# Alaska Purple Heart, POW and Medal of Honor License Plates

> Alaska issues free specialty plates to Purple Heart recipients, former POWs, and Medal of Honor recipients. POW and MOH vehicles also pay no registration fees.
>
> Canonical: https://benefitry.io/guides/alaska-purple-heart-pow-medal-of-honor-plates
> Publisher: Benefitry (benefitry.io). Benefits audit software for US veterans and military families.
> Last updated: 2026-10-30 · First published: 2026-10-30
> Official sources cited: https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/license-plates/ · https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=28.10.181&secEnd=28.10.181 · https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=28.10.421&secEnd=28.10.421 · https://veterans.alaska.gov/benefits/additional-benefits/license-and-license-plates/ · https://dmv.alaska.gov/media/mwmblbsm/803.pdf
> Note: Benefitry is informational software, not affiliated with the VA; it does not file claims or give claim advice (38 U.S.C. § 5901).

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If you earned the Purple Heart, survived captivity as a prisoner of war, or received the Medal of Honor, Alaska issues you a specialty license plate at no cost. For former POWs and Medal of Honor recipients the benefit goes further than the plate itself. State law exempts a vehicle owned by a former POW or Medal of Honor recipient from registration fees entirely, which wipes out Alaska's standard $100 biennial registration charge for as long as you own the vehicle.

![Headlights on the Seward Highway at sunset along Turnagain Arm](/guide-images/alaska-purple-heart-pow-medal-of-honor-plates/seward-highway-sunset.webp)

## What it is

Alaska law directs the Division of Motor Vehicles to issue special registration plates recognizing three of the highest distinctions in military service. Two different statutes do the work, and the difference between them decides what you actually save.

Under [AS 28.10.181(l)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=28.10.181&secEnd=28.10.181), the DMV "shall issue without charge special registration plates for one noncommercial motor vehicle" to a person who has been a prisoner of war during a declared war or other conflict, as determined by the Department of Defense, or who received the Medal of Honor awarded by the President of the United States in the name of the United States Congress. The same subsection covers Pearl Harbor survivors and Gold Star family members.

Purple Heart plates come from a separate subsection, [AS 28.10.181(q)](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=28.10.181&secEnd=28.10.181). The DMV issues special plates to a requesting person "who has received the Purple Heart medal awarded for wounds suffered in action against an armed enemy or as a result of the hostile action of an armed enemy," on written proof that the person is the sole or joint owner of the vehicle.

> The plates look similar in a benefits list, but the fee treatment is not the same. POW and Medal of Honor vehicles are exempt from registration fees. The Purple Heart plate is free to get, but the vehicle's normal registration fee still applies.

## What it's worth

Here is the fee math, straight from the [Alaska DMV plate tables](https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/license-plates/) and the fee statute, [AS 28.10.421](https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=28.10.421&secEnd=28.10.421):

| Plate | Plate cost | Renewal fee for the plate | Vehicle registration fee |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Former Prisoner of War | $0 | $0 | Exempt, per AS 28.10.421(d)(11) |
| Medal of Honor | Without charge, per AS 28.10.181(l) | No renewal charge appears in statute; confirm with the DMV | Exempt, per AS 28.10.421(d)(11) |
| Purple Heart | $0, or $30 if personalized | $0 | Standard fees still apply |

For POW and Medal of Honor recipients, the registration exemption is the real money. Alaska's standard fee for a noncommercial passenger vehicle is $100 per two-year registration cycle under AS 28.10.421(b)(1)(A). The statute sets the fee for "a vehicle owned by a Pearl Harbor survivor, a former prisoner of war, a recipient of the Medal of Honor" at none. That is a guaranteed $50 per year in state fees that never comes out of your pocket, every cycle, for as long as you own the vehicle. Our catalog carries the POW and Medal of Honor plates at that $50 a year, the state registration fee alone. Many boroughs also collect a local Motor Vehicle Registration Tax with registration. Whether it is collected on an exempt vehicle is a question for the DMV, so confirm the local portion with the [Alaska DMV](https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/license-plates/) before you count on it.

