§17A-3-14g. Special registration plates for first responders.

(a) The division may issue special emergency or volunteer registration plates as follows:

(1) Any owner of a motor vehicle who is a resident of the State of West Virginia and who is a certified paramedic or emergency medical technician, member of a paid fire department, member of the State Fire Commission, the State Fire Marshal, State Fire Marshal assistant, State Fire Administrator, or voluntary rescue squad member may apply for a special license plate for any number of Class A vehicles titled in the name of the qualified applicant which bears the insignia of the profession, group, or commission. Any insignia shall be designed by the commissioner. License plates issued pursuant to this subsection shall bear the requested insignia in addition to the registration number issued to the applicant pursuant to the provisions of this article.

(2) Each application submitted pursuant to this subsection shall be accompanied by an affidavit signed by the fire chief or department head of the applicant stating that the applicant is justified in having a registration with the requested insignia, proof of compliance with all laws of this state regarding registration and licensure of motor vehicles, and payment of all required fees.

(3) Each application submitted pursuant to this subsection shall be accompanied by payment of a special initial application fee of $10, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter. All special fees shall be collected by the division and deposited into the State Road Fund.

(b) The division may issue special certified firefighter registration plates as follows:

(1) Any owner of a motor vehicle who is a resident of the State of West Virginia and who is a certified firefighter may apply for a special license plate that bears the insignia of the profession for any number of Class A vehicles titled in the name of the qualified applicant. Any insignia shall be designed by the commissioner. License plates issued pursuant to this subsection shall bear the requested insignia pursuant to the provisions of this article. Upon presentation of written evidence of certification as a certified firefighter, certified firefighters are eligible to purchase the special registration plate issued pursuant to this subsection.

(2) Each application submitted pursuant to this subsection shall be accompanied by an affidavit stating that the applicant is justified in having a registration with the requested insignia, proof of compliance with all laws of this state regarding registration and licensure of motor vehicles, and payment of all required fees. The firefighter certification department, section, or division of the West Virginia University fire service extension shall notify the commissioner in writing immediately when a firefighter loses his or her certification. If a firefighter loses his or her certification, the commissioner may not issue him or her a license plate under this subsection.

(3) Each application submitted pursuant to this subsection shall be accompanied by payment of a special initial application fee of $10, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter. All special fees shall be collected by the division and deposited into the State Road Fund.

(c) The division may issue special volunteer firefighter registration plates as follows:

(1) Any owner of a motor vehicle who is a resident of West Virginia and who is a volunteer firefighter may apply for a special license plate for any Class A vehicle titled in the name of the qualified applicant which bears the insignia of the profession in white letters on a red background. The insignia shall be designed by the commissioner and shall contain a fireman’s helmet insignia on the left side of the license plate.

(2) Each application submitted pursuant to this subsection shall be accompanied by an affidavit signed by the applicant’s fire chief, stating that the applicant is a volunteer firefighter and is justified in having a registration plate with the requested insignia. The applicant must comply with all other laws of this state regarding registration and licensure of motor vehicles and must pay all required fees.

(3) Each application submitted pursuant to this subsection shall be accompanied by payment of a special one-time initial application fee of $10, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter. All application fees shall be deposited into the State Road Fund.

(d) The division may issue special registration plates to applicants supporting law-enforcement officers, to retired members of the West Virginia State Police, and to survivors of wounds received in the line of duty as a member with a West Virginia law-enforcement agency as follows:

(1) Upon appropriate application, the division shall issue a special registration plate designed by the commissioner which recognizes, supports, and honors the men and women of law-enforcement and includes the words Back the Blue. Upon appropriate application, the division shall issue to any member of a municipal police department, sheriff’s department, the State Police, or the law-enforcement division of the Division of Natural Resources who has been wounded in the line of duty and awarded a Purple Heart in recognition thereof by the West Virginia Chiefs of Police Association, the West Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, the West Virginia Troopers Association, or the Division of Natural Resources a special registration plate for one vehicle titled in the name of the qualified applicant with an insignia appropriately designed by the commissioner.

(2) For special registration plates supporting law-enforcement officers, the division shall charge a special initial application fee of $10 in addition to all other fees required by this chapter. This special fee shall be collected by the division and deposited in the State Road Fund. An annual fee of $15 shall be charged for each plate supporting law-enforcement officers in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.

(3) Registration plates issued pursuant to this subsection to survivors of wounds received in the line of duty as a member with a West Virginia law-enforcement agency are exempt from the registration fees otherwise required by the provisions of this chapter. A surviving spouse may continue to use his or her deceased spouse’s special registration plate until the surviving spouse dies, remarries, or does not renew the plate. Survivors of wounds received in the line of duty as a member with a West Virginia law-enforcement agency may obtain a license plate as described in this subsection for use on a passenger vehicle titled in the name of the qualified applicant. The division shall charge for the second plate a one-time fee of $10, to be deposited into the State Road Fund, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.

(4) Upon appropriate application, the division may issue special registration plates designed by the commissioner for any number of vehicles titled in the name of the qualified applicant who offers sufficient proof of being a retired member of the West Virginia State Police. The division shall charge a special initial application fee of $10 in addition to all other fees required by this chapter. This special fee shall be collected by the division and deposited in the State Road Fund.