To be eligible the Veteran's Affairs Office must certify the applicant was a Prisoner of War.
SFN 2872 Application for Certificate of Title form must be completed, signed, and returned with the certification letter.
Qualified veterans are eligible for two (excise tax) exempt vehicles licensed with a POW license plate at a time. Plates may not be displayed on a vehicle with a gross weight equal to or exceeding 20,000 lbs.
Personalized plates
A qualified applicant may choose a personalized plate not exceeding a total of five (5) characters and spaces. There is no additional fee for personalized POW plates as per NDCC 39-04-10.3
NDCC 39-04-18 (2) O Prisoner of war plates eligibility, exemption, spouse retains
Passenger motor vehicles, house cars, or pickup trucks not exceeding twenty thousand pounds [9071.84 kilograms] registered gross weight owned and operated by a resident who, while serving in the United States armed forces, was a prisoner of war and has received an honorable discharge from the United States armed forces is entitled to display a distinctive license plate issued by the department. This exemption also applies to any passenger motor vehicle, house car, or pickup truck not exceeding twenty thousand pounds [9071.84 kilograms] registered gross weight subsequently purchased or acquired by such a former prisoner of war. This exemption applies to no more than two motor vehicles owned by a former prisoner of war at any one time. A surviving spouse of a former prisoner of war who has not remarried retains the exemption of the deceased veteran who qualified under this subdivision for one vehicle.
NDCC 39-04-10.5. Prisoner of war plates - Transfer to certain surviving spouses - Retirement of plate
On the death of a prisoner of war to whom was issued a special number plate under subdivision o of subsection 2 of section 39-04-18, the director shall comply with this section. If the deceased prisoner of war was survived by a spouse, the director shall transfer the number plate to that spouse's name, and the spouse may retain the number plate as an active plate. If the surviving spouse remarries, then within thirty days of that remarriage, the surviving spouse shall surrender the plate to the director.
On receipt of a surrendered plate, on the death of the surviving spouse, or if the deceased prisoner of war had no surviving spouse, the director shall retire the number used on the number plate. On retirement of a number plate and at the request of the survivors of the deceased prisoner of war, the director shall issue to the survivors one commemorative plaque resembling the number plate that had been issued to the prisoner of war.
Visit the ND Department of Transportation FAQ website for more information.