(a) Motor vehicle owners who are residents of the State of Georgia and who hold an unrevoked and unexpired official amateur radio station license issued by the Federal Communications Commission, upon application, accompanied by proof of ownership of such license, and upon full compliance with the state motor vehicle laws in relation to registration and licensing of motor vehicles shall be issued, free of charge, a special design license plate for a private passenger vehicle upon which shall be inscribed the official amateur radio call letters of such applicant as assigned by the Federal Communications Commission. Each licensed amateur radio operator shall be entitled to no more than one such free plate at a time. The commissioner may consult with licensed amateur radio operators residing in the State of Georgia in the design of the special license plate authorized by this subsection.

(b) The commissioner shall, on or before March 1 in each year, furnish to the sheriff of each county in the State of Georgia an alphabetical arrangement of the list of names, addresses, and license plate letters of each person to whom a license plate is issued under this Code section, and it shall be the duty of the sheriffs of the state to maintain and to keep current such lists for public information and inquiry.

(c) The commissioner shall make such rules and regulations as necessary to ascertain compliance with all state license laws relating to use and operation of a private passenger vehicle before issuing these plates in lieu of the regular Georgia license plate. Such plates shall be transferred to another vehicle as provided in Code Section 40-2-80.

(d) No person to whom license plates are issued under this Code section shall receive compensation in any form for his services in making amateur radio communication available to the public or to individuals, firms, corporations, or organizations.