(a) Subject to subsection (d) of this Code section, motor vehicle owners who are residents of the State of Georgia, upon application therefor and upon full compliance with the state motor vehicle laws in relation to registration and licensing of motor vehicles and upon payment of the regular motor vehicle registration fee and an additional initial fee of $25.00, shall be issued a license plate commemorating Civil War battlefields and historic sites in this state. A county name decal shall be affixed and displayed on each license plate issued under this Code section.

(b) The license plate issued pursuant to this Code section shall be transferred between vehicles as provided in Code Section 40-2-80.

(c) Special license plates issued under this Code section shall be renewed annually with a revalidation decal as provided in Code Section 40-2-31 upon payment of an additional $25.00 annual registration fee, which fee shall be collected by the county tag agent at the time of collection of other registration fees and remitted to the state as provided in Code Section 40-2-34.

(d) Each application for a special license plate under this Code section along with all fees required by subsection (a) of this Code section shall be submitted directly to the Civil War Commission established by Ga. L. 1993, p. 1952, which shall retain all applications thereby received for such special license plates until a minimum of 500 applications has been received, whereupon the applications and fees shall be transmitted to the commissioner. After the receipt of 500 applications for such special license plates, the commissioner will then design the special license plate. If the commissioner does not receive the required minimum of 500 applications for special license plates under this Code section no later than July 31 of the year preceding the year of issuance of such plates, no such special plates shall be issued and all fees shall be refunded no later than 30 days thereafter to applicants by the Civil War Commission. All license plates issued pursuant to this Code section shall be issued in compliance with the state motor vehicle laws relating to registration and licensing of motor vehicles as prescribed in this article.

(e) The provisions of subsection (d) of this Code section notwithstanding, the Civil War Commission may impose a nonrefundable surcharge to be paid directly to the Civil War Commission by an applicant at the time of application which shall not exceed $20.00 per application; provided, however, that funds generated by any such surcharges shall be expended by the Civil War Commission only for the acquisition of Civil War battlefields in this state and associated Civil War historic sites in this state and for the maintenance, protection, and interpretation of the same as provided by Ga. L. 1993, p. 1952.