Emergency service special registration plates; fee; penalty.

(1) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall issue a special motor vehicle license plate for the front of any motor vehicle of any:

(a) Certified emergency medical technician.

(b) Certified paramedic.

(c) Firefighter.

(d) Law enforcement officer.

(e) Emergency management personnel, as defined in chapter 252.

The designation on such special motor vehicle license plate shall indicate