How to Get a Maine Disabled Veteran License Plate: Full Eligibility, Documents & BMV Application Guide

Maine offers dedicated disabled veteran license plates through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). Whether you have a 100% rating or simply need accessible parking, Maine provides options that offer both recognition and significant financial relief.

This guide covers everything you need to know about eligibility, finding the right plate, and completing your application without delays.

Know Your Plate: Which One Do You Need?

Maine’s naming conventions for these plates can be confusing. Before applying, you need to know exactly which plate you are asking for, as they come with different requirements and benefits:

1. Disabled Veteran Plate (No Handicap Symbol): For veterans with a 100% Permanent and Total (P&T) service-connected VA disability. This plate is free (no annual registration fee), but it does not allow you to park in blue handicap spaces.
2. Disabled Veteran Parking Plate (With Handicap Symbol): For 100% P&T veterans who also have a qualifying mobility impairment. This plate is free and grants accessible parking privileges.
3. Special Veteran Disability Plate: For veterans with any VA rating (or no rating at all) who served honorably and have a physical mobility impairment. You must pay the standard registration fee (starting at $35), but you receive a veteran-branded plate with accessible parking privileges.

Eligibility for the 100% Free Plates

Under Maine Revised Statutes Title 29-A, § 523, you qualify for the free Disabled Veteran plates if you meet all of the following:

• You are a 100% disabled veteran with a permanent and total (P&T) service-connected disability.
• You are currently receiving service-connected disability compensation from the VA.
• Your vehicle weighs 26,000 lbs or less (gross registered weight).
• You have paid the required municipal excise tax or have a documented exemption from it.Maine Legislature

Note: The disability must be both permanent and total. A partial rating (e.g., 90%) or a temporary 100% rating does not qualify for the fee waiver.

Documents You Need to Apply for the Maine Disabled Veteran Plate

Do not show up with a generic VA letter. You must gather these specific documents:

• VA Benefit Summary Letter: Log into VA.gov and download your “Benefit Summary and Service Verification Letter.” Ensure the box stating you are “100% permanent and total” is explicitly checked.
• Proof of Service: A copy of your DD-214.
• Vehicle Information: A copy of your current vehicle registration.
• Medical Form PS-18: If you are requesting a plate with a handicap parking symbol, you must have the Application for Disability Plates/Placards (Form PS-18) certified by a licensed Maine physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or RN.Codes – FindLaw

How to Apply for the Maine Disabled Veteran Plate: By Mail and In Person

1. Clear Your Excise Tax (Required before getting plates)
   • Visit your local municipal office to either pay your vehicle’s excise tax or process your documented 100% P&T excise tax exemption. The BMV cannot issue your plates until this is done.
2. Prepare Your Documents (Download from VA.gov)
   • Gather your VA Benefit Summary Letter, DD-214, current registration, and your signed Form PS-18 (if applying for handicap parking access). Write a brief, formal request stating which specific plate you are applying for.
3. Submit Your Application
   • You can submit your application packet in person at any local Maine BMV branch. Alternatively, you can mail the complete packet to: Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Registration Unit, 29 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0029.

Financial Benefits & Weight Limit Warnings

Maine provides excellent financial relief, but there are strict vehicle weight limits tied to specific exemptions.

Exemption Level	Who Qualifies	Vehicle Limit
No Annual Registration Fee	100% P&T disabled veterans	Up to 3 vehicles (26,000 lbs or less)
Excise Tax Exemption	100% P&T disabled veterans	1 vehicle
Total Exemption (Sales Tax, Title, Excise, Reg)	Veterans who have lost, or lost the use of, both legs	1 vehicle (10,000 lbs or less)

Important Weight Limit Warning: The total fee waiver (which includes sales tax and title fees) for veterans who have lost the use of both legs is strictly capped at vehicles weighing 10,000 lbs or less. Do not purchase a heavy-duty 12,000 lb truck expecting to skip the sales tax; the standard 26,000 lb limit only applies to the basic registration and excise tax waiver.

Maine’s Unique Veteran Plate Features

• The Maine Veteran Decal Program: Maine allows veterans to customize their Special Veteran or Disability plates with specialized medals. For $5, you can purchase an official decal of a medal you were awarded (e.g., Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Vietnam Service Medal) to place directly on your license plate.Maine Legislature
• Leased & Company Vehicles: Maine allows these special plates to be placed on leased vehicles. They can also be placed on company-owned vehicles, provided the company is solely owned by the veteran or the vehicle is assigned exclusively to the veteran.Maine Legislature
• Motorcycles: A separate motorcycle disabled veteran plate is available under the exact same eligibility criteria.
• Gold Star Family Plates: Surviving family members (spouses, parents, siblings, children) of service members who lost their lives in combat are eligible for Gold Star Family plates, which come with no registration fee.

Frequently Asked Questions