Any New Jersey resident who was honorably discharged and has a VA-recognized service-connected disability can apply for an NJ disabled veteran license plate through the Motor Vehicle Commission. The plate costs $15 on top of standard registration, and veterans rated 100 percent permanently disabled pay no registration fee at all. You apply using form SP-47, either in person at an MVC agency or by mail to the Special Plates Unit in Trenton.
Who Qualifies
The eligibility rule is broader than many veterans expect. Under N.J.S.A. 39:3-27.15, a “disabled veteran” is any New Jersey resident honorably discharged from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces who has been declared by the VA to have a service-connected disability.1Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 39 Section 39-3-27.15 – Disabled Veteran License Plate The statute sets no minimum disability percentage. A 10 percent rating qualifies you for the plates just as a 100 percent rating does.
The vehicle has to be registered in your name and used for personal purposes, not commercial ones.2New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Application for Disabled Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient Placard SP-47
Documents You Need
The SP-47 form lists exactly what to bring or send. Missing any one item will delay approval:
- Your DD-214 showing honorable discharge, or a DD-215 if your discharge document was corrected.
- Your VA Award of Disability letter confirming a service-connected disability rating. The MVC does not accept personal medical records or self-submitted assessments in place of this letter.2New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Application for Disabled Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient Placard SP-47
- Acceptable identification. A New Jersey driver’s license works; other forms listed in the MVC’s 6-point ID verification brochure are also accepted.
- Your current New Jersey vehicle registration in your name. For a newly purchased vehicle not yet registered, bring the title or certificate of ownership.
How to Apply
You can submit the SP-47 in person at any MVC agency or by mail.3State of New Jersey. Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient Placards
In Person
Bring the completed form and original documents to any MVC agency. Staff can review your paperwork on the spot and flag problems before you leave. Placards can be issued at the agency. The plates themselves are manufactured by the Special Plates Unit and mailed to your address on file after approval.
By Mail
Send the completed, signed SP-47 along with photocopies of your proof of status to:
NJMVC
Special Plates Unit
P.O. Box 015
Trenton, NJ 08666-0015
Mail applications take several weeks. If something is missing or the MVC finds a discrepancy, you’ll get a notice by mail, which adds more time. Check the packet carefully before sealing it.
What It Costs
The plate carries a $15 fee under N.J.S.A. 39:3-27.16, added to whatever standard registration fees apply to your vehicle. Registration fees themselves vary by vehicle type and weight.
Veterans with a permanent 100 percent disability rating pay no registration fee for one personal passenger vehicle, under N.J.S.A. 39:3-27.1.4Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 39 Section 39-3-27.1 – Free Registration of Vehicles Owned by Resident Blind or Disabled Veterans or Holder of Medal of Honor Combined with the DV plates, that keeps out-of-pocket costs very low.
Separately, if the VA provided funds for the purchase of your vehicle, that vehicle is exempt from New Jersey sales tax.5State of New Jersey. Vehicles Exempt From Sales Tax The exemption applies to VA-funded purchases, not to every vehicle owned by a disabled veteran.
Parking Privileges
DV plates come with a meaningful daily benefit: exemption from municipal parking meter fees for up to 24 hours under N.J.S.A. 39:4-207.10.3State of New Jersey. Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient Placards To use it, hang your DV placard from the rearview mirror while parked at a meter. If the vehicle has no rearview mirror, place the placard on the dashboard so it is visible from both the front and rear.6Legal Information Institute. New Jersey Administrative Code 13-20-9.12 – Display of Placards and ID Cards
One boundary worth knowing: the DV placard by itself does not entitle you to park in designated accessible spaces. To use those, you have to qualify separately through a persons-with-disabilities placard or plates based on a mobility impairment.6Legal Information Institute. New Jersey Administrative Code 13-20-9.12 – Display of Placards and ID Cards Many disabled veterans qualify for both, but they are separate programs.
Renewal, Replacement, and Transfers
The plates stay valid as long as your vehicle registration is active and your VA disability status is unchanged. Keep your address and vehicle information current with the MVC.
If a plate is lost, damaged, or stolen, submit an Application for Remaking an Existing License Plate (BA-49).7New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Application for Remaking an Existing License Plate BA-49 For a stolen plate, include a copy of the police report. There is no fee for the replacement.
The plate is tied to you, not to a specific vehicle. If you sell or transfer the car, you either surrender the plate to the MVC or move it to another qualifying vehicle registered in your name. Leaving it on the vehicle for a new owner is not an option.
New Jersey law explicitly lets a surviving spouse retain Purple Heart plates after the veteran’s death, but there is no equivalent statutory provision for disabled veteran plates.8Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 39 Section 39-3-27.41 – Special Purple Heart Veteran Plates to Surviving Spouse Surviving spouses should contact the MVC directly to ask about their options.