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CHAPTER 78
HB 1078-FN - FINAL VERSION
05/07/2026 1620s
2026 SESSION
26-2596
07/06
HOUSE BILL
1078-FN
AN ACT
creating a gold star family and gold star father license plate.
SPONSORS: Rep. Michael Murphy, Coos 6; Rep. A. Davis, Coos 2; Rep. Korzen, Coos 7; Rep. Moffett, Merr. 4; Rep. Ouellet, Coos 3; Sen. Rochefort, Dist 1
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill creates a gold star family and gold star father license plate.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in
bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [
in brackets and struckthrough.
]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
05/07/2026 1620s 26-2596
07/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
creating a gold star family and gold star father license plate.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
78:1 Motor Vehicles; Number Plates; Gold Star Number Plates. RSA 261:87-c is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
261:87-c Gold Star Number Plates.
I. For purposes of this section:
(a) "Gold star mother"
means the mother or stepmother of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces.
(b) "Gold star family" means an immediate family member, who is not a gold star mother or father, of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces.
(c)
"Gold star father"
means the father or stepfather of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces.
II. The department shall furnish one set of special number plates, designed by the director with the approval of the commissioner, for one motor vehicle owned by a qualifying individual as follows: a gold star mother, gold star father, or gold star family of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces.
III. The special plates shall feature the same base design approved by the commissioner. The plates shall be distinguished solely by wording on the plate, specifying "Gold Star Mother," "Gold Star Father," or "Gold Star Family."
IV. Eligibility for a gold star plate shall be documented by submission of:
(a) DD Form 1300, report of casualty, or an official casualty notification document;
(b) Proof of relationship to the deceased service member, such as a birth certificate; or
(c) A marriage certificate, a United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit letter, or a certification letter from the VA.
V. Issuance shall be upon payment of regular registration fees, and no additional plate fees shall be charged.
VI. The director shall establish documentation and application procedures for issuance, including verification of eligibility and maintenance of records.
VII. Applicants may request a specific combination of characters to appear on their plate, subject to the following conditions:
(a) The requested combination shall comply with all state requirements for letters, numbers, and symbols on registration plates;
(b) The requested combination shall not already be in use or reserved by the division of motor vehicles;
(c) The requested combination shall not contain offensive, profane, or otherwise inappropriate content, as determined by the director;
(d) The availability of the requested combination may be verified by the department at the time of application; and
(e) The director may deny or revoke any requested combination that violates the provisions of this section or any other applicable statute or division rule pursuant to paragraph VIII.
VIII. The director is authorized to adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, relative to the design, application process, documentation requirements, and issuance of plates under this section.
78:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Approved: May 19, 2026
Effective Date: July 18, 2026