Gold Star Mothers' Plates — the Plate Fee Waived
New Hampshire issues gold star number plates with NO NUMBER PLATE FEES. Regular registration fees still apply, so this is a waiver of the plate charge rather than of the whole bill. The vehicle may be owned directly by the eligible person or through their TRUST, which is a small provision that matters for older families who have moved assets into one. This record sits alongside New Hampshire's existing Gold Star family decal; they are separate things.
Verified August 27, 2026
What this benefit is
New Hampshire issues gold star number plates with NO NUMBER PLATE FEES. Regular registration fees still apply, so this is a waiver of the plate charge rather than of the whole bill. The vehicle may be owned directly by the eligible person or through their TRUST, which is a small provision that matters for older families who have moved assets into one. This record sits alongside New Hampshire's existing Gold Star family decal; they are separate things.
What it's worth: Gold star number plates with no plate fee
- NO NUMBER PLATE FEES are charged.
- REGULAR REGISTRATION FEES STILL APPLY. The waiver is of the plate charge, not the registration.
- The vehicle may be owned DIRECTLY OR THROUGH THE ELIGIBLE PERSON'S TRUST.
- New Hampshire vehicle registration is required.
- This is separate from New Hampshire's Gold Star family decal, which has its own record.
Who is entitled to it
- The member died in service.
- New Hampshire vehicle registration.
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
- 1Apply at the Division of Motor Vehicles for the gold star plates.
- 2If the vehicle is held in a trust, say so — the statute expressly allows trust ownership, and a clerk unfamiliar with that clause may otherwise refuse.
- 3Expect to pay the regular registration fee. Only the plate fee is waived.
- 4Ask about the Gold Star family decal at the same time; it is a separate provision.
- 5Bring documentation of the member's death in service.
- Form
- Application to the Division of Motor Vehicles
- File with
- New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles
- No renewal
- Once granted it does not need renewing.
Sources
- authority · statuteRSA 261:87-c — gold star number plates
- operating · published policyNew Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.