(a) If the applicant meets the requirements set forth in this chapter, the commissioner shall issue to the applicant a license plate bearing a distinctive number.

(b) Such license plates shall be of metal at least six inches wide and not less than 12 inches in length and shall show in bold characters the year of registration, the serial number, and either the full name or the abbreviation of the name of the state, shall designate the county from which the license plate was issued, and shall show such other distinctive markings as in the judgment of the commissioner may be deemed advisable, so as to indicate the class of weight of the vehicle for which the license plate was issued. Such plates may also bear such figures, characters, letters, or combinations thereof as in the judgment of the commissioner will to the best advantage advertise, popularize, and otherwise promote Georgia as the "Peach State." The metal shall be of such strength and quality that the plate shall provide a minimum service period of five years. Every five years a new metal license plate shall be provided by the commissioner for issuance. Metal license plates issued on or after January 1, 1997, shall be used for a period of five years.

(b.1) Any valid license plate or revalidation decal assigned to a vehicle under former provisions of this Code section prior to May 1, 1997, shall be deemed issued to the current registrant of such vehicle on May 1, 1997.

(c) The face of the license plate to be displayed shall be treated completely with a retroreflective material which will increase the nighttime visibility and legibility of the plate. The Office of Highway Safety shall prepare the specifications which such retroreflective material shall meet.

(d) In those years in which a metal plate is not issued, a revalidation decal with a distinctive serial number shall be issued and affixed in the space provided on the license plate issued to the applicant which shall indicate the year and month through which the registration of the vehicle shall be valid; provided, however, that if the commissioner determines that it is necessary, two revalidation decals shall be issued for each license plate to reflect the required information. When an applicant is issued a revalidation decal and such applicant registered the vehicle in another county the previous year, the applicant shall also be issued a new county decal which shall be properly affixed to the license plate and shall replace the other county decal.

(e) The commissioner shall furnish without cost to each tag agent reflective adhesive decals in sufficient number, upon which there shall be printed the name of the agent's county. Such a decal shall be issued with each metal license plate and shall be affixed in the space provided on the license plate without obscuring any number or other information required to be present on the plate.

(f) A county tag agent shall issue a county name decal for the agent's county only if:

(1) The applicant is a resident of or a business located in the county named on the decal; (2) The applicant is registering a new vehicle in such county, is renewing a current vehicle registration, or is transferring registration of a vehicle to the county named on the decal; and

(3) The application for registration of the vehicle is being made in the county named on the decal.