Veterans To Have Access To Commemorative Number Plates

The state Senate voted unanimously today to remove a barrier that prevented military veterans from getting state-issued license plates to commemorate their service in armed conflicts since the Vietnam War.

The legislation now awaits the signature of Gov. Bev Perdue.

North Carolina issues number plates to note the car owner’s service in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

State law authorizes plates for the early 1990s Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and any other conflict for which the U.S. Department of Defense issued a campaign badge or medal. But so far it has not made those number plates.

Existing law says none of those tags can be issued until at least 300 people request them. So far, fewer than 300 have applied for those individual plates, according to the Division of Motor Vehicles.