(1)
Under what authority does the
department issue Purple Heart license plates?
RCW
46.18.280 authorizes the department to issue
Purple Heart license plates.
(2)
Who may receive Purple Heart license plates? Any Washington
resident who:
(a) Has been awarded a Purple
Heart medal by any branch of the United States Armed Forces, including the
Merchant Marines and the Women's Air Forces Service Pilots or spouse if the
recipient is deceased;
(b)Was
wounded or is the spouse of a person who was wounded during one of this
nation's wars or conflicts identified in
RCW
41.04.005; and
(c)Is an owner, co-owner, lessee, or
co-lessee of a vehicle requiring two license plates; or
(d)The spouse of a deceased recipient of a
Purple Heart medal.
(3)What documentation does a Purple
Heart recipient or spouse of a deceased recipient need to submit to obtain
Purple Heart license plates? Purple Heart recipients or spouse of a
deceased recipient applying for these license plates must submit:
(a)An application for Purple Heart license
plates; and
(b)A copy of the armed
forces document showing the recipient was awarded the Purple Heart
medal.
(c) The surviving spouse of
a deceased Purple Heart medal recipient may be issued a special Purple Heart
license plate. In addition to confirm eligibility, the surviving spouse must
submit the following:
(i) A copy of the death
certificate of the deceased Purple Heart medal recipient; and
(ii) An affidavit that the applicant is not
currently married.
(4)May the spouse of a deceased Purple
Heart recipient keep the Purple Heart license plates? Yes. To keep the
Purple Heart license plates the surviving spouse must provide:
(a)A copy of the Purple Heart recipient's
death certificate; and
(b)An
affidavit that the spouse has not remarried; and
(c) If the surviving spouse remarries, the
Purple Heart special license plate is invalid and must be removed from the
vehicle.
(5) If I
replace my Purple Heart license plate, will I receive the same license plate
number and letter combination? Yes. If the vehicle owner requests and
pays the fees in
RCW
46.16A.200, the Purple Heart license plates
will be replaced with the same number and letter combination as shown on the
vehicle computer record.
