As authorized by ND Century Code 39-04-10.17 North Dakota Military Sacrifice plates are available to immediate family members of an individual who died outside a combat zone while serving honorably as an active or reserve member of the United States Armed Forces.
Immediate family members include:
- Spouse;
- Parent, stepparent, or other individual who acted in loco parentis;
- Sibling, whether of the whole or half blood, or by adoption;
- Child, including those by adoption, or a stepchild; or
- Grandparent.
There is no additional fee for the distinctive license plate (all other vehicle registration fees do apply).
There is no additional fee to personalize the license plate.
How to apply:
- Complete form: SFN 62631 Application for North Dakota Military Sacrifice Plate
- Include documentation:
- Proof of Service members' death while serving as a member of the United States armed forces, active or reserve, National Guard, or the US Coast Guard. documents such as;
- Military Service Death Certificate DD Form 1300 or,
- Civilian Certificate of Death, and
- Proof of current service obligation: Orders to duty, enlistment or commission.
- Proof of survivors qualifying relationship to the service member:
- Obituary,
- Birth certificates,
- Marriage license, etc.
- Proof of Service members' death while serving as a member of the United States armed forces, active or reserve, National Guard, or the US Coast Guard. documents such as;
- Mail or bring to:
- ND Department of Veterans Affairs
4201 38th St. SW Ste. 104
Fargo ND 58104-7535
- ND Department of Veterans Affairs
Upon approval of the ND Department of Veterans Affairs the application will be signed and mailed back to the applicant. The applicant will then need to submit the application to the ND Department of Transportation with any required registration payment.
References:
NDCC 39-04-10.17 Military sacrifice plates.
- The director (Department of Transportation) shall issue distinctive number plates to individuals eligible under this section upon receiving.
- Payment of all other fees required under this chapter for registration of a motor vehicle; and
- Verification, as determined by the department, of an individual's eligibility status under this section.
- An individual is eligible for a military sacrifice plate if the individual is an immediate family member of a individual who died outside a combat zone while serving honorably and has not been not found guilty of willful misconduct as defined in title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, part 3, subpart a, section 3.1, subsection n, ( eCFR :: 38 CFR 3.1 -- Definitions.) as a current member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States, either active or reserve, the national guard under federal or state control, or the United States coast guard.
- On request of the director, the department of veterans' affairs shall certify an immediate family member of an individual listed in subsection 2 as eligible to receive military sacrifice plates.
- Military sacrifice plates must be inscribed with a distinctive emblem and the words "military sacrifice".
- For purposes of this section "immediate family member" means a:
- Spouse;
- Parent, stepparent, or other individual who acted in loco parentis;
- Sibling, whether of the whole or half blood, or by adoption;
- Child, including those by adoption, or a stepchild; or
- Grandparent.
- The director may issue military sacrifice plates under this section only to the owner of a passenger motor vehicle or a truck the registered gross vehicle weight rating of which does not exceed twenty thousand pounds [9071.85 kilograms].
Military Sacrifice plates may be personalized at no additional fee per NDCC 39-04-10.3 Check availability of personalized plates.
NDCC 39-04-10.3 Personalized Plates.
At the request of a registrant, the department (Department of Transportation) may provide special license plates marked with not more than seven numerals, letters, or combinations of numerals and letters, upon application for a special license plate and payment of an additional fee of twenty-five dollars per registration period, unless the plate is a gold star license plate, military sacrifice license plate, or a prisoner of war license plate, then there is no additional charge. A personal plate containing a restricted character may not be renewed. The department shall make the special license plates authorized by this section available for motor vehicles registered under section 39-04-10.6, trailers, travel trailers, and motorcycles. The fee for the special license plates issued under this section for vehicles registered under section 39-04-10.6 is a one-time fee of one hundred dollars. The special license plates for motorcycles may contain not more than six numerals, letters, or a combination of not more than six numerals and letters. In the event of sale or transfer of the vehicle, the owner shall remove the special license plates in accordance with section 39-04-36. Upon payment of the applicable transfer fee, the special license plates may be transferred to a replacement motor vehicle.
History: Created: 69th Legislative Assembly 2025 HB 1432 Representative Matthew Ruby-Sponsor.