Gold Star Family Plates

Gold Star Family License plates are available, in lieu of regular license plates, to families of persons who have died while in good standing on active duty in the military service of the United States.

To request Gold Star Family license plates, the applicant must be eligible for, and enrolled in, the Nebraska Veteran's Registry through the Nebraska Department of Veteran's Affairs and had one of the following relationships with a person who died while in good standing on active duty in the military service of the United States:

A surviving spouse - whether remarried or not
An ancestor - including a stepparent
A descendent - including a stepchild
A foster parent or a person in loco parentis
A sibling

Once enrolled in the Nebraska Veteran's Registry, you may order Gold Star Family license plates online.

Gold Star Message Plates - $40.00*

These plates may be personalized with an available message of your choice. Available to motor vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, semitrailers and cabin trailers.

The distribution of the $40.00 fee is as follows:

75% ($30.00) to the Veteran Cemetery Cash Fund
25% ($10.00) to the DMV Cash Fund

Gold Star Numeric Plates - No Fee

These plates are also available in a numeric format. They are numbered and issued in consecutive numeric order in the order in which the applications are received. Requests for specific numbers cannot be processed. The plates are available to motor vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, semitrailers and cabin trailers

Order Gold Star Family Plates Online

*$40.00 fee is due at the time of initial application and must be renewed annually. The plates are renewed in the month of the vehicle's registration renewal.

There is no limit to the number of vehicles owned by an eligible family member that may be registered with Gold Star plates.

We cannot honor a change of plate and or message choice or request for refund after the application has been processed.

Please allow at least 4 - 5 weeks for the plates to arrive at your County Treasurer Motor Vehicle Office.

Apply for Gold Star Family Plates

Selecting a Message

Check Message Availability Online

Be very sure that each choice listed is acceptable to you. Your first available choice will be processed. Once your application has been processed, your message choice cannot be changed.

Maximum of 5 characters allowed. Available to motor vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, semitrailers and cabin trailers.
Alpha and numeric characters only. All alpha characters are printed in upper case. No punctuation marks or symbols such as slashes, periods, apostrophes or other such symbols are allowed.(Exception: County Message and Commercial plates available only to residents of Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy Counties and must indicate placement of hyphen.)
Messages that conflict with present numbering system or a valid set of plates currently registered, will not be processed. Due to the issuance of alpha/numeric plates in some counties, messages containing three alpha followed by three numeric characters (ABC 123) cannot be processed, regardless of spacing.
Messages determined by the DMV to express, connote or imply objectionable, obscene or offensive words or phrases will not be processed. You are required to complete the section on the application indicating the meaning of your message. Applications received without an explanation of the meaning of the message may be returned to you unprocessed
Message availability may be checked on our Online Specialty Plate System by following the steps below:
- Select the appropriate vehicle on the Vehicle Type screen (click “Continue”)
- Select Mountain Lion Message Plate(click “Continue”)
- Select the "Message" plate from the drop down menu on the Plate Preview screen
  (Please Note: You are only checking the availability of your selected message, so, although the Mountain Lion Message plate graphic is appearing it is only for the purpose of checking your message availability. This is not the graphic that will appear on your plate. Your plate will have the Gold Star graphic.)
- Type in your selected message (click on “Check Availability)
- If the "Continue to Purchase" button appears, the message is available for purchase
  (Please Note: There is no guarantee when a choice shows available that it is the message you will receive.)
- Close out of the online specialty plate system

Completing a Specialty Plate Application

Before submitting your application for a Message plate, you must have a Nebraska Certificate of Title in your name on the vehicle. If the vehicle is leased your leasing company must have a Nebraska Certificate of Title in their name on the vehicle. Applicants who are non-resident military must submit a copy of the vehicle’s registration and your name must appear on that registration. The most common reason for an application to be rejected is the applicant has not obtained the appropriate Nebraska title or included appropriate proof of lease or non-resident military ownership.

Registered Owner Information Section

Name(s)of the registered owner(s)of the vehicle
Address (city and zip code)
Email Address(optional)
Daytime phone number where the applicant can be reached during regular business hours (8:00 am to 5:00 pm CST).
Signature
Date

Vehicle Type Section

Indicate vehicle type (i.e. passenger, motorcycle, autocycle or trailer)

Vehicle Information Section

Vehicle Identification Number (please be very sure that this number is correct)
Vehicle Make (i.e. Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan,Toyota,etc)
Vehicle Year
Vehicle Model
Vehicle Body type
County in Nebraska in which the vehicle is currently titled/registered
County number designation (i.e. 1 – Douglas, 2 – Lancaster, 3 – Gage, etc.)
Current license plate number
Title number
Indicate whether or not the vehicle is leased. If leased, indicate name of leasing company.

Plate Type Section

Indicate on your application by checking the appropriate box the type of plates for which you are applying (i.e. Message plate).

Signature

Once you have completed the application and if applicable your message choices, you must sign and date the application in the space indicated. Your signature is required as affirmation that you are eligible for a Gold Star Family LicensePlate. Applications received without a signature will be returned unprocessed. (Please Note: Gold Star Family License Plates may not be ordered online because the applicant's signature affirming eligibility is required before the application can be approved and processed.)

If Submitting your Application by Mail

Be sure to enclose a check or money order made out to the "Department of Motor Vehicles" with the appropriate plate fee for your specialty plate.

Applications by mail should be submitted, along with the appropriate fee, to:

Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles Driver and Vehicle Records Division
301 Centennial Mall South
PO Box 94789
Lincoln, NE 68509-4789

After the message has been approved and the application processed, an approval letter will be sent to you by U.S. Postal Service first class mail. The approval letter will indicate the approved message or number assigned, the date the plates will be available at your County Treasurer’s office for you to register to your vehicle and your County Treasurer’s telephone number to verify the Treasurer has received the plates. Current plates and registration must be surrendered when the Gold Star plates are registered. Additional fees for production of the license plates and new registration will be charged. You should allow 4 to 5 weeks for the plates to arrive at your County Treasurer’s office.

Current plates and registration must be surrendered when the Gold Star plates are registered. Additional fees for production of the license plates and new registration will be charged by the County Treasurer.

Final Steps

After your application has been processed and your message plate approved (if applicable), you will receive an approval letter by U.S. Postal Service first class mail (Note: if you apply online you will receive an email confirmation prior to your approval letter). The approval letter will indicate the approved message (if applicable), and the date the plates will be available at your County Treasurer’s office for you to register to your vehicle. In addition, the letter will have your County Treasurer’s telephone number to verify the Treasurer has received the plates. You must surrender your current plates and registration when your Specialty plates are registered. The cost of a Specialty plate is due at the time of initial application and again annually in the same month as the vehicle registration. Additional fees for production of the license plates and new registration will be charged. You should allow 4 to 5 weeks for the plates to arrive at your County Treasurer’s office.

In lieu of ordering online, a completed application may be submitted to:

Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
Driver and Vehicle Records Division
PO Box 94789
Lincoln, NE 68509-4789

In lieu of ordering online, a completed application may be submitted to:

Questions regarding Gold Star Family License Plates maybe addressed to email or by contacting this office at 402.471.3918.

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Gold Star Message Plates - $40.00*

Gold Star Numeric Plates - No Fee

Order Gold Star Family Plates Online

Apply for Gold Star Family Plates

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