Motor Vehicle Excise Exemption For Resident Who Is On Active Military Service

The resident must be on active, full-time military service as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and has been deployed or stationed outside the territorial boundaries of the Commonwealth for a period of at least 180 continuous days in the calendar year of the exemption…
This exemption shall apply only to a motor vehicle owned and registered by or leased to a military member in the military member’s own name or jointly with a spouse for a noncommercial purpose. A military member shall qualify for this exemption for only 1 motor vehicle for each calendar year. The motor vehicle shall not be operated on the ways of the commonwealth and operation shall be subject to the penalties in section 9 of chapter 90.

Motor Vehicle Registration Exemption For Disabled Veterans

Disabled veterans who by reason of service in the U.S. armed forces have suffered the loss of, or permanent loss of, the use of one or both hands or feet, or who have permanent impairment of vision in both eyes, or any other disability or handicap of such veterans that may be determined by the medical advisory board of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, are eligible to receive, free of charge, disabled veterans motor vehicle registration plates and are exempt from the biannual registration renewal fee.

Motor Vehicle Registration Exemption for Ex-prisoners Of War

All veterans of any war or military action who, in the course of duty, have been captured and incarcerated by an enemy of the U.S. during an armed conflict are eligible to receive, free of charge, ex-prisoner of war motor vehicle registration plates and are exempt from the biannual registration renewal fee, and their surviving spouses may elect to retain the plates until they remarry, or fail to renew or cancel such or cancel such registration.

Motor Vehicle Registration for Veteran Series License Plates

Veteran plate

: Any war veteran - as defined by M.G.L. C 4, section 7, clause 43 - is eligible for this plate. With the exceptions noted below, a fee will be charged. Proceeds will benefit the Soldiers Homes in Chelsea and Holyoke.

Legion of Valor plate

: One Legion of Valor license plate may be issued (without charge) to those veterans who provide satisfactory evidence of membership in the

Legion of Valor of the United States of America, Inc.

: A surviving spouse will be able to keep this plate until he/she remarries, or fails to renew or cancels such registration, but an annual fee would then be required.

Ex-POW plate

: One Ex-POW license plate may be issued (without charge) to former prisoners of war, defined as any regularly appointed, enrolled, enlisted, or inducted member of the military forces of the United States who was captured and incarcerated by an enemy of the United States during an armed conflict. Presentation of satisfactory evidence of such prisoner of war status is required. A surviving spouse will be able to keep this plate until he/she remarries, or fails to renew or cancels such registration, but an annual fee would then be required.

Purple Heart plate

: One Purple Heart license plate may be issued (without charge to those veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal. In addition, a surviving spouse will be able to keep this plate until he/she remarries, or fails to renew or cancels such registration, but an annual fee would then be required.

Pearl Harbor Survivor plate

: All military personnel on active duty at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, as verified by the Department of Defense, are eligible for this plate. There is no charge for this plate. A surviving spouse will be able to keep this plate until he/she remarries, or fails to renew or cancels such registration, but an annual fee would then be required.

Silver Star and Bronze Star plate

: One "Silver Star" or "Bronze Star" license plate may be issued (without charge) to those veterans who have been awarded the "Silver Star" medal or Bronze Star medal. These plates will be available after January 1, 1998.

Distinctive Military Emblems

A veteran who has been issued a "Veteran" (Flag) plate will be furnished (upon request) a distinctive emblem that identifies the branch of the armed services in which the owner served or the wartime service in which such owner served. A fee may be charged to cover the costs of issuance of such emblem. These identification decals will be available after January 1, 1998.

There is no preferential treatment implied in the issuance of the veteran series plates as there is for the disabled veterans plate. There is an additional cost for the veteran series plates, and they cannot be used for a vehicle requiring a commercial registration under Massachusetts' law.

Motor Vehicle Excise Exemption For Disabled Veterans & Ex-prisoners

Disabled veterans of World War I, World War II, Korea, or Vietnam who by reason of service in the U.S. armed forces have suffered the loss of, or permanent loss of the use of, one or both feet or one or both hands or the loss of sight in one eye or who have permanent impairment of vision of both eyes and are certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are eligible for motor vehicle excise exemption (applicable only to one motor vehicle owned and registered for personal non commercial use).

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 60A, Section 1 would allow exemption of the annual excise tax for a motor vehicle owned and registered by a former prisoner of war—a member of the military forces of the United States who was captured, separated, and incarcerated by an enemy of the United States during an armed conflict.  

The same exemption would apply to a motor vehicle owned and registered by the surviving spouse of a deceased prisoner of war, until such time as the surviving spouse remarries or fails to renew such registration.

Sales Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans

Disabled veterans who by reason of service in the U.S. armed forces have suffered the loss of, or permanent loss of the use of, both legs or both arms or one leg and one arm are eligible for a motor vehicle sales tax exemption (applicable only to one motor vehicle owned and registered for personal, non-commercial use.