West Virginia Veteran Designation on a Driver's License or ID Card

An honorably discharged veteran can have the designation added, and gets a free replacement license if that is the only reason for it.

Also called: veteran designation, driver license, ID card, 17B-2-1, DD-214, free replacement, proof of service, DMV.

For: Veteran or service member.

Where it applies

Written for the jurisdictions listed here.

West VirginiaState

West Virginia Code 17B-2-1(d) allows a license to carry information designating the licensee as an honorably discharged veteran of any branch of the United States Armed Forces, according to criteria established by the Division of Motor Vehicles, if the licensee requests it. The sentence worth knowing is the next one. An honorably discharged veteran may be issued a replacement license without charge if the request is made before the expiration date of the current license and the only purpose for receiving the replacement is to get the veterans designation placed on it. So you do not have to wait for your renewal and you do not have to pay the replacement fee, provided the designation is the only change. Ask for it as a standalone transaction. If you bundle it with an address change or another amendment, the free-replacement condition no longer describes what you are asking for. Proof of eligibility at a DMV regional office is a DD-214 or one of the older separation documents, a military identification card, or a current military license plate. The Department of Veterans Assistance lists WD AGO 53 or 55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD, and NAVCG 553 among the accepted older forms, which matters for veterans of the 1940s and 1950s whose paperwork predates the DD-214. What the designation is for is proof of service at a point of sale. Retail and restaurant discounts, and the West Virginia State Parks Veterans' Salute, ask for proof of service at check-in. A designated license turns that into showing the card already in your wallet rather than carrying a discharge certificate. What it is not is an entitlement to anything. It confers no driving privilege, no fee reduction on the license itself beyond the free replacement, and no benefit eligibility. It is evidence. It is also not a substitute for a plate. Free metered parking under West Virginia Code 17A-3-15a requires the designation to appear on the registration plate, and a veteran designation on a driver's license does not satisfy that section. A separate provision, West Virginia Code 17B-2-12, extends a resident servicemember's license for six months after honorable separation while they are serving outside the state.

Thresholds

Thresholds for West Virginia Veteran Designation on a Driver's License or ID Card
Gate	Rule
No disability rating required	The designation requires an honorable discharge and acceptable documentation. No rating applies, so the rating filter never hides this entry.
Free replacement, but only for this purpose	A replacement license is issued without charge if the request is made before the current license expires and the only purpose is to add the veterans designation. Bundling the request with another change takes it outside that condition.
Older separation documents are accepted	Proof may be a DD-214, a military identification card, or a current military license plate. The Department of Veterans Assistance also lists WD AGO 53 or 55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD, and NAVCG 553, which matters for veterans whose paperwork predates the DD-214.
Evidence of service, not an entitlement	The designation confers no driving privilege and no benefit eligibility of its own. Its value is satisfying proof-of-service requirements without carrying discharge paperwork.
It does not unlock free metered parking	Free metered parking under West Virginia Code 17A-3-15a requires the designation to appear on the registration plate. A veteran designation on a driver's license does not satisfy that requirement.

Documents the source lists

What the official source lists for an application, and where to get each document. It is a reference read from the source, not a full list of what the office may ask for; check with the office or an accredited representative before you apply. Needed means the source asks for it; Helps means the source calls it optional or says it speeds things up.

Needed Military identification, including a DD214 or equivalent
One of the proofs the source accepts.
Where to get it Download it from milConnect if your branch has it there, or request it from the National Archives. A VA application can ask VA to request it for you.
Listed by West Virginia Code §17B-2-1, Drivers must be licensed; veteran designation read 2026-10-10

Sources

Updated

Last updated 2026-10-23.

What changed then:

New official source added: “West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance, state benefits, as archived on June 13, 2026 (the Department moved its site in October 2026, and the new State Benefits page no longer lists the accepted documents)”.
Source removed: “West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance, state benefits”.

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Disclaimer

VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.