AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 5, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

98

Introduced by Assembly Member Alanis

February 9, 2026

An act to amend Section 9105 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue special license plates or distinguishing placards to disabled veterans for purposes of certain parking privileges and fee exemptions. Commencing January 1, 2027, existing law exempts, except as specified, a vehicle that is owned by a disabled veteran, a former American prisoner of war, or a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient or a Purple Heart recipient, or the surviving spouse of a former American prisoner of war or Congressional Medal of Honor or Purple Heart recipient, who has elected to retain special license plates, that is of a type subject to registration under the Vehicle Code, and that is not used for hire, compensation, or profit, from certain fees imposed pursuant to the Vehicle Code and a vehicle license fee imposed for the privilege of operating specified vehicles. Existing law defines “vehicle” for purposes of these provisions as a passenger motor vehicle, a motorcycle, or a commercial motor vehicle of less than 8,001 pounds unladen weight.

This bill would delete the above-described weight limit for commercial motor vehicles. instead define a vehicle for purposes of the above-described provisions as a passenger motor vehicle, a motorcycle, or a commercial motor vehicle of less than 10,000 pounds unladen weight.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 9105 of the Vehicle Code, as added by Section 2 of Chapter 382 of the Statutes of 2022, is amended to read:

9105.

(a) Except for fees for duplicate license plates, duplicate certificates, or duplicate cards, the fees specified in this code need not be paid for a vehicle that is of a type subject to registration under this code, and that is not used for transportation for hire, compensation, or profit, when owned by any of the following:

(1) A disabled veteran.

(2) A former American prisoner of war.

(3) The surviving spouse of a former American prisoner of war who has elected to retain the special license plates issued under Section 5101.5.

(4) A Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.

(5) The surviving spouse of a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient who has elected to retain the special license plates issued under Section 5101.6.

(6) A Purple Heart recipient.

(7) The surviving spouse of a Purple Heart recipient who has elected to retain the special license plates issued under Section 5101.8.

(b) The exemption granted by subdivision (a) does not extend to more than one vehicle owned by a former American prisoner of war, a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, or a surviving spouse, and applies to the same vehicle as described in subdivision (b) of Section 10783, or subdivision (b) of Section 10783.2, of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(c) (1) The department may require a disabled veteran applying for an exemption under this section to submit a certificate signed by a physician and surgeon, or to the extent that it does not cause a reduction in the receipt of federal aid highway funds, by a nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, physician assistant, chiropractor, or optometrist, substantiating the disability.

(2) The department may require a person applying for an exemption under this section for either of the following reasons to do any of the following:

(A) By reason of the person’s status as a former prisoner of war, to show, by satisfactory proof, the person’s former prisoner-of-war status.

(B) By reason of the person’s status of receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor, to show, by satisfactory proof, that the person is a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.

(C) By reason of the person’s status of receiving the Purple Heart, to show, by satisfactory proof, that the person is a Purple Heart recipient.

(d) For the purposes of this section, the term “vehicle” means any of the following:

(1) A passenger motor vehicle.

(2) A motorcycle.

(3) A commercial motor vehicle. vehicle of less than 10,000 pounds unladen weight.

(e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2027.