O.C.G.A. § 40-2-85.3 (2019)

(a) Special license plates honoring the family members of service members who have been killed in action while serving in the armed forces of the United States shall be issued in this state. The license plate shall be officially designated as the Gold Star license plate. (b) The commissioner, in cooperation with supporters of this license plate, shall design a special license plate for the family members of service members who have been killed in action while serving in the armed forces of the United States. The license plates must be of the same size as general issue motor vehicle license plates and shall include a unique design and identifying number, whereby the total number of characters does not exceed an amount to be determined by the commissioner. The license plate shall bear in a conspicuous place a gold star with blue fringe on a white background with a red border. This is the symbol for a fallen service member. In the indented area normally used for the county of residence decal, the words “Gold Star Family” shall be displayed. (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section, this Code section shall not be implemented until such time as the State of Georgia has, through a licensing agreement or otherwise, received such license or other permission as may be required to implement this Code section. The design of the initial edition of such

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special license plate, as well as the design of subsequent editions and excepting only any part or parts of the designs owned by others and licensed to the state, shall be owned solely by the State of Georgia for its exclusive use and control, except as authorized by the commissioner. The commissioner may take such steps as may be necessary to give notice of and protect such right, including the copyright or copyrights. However, such steps shall be cumulative of the ownership and exclusive use and control established by this subsection as a matter of law, and no person shall reproduce or otherwise use such design or designs, except as authorized by the commissioner. (d) Any motor vehicle owner who is a resident of Georgia, other than one registering under the International Registration Plan, upon complying with state laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles shall be issued such a special license plate upon application therefor. Special license plates issued under this Code section shall be renewed annually with a revalidation decal as provided in Code Section