Rhode Island General Laws Title 31. Motor and Other Vehicles § 31-3-48. Plates for recipients of Purple Heart

(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available to recipients of the Purple Heart Medal up to two (2) sets of special motor vehicle registration plates for any motor vehicle eligible for registration as an automobile or commercial vehicle having a gross weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less, indicating the owner as a recipient of the Purple Heart.

(b) The plate shall contain the words “combat wounded” across the top of the plate and shall have an insignia for the Purple Heart and be followed by the letters “P H”, followed by a numeral or numerals. The Purple Heart insignia may be reproduced on the plate in the color purple.

(c) Upon the death of the holder of any Purple Heart plates, the plates shall be transferred to the holder's surviving spouse for the spouse's lifetime until the spouse remarries.

(d) The applicant is not required to pay a registration fee or service charge for the plates.

(e) Upon the death of the holder of any Purple Heart plates, if there is no surviving spouse, a family member of the recipient may retain one of the special motor vehicle registration plates in the family member's own keeping, provided the family member does not display the plate upon any motor vehicle or any other form of transportation owned or operated by the family member. The other Purple Heart plate must be returned to the division of motor vehicles.

(f) Any violation of the provisions of subsection (e) of this section shall be deemed a civil violation, and any person displaying a special motor vehicle registration plate upon any vehicle shall, upon conviction, be fined five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense. Each day in which the special motor vehicle registration plate is displayed upon any vehicle shall be a separate offense punishable by the same penalty.