(a) A recipient of the Coast Guard Medal or the Coast Guard Commendation Medal who is a resident of this state and who is an owner or lessee of a motor vehicle, upon complying with state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles and upon paying the regular registration fee for plates, as prescribed under § 55-4-111, and the fee provided for in § 55-4-204(c)(1), shall be issued a distinctive Coast Guard Medal or Coast Guard Commendation Medal motor vehicle registration plate, as appropriate, for a motor vehicle authorized by § 55-4-210(c).
Driver: means :(A) For purposes of a conventionally operated vehicle, every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
Owner: means a person who holds the legal title of a vehicle, or in the event a vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease thereof, with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee, or in the event a mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then the conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor shall be deemed the owner for the purpose of this chapter and chapter 10, parts 1-5 of this title. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
Person: means a natural person, firm, copartnership, association, corporation, or an engaged ADS. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
Vehicle: means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
(b) The plates provided for in this section must include a likeness of the Coast Guard Medal or the Coast Guard Commendation Medal and bear the legend “Coast Guard Medal” or “Coast Guard Commendation Medal”, as applicable.(c) All applications pursuant to this section must be accompanied by the following as proof of eligibility for issuance of a plate pursuant to this section:
(1)(A) A valid military identification card or such other document as the commissioner designates as sufficient proof that the applicant is an active member of the United States armed forces; or(B)(i) A certified copy of the veteran’s certificate of release or discharge from active duty, department of defense form 214 (DD 214), honorable discharge certificate, department of defense form 256 (DD 256), or report of separation and record of service, NGB form 22, that indicates an honorable discharge characterization;(ii) A valid DD form 2 (Retired) military identification card; or(iii) A Tennessee driver license that indicates military service in accordance with § 55-50-354; and(2) Documentation certifying that the application for the plate is submitted by a recipient of the Coast Guard Medal or Coast Guard Commendation Medal, as applicable, to include:
(A) Military orders awarding the Coast Guard Medal or Coast Guard Commendation Medal, authorized by a branch of the United States armed forces to the member or veteran; or(B) The veteran’s certificate of release or discharge from active duty, department of defense form 214 (DD 214), or report of separation and record of service, NGB form 22, indicating the awarding of the Coast Guard Medal or Coast Guard Commendation Medal.(d) An applicant is required to submit the documentation required by subsection (c) only when initially applying for license plates under this section. Subsequent license plates under this section must be issued to that person without the repeated presentation of documentation.
