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Gold Star Family Plate — No Extra Fee, and It Passes to the Surviving Spouse

Anyone holding a Gold Star lapel button awarded by the Department of Defense in recognition of a close relative's death in service may register a private passenger vehicle, or a truck of three-quarter-ton capacity or less, on a GS-series plate reading "Gold Star Family". No fee is charged beyond the ordinary annual registration. If the holder dies, the surviving spouse may transfer the plate — and unlike the Purple Heart plate, nothing in the section takes it back on remarriage.

Verified August 23, 2026

What this benefit is

Anyone holding a Gold Star lapel button awarded by the Department of Defense in recognition of a close relative's death in service may register a private passenger vehicle, or a truck of three-quarter-ton capacity or less, on a GS-series plate reading "Gold Star Family". No fee is charged beyond the ordinary annual registration. If the holder dies, the surviving spouse may transfer the plate — and unlike the Purple Heart plate, nothing in the section takes it back on remarriage.

What it's worth: No fee beyond the annual registration fee

  • The section waives any fee "in addition to the annual registration fee otherwise required by this title". The ordinary registration fee and the DMV inspection still apply.
  • The Purple Heart section next door imposes a $10 administrative fee on an original application. §2139I carries no equivalent charge, so the plate should cost nothing extra at all.

Who is entitled to it

  • The plate runs to the holder of a Gold Star lapel button, which is a family award.
  • You are in this state.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1The gate is the lapel button, not a death certificate. §2139I(a)(2) asks for sufficient official documentation of being awarded a Gold Star lapel button by the United States Department of Defense in recognition of a close relative's death while serving in the military.
  2. 2Check the vehicle before you check the paperwork. The section applies only to a private passenger vehicle, or a truck with a three-quarter-ton or smaller manufacturer's rated capacity.
  3. 3Expect a GS number. The Division reserves plates carrying the letters "GS" numbered consecutively from 1, and the plate must also show a gold star and the phrase "Gold Star Family".
  4. 4If the holder dies, the surviving spouse should move the plate rather than surrender it. Subsection (e) lets the surviving spouse transfer it to a qualifying vehicle they own, again with no fee beyond the annual registration.
  5. 5Where there is no surviving spouse, expect a letter. The Division writes to the representative of the estate asking for the plate back within 90 days.
  6. 6Read the remarriage question against the neighbouring section before accepting an answer at a counter. The Purple Heart plate at §2139B(e) requires a remarried surviving spouse to return the plate within 90 days. §2139I contains no such sentence.
Form
Application for Gold Star Family Licence Plate (DMV form MV2010)
File with
Division of Motor Vehicles
At each renewal
Claimed again whenever the underlying licence or registration renews.
Worth knowingTwo neighbouring sections, one drafted with a remarriage clause and one without, is the clearest evidence available that the omission is deliberate. It is still worth having the section number to hand at the counter.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.