Connecticut veteran license plates are available to any honorably discharged veteran, active-duty service member, eligible former reservist, or surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran. You apply by submitting Form M-46 with proof of service, either through the DMV’s online special plate portal or by mail to the Special Plate Unit in Wethersfield. The fee is $27.50 for the next available number in the series, or $96.50 if you want a custom vanity configuration.
Who Qualifies
Eligibility runs through Connecticut General Statutes Section 27-103, which defines a veteran as anyone honorably discharged or released under honorable conditions from active service in the armed forces, including reserve components and Connecticut National Guard members performing duty under Title 32 of the U.S. Code.1Justia Law. Connecticut General Statutes Title 27 Section 27-103
The DMV’s application form extends the same plate eligibility to active-duty service members and eligible former reservists. A surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran may also apply, provided the vehicle is owned or leased in the spouse’s name.2State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Special Order Veteran Plate Application
If Your Discharge Was Other Than Honorable
A discharge below “honorable” or “general under honorable conditions” normally disqualifies you. Connecticut created a narrow exception under Public Act 21-79 for veterans whose other-than-honorable discharge resulted from their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Those veterans can apply to the Eligibility Qualifying Review Board, which reviews each case within 30 days and issues a written recommendation. An approval letter serves as proof of eligibility for state veteran benefits, including license plates.3Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs. Application Processes for Restoration of State Benefits for Certain Veterans With an OTH Discharge
This review restores state-level benefits only. It does not change your federal discharge status or open federal VA benefits. Veterans with a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge are not eligible for the review.3Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs. Application Processes for Restoration of State Benefits for Certain Veterans With an OTH Discharge
Plate Designs You Can Choose
The most common option is the flag-style veteran plate, with an American flag background, available for standard vehicles and motorcycles. Connecticut also issues a separate Woman Veteran plate.4CT.gov. Get Special and Vanity DMV Plates
Campaign-specific plates are reserved for veterans who served in a designated theater and hold the matching campaign medal. The eligible campaigns are:5Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans License Plates
- World War II
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- Lebanon
- Grenada
- Operation Earnest Will
- Panama
- Persian Gulf War
- Afghanistan War
- Iraq War
Serving during a war era is not the same as serving in it. If you were stateside during a wartime period, you qualify for the general veteran plate rather than a campaign plate.
Vehicles That Can Carry the Plate
The M-46 lists these eligible vehicle types: passenger, commercial, combination, camper, camp trailer, and motorcycle.2State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Special Order Veteran Plate Application One restriction catches people off guard: you can only request a veteran plate in the same registration class your vehicle already carries. A truck registered as commercial cannot switch to a passenger-class veteran plate.
Motorcycle plates have their own character limits. A flag-style veteran motorcycle plate allows up to five characters; a standard motorcycle vanity plate allows up to six.4CT.gov. Get Special and Vanity DMV Plates The online portal handles camp trailers, campers, combination, commercial, and passenger plates; motorcycle veteran plates may need to be processed by mail.6CT.gov. Order Special Plates
How To Apply
The application is DMV Form M-46, “Special Order Veteran Plate Application.”2State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Special Order Veteran Plate Application For proof of veteran status, submit any one of these:
- A copy of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty)
- An active-service military ID
- A Connecticut driver’s license or state ID card displaying the U.S. flag symbol
Campaign-specific plates require additional proof that you served during the period of war requested.2State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Special Order Veteran Plate Application The vehicle must already have a valid Connecticut registration before you apply.6CT.gov. Order Special Plates
Online
The DMV runs a self-service portal for special plate orders. You enter your name, date of birth, Connecticut driver’s license number, current plate number, and plate class exactly as they appear on your license.6CT.gov. Order Special Plates The system pulls your registration and walks you through the swap. Once submitted, the order cannot be edited or refunded.4CT.gov. Get Special and Vanity DMV Plates
By Mail
Complete Form M-46 with your vehicle identification number and the desired plate code, attach your proof of service, and include payment by check or money order. Mail everything to: DMV, Special Plate Unit, 60 State Street, Wethersfield, CT 06161-0504.2State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Special Order Veteran Plate Application
What It Costs
A standard veteran plate with the next available number in the series costs $27.50. A vanity configuration with custom letters or numbers costs $96.50. Both fee levels apply equally to the flag-style veteran plate, the campaign-era plates, and the Woman Veteran plate.4CT.gov. Get Special and Vanity DMV Plates Motorcycle veteran plates follow the same structure.
Replacing a Damaged, Lost, or Stolen Plate
If your veteran plate is damaged and your registration is current, you can order a replacement online. The replacement fee for flag-style veteran plates is $15.7Connecticut DMV. Replace Your License Plate
Lost or stolen plates follow a different route. File a police report first, then complete Form E-159 (Lost or Stolen Marker Plate Notice) and book an in-person appointment at a DMV office. Bring the police report, your registration certificate, insurance card, any remaining plate, and payment. The fee is $5 with a police report, $25 without one.7Connecticut DMV. Replace Your License Plate At the appointment, the DMV issues two standard off-the-shelf plates rather than veteran plates. To get the veteran design back, you place a separate special plate order afterward.
One boundary worth noting: holding a veteran plate does not by itself trigger a property tax break on your vehicle. Connecticut’s veteran property tax exemptions run through your town assessor under separate statutes and require filing your DD-214 locally, generally by September 30 for the following year’s bill.