For Purple Heart recipients the value is smaller but still real. A standard Alaska veteran plate costs $30 under AS 28.10.421(d)(2)(B). The Purple Heart plate fee is set at none under AS 28.10.421(d)(2)(C), and the DMV lists it at $0 with a $0 renewal fee. You pay only if you personalize it, which runs $30 on the DMV's [personalized plate application, Form 803](https://dmv.alaska.gov/media/mwmblbsm/803.pdf). Your vehicle's normal $100 biennial registration fee is not waived, because Purple Heart recipients do not appear in the registration fee exemption at AS 28.10.421(d)(11).

## Who qualifies (and who doesn't)

You qualify if both of the following are true:

- **You hold one of the three distinctions.** A Purple Heart medal awarded for wounds suffered in action against an armed enemy or from hostile enemy action, former POW status during a declared war or other conflict as determined by the Department of Defense, or the Medal of Honor.
- **You own a vehicle registered in Alaska.** The statute requires written proof that you are the sole or joint owner. This is an Alaska residency benefit tied to registering your vehicle with the Alaska DMV.

Who does not qualify:

- Veterans without one of these three specific distinctions. Alaska's general veteran and retired veteran plates exist for you, but they cost $30, per AS 28.10.421(d)(2)(B). Recipients of other valor awards, such as the Silver Star or Bronze Star for valor, have their own plate series at $30.
- Purple Heart recipients expecting free registration. The plate is free; the registration fee exemption belongs to POW and Medal of Honor vehicles only.
- Commercial vehicles, for the POW and Medal of Honor free plate. AS 28.10.181(l) limits the without-charge plate to one noncommercial motor vehicle.

![A gravel stretch of the Dalton Highway runs through spruce forest toward the mountains](/guide-images/alaska-purple-heart-pow-medal-of-honor-plates/dalton-highway.webp)

## How to claim it

1. **Gather your proof.** For the Purple Heart plate, the [Alaska DMV plate page](https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/license-plates/) says proof of service is required, and the plate is only for a person who has received the Purple Heart, so bring a document that shows the award, such as your DD-214. For the POW plate, the DMV "Requires verification from Veteran's Affairs as ex-POW." For the Medal of Honor plate, the statute requires written proof of the award. If your DD-214 does not show the award clearly, our [DD-214 decoder guide](/guides/dd-214-decoder) explains what each block means and how to request a correction.
2. **Submit the application.** The DMV's [license plates page](https://dmv.alaska.gov/vehicle-services/license-plates/) says to complete Form 803 and submit the plate application for both the Purple Heart and Former Prisoner of War plates, and a plate that needs proof can be submitted with its documents online, at a DMV office, or by mail. The Medal of Honor plate does not appear in the DMV's online ordering tables, so contact the DMV directly to have it issued under AS 28.10.181(l).
3. **Register the vehicle.** POW and Medal of Honor recipients should confirm at issuance that the registration is processed under the fee exemption in AS 28.10.421(d)(11), so no registration fee is charged. Purple Heart recipients pay standard registration as usual.
4. **Renew as normal.** The DMV lists a $0 renewal fee for the POW and Purple Heart plates, and the POW and Medal of Honor registration exemption applies at every cycle. Medal of Honor recipients should confirm renewal handling with the DMV, since that plate is not in the DMV's online tables.

## Related benefits

- Alaska Veterans rated 50% or higher can register one vehicle free with a [Disabled Veteran plate](/guides/alaska-disabled-veteran-license-plate), a separate benefit under the same statute (AS 28.10.181(d), using the disabled veteran definition in AS 29.45.030) that many Purple Heart recipients also qualify for. If you qualify for both, compare which saves more.
- Your DD-214 is the proof document for most of these plates. Our [DD-214 decoder](/guides/dd-214-decoder) shows where awards appear and how to fix an incomplete record.
- If you have a VA disability rating, [VA disability pay rates for 2026](/guides/va-disability-pay-rates-2026) shows what each rating pays.
- See every Alaska benefit you qualify for in the [state benefits scan](/app/dashboard?tab=audit).

## What to do next

Run your profile through our [state benefits scan](/app/dashboard?tab=audit) to see this plate alongside every other Alaska benefit you have earned. Then [start your full benefits scan](https://benefitry.io/start) to see everything you qualify for across federal and state programs.