled-parking privileges, only if the veteran also meets the mobility criteria of section 504.201.
What you'll need
- DD-214 or other separation document (a VA ID card or health card may be accepted for a general veteran plate in some states)
- For a Disabled Veteran plate: a current VA letter showing your service-connected rating
- For a medal plate: the award citation, orders or the DD-214 entry
- Vehicle registration, driver's license and insurance
- Your state's application form — in Texas, VTR-615 for Disabled Veteran plates and VTR-421 for military specialty plates
Step-by-step
Step 1: Find your state's plate list
Search your state motor vehicle agency's site for military or veteran plates. Common categories: a general Veteran plate; branch plates (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserve); era or campaign plates; decoration plates (Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star and others); former POW; Gold Star family; and Disabled Veteran. Each has its own eligibility and fee, and some states waive registration fees or allow disabled parking for specific plates.
Step 2: Gather proof
A DD-214 (or NGB-22 for National Guard service, or other separation paperwork) establishes service, branch, era and listed decorations. A rating-based plate needs a current VA benefit summary or rating letter, which you can download from your VA.gov account. If your DD-214 does not list a medal, bring the citation or orders. Missing records can be requested from the National Personnel Records Center.
Step 3: Apply where your state registers vehicles
In most states the plate is issued through the motor vehicle agency or, in Texas, the county tax assessor-collector's office. Texas: Disabled Veteran plates are governed by Transportation Code 504.202 — a veteran with at least a 50 percent service-connected disability, or a 40 percent disability due to amputation of a lower extremity, who receives VA compensation for it, may register one vehicle of 18,000 pounds or less (or a motor home) without paying the registration fees other than the plate fee, using form VTR-615 with a VA letter. The plates read "Disabled Veteran" and "U.S. Armed Forces" and can carry a branch or decoration emblem. Military specialty plates (Purple Heart, Bronze Star and the others in subchapter G) use form VTR-421 with proof of the award.
Reference: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.504.htm#504.202
Step 4: Understand parking and other privileges
Parking privileges attach to the International Symbol of Access, not to veteran status. In Texas, a Disabled Veteran plate includes the symbol only if the veteran also qualifies under section 504.201 (a mobility impairment or legal blindness certified by a physician), and those veterans may also receive a disabled parking placard; a DV plate without the symbol does not allow disabled parking. Other states follow their own rules, so check before relying on the plate to park. Separate state perks, such as park passes or toll programs for disabled veterans, usually have their own applications and thresholds.
Reference: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/TN/htm/TN.504.htm#504.201
Critical tips
- The plate is proof of service only in the loosest sense — bring your VA ID card or DD-214 when a business or agency asks to verify veteran status.
- If you move, the plate and any fee waiver do not transfer; apply again under the new state's rules.
- Many states let a surviving spouse keep a veteran or medal plate; ask when you register the vehicle after the veteran's death.
- A county veterans service officer can help you get the DD-214 or VA letter the application needs: warriorsfund.org/find-cvso.