(A) Any member of the immediate family of a person who died in a combat zone while a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States may apply to the registrar of motor vehicles for the registration of any passenger car, noncommercial motor vehicle, motor home, or other vehicle of a class approved by the registrar that the family member owns or leases and for issuance of “gold star family” license plates for that motor vehicle. The application for “gold star family” license plates may be combined with a request for a special reserved license plate under section 4503.40 or 4503.42 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of the completed application and compliance with division (B) of this section, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate vehicle registration, a set of “gold star family” license plates with a validation sticker, or a validation sticker alone when required by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code.

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In addition to the letters and numbers ordinarily inscribed on the license plates, “gold star family” license plates shall be inscribed with a gold star and the words “gold star family.” “Gold star family” license plates shall bear county identification stickers that identify the county of registration as required under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code.

(B) Any eligible person applying for registration under this section is not required to pay any registration taxes or fees as required by sections 4503.038, 4503.04, 4503.10, 4503.102, and 4503.103 of the Revised Code, any local motor vehicle tax levied under Chapter 4504 of the Revised Code, or any fee charged under section 4503.19 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of an application for registration of the motor vehicle and presentation of any documentation the registrar may require by rule, the registrar shall issue to the applicant the appropriate motor vehicle registration and “gold star family” license plates and a validation sticker or, when applicable, a validation sticker alone.

(C) No person who is not a member of the immediate family of a person who died in a combat zone while a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States shall willfully and falsely represent that the person is such a family member for the purpose of obtaining license plates under this section.

(D) As used in this section, “member of the immediate family” of a person who died in a combat zone while a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States means all of the following:

(1) A spouse;

(2) A parent, stepparent, or other person who acted in loco parentis;

(3) A sibling, whether of the whole or half-blood, or by adoption;

(4) A child, including those by adoption, or a stepchild;

(5) A grandparent.