Gold Star license plate

Gold Star Parent plates

Gold Star Parent license plates are available to parents of United States armed forces members who have died while in the service, or as a result of their service. To qualify, you must be certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs as one of the following:

  • Birth mother or birth father
  • Stepmother or stepfather
  • Mother or father through adoption
  • Other adult who fulfilled the parental role, such as foster parent, kinship care provider, or caretaker relative. (Additional documentation required.)

How to apply

  1. Request a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying you are a qualifying parent of a member of the United States armed services.
  2. Take the letter from Department of Veterans Affairs, a copy of your vehicle registration, and a check or money order for the fees to a vehicle licensing office.
  3. OR
  4. Mail them to:
    Vehicle Licensing
    Department of Licensing
    PO Box 9909
    Olympia, WA 98507-8500

NOTE: To find out exactly what the fees will be for your vehicle, please contact a vehicle licensing office near you.

How to renew

There are no special requirements for renewing your Gold Star Parent license plates. To renew, pay all licensing fees and:

Personalize your plates

For an additional fee, you may get personalized plates with a Gold Star Parent background design. For more information, see Personalized plates with a special background design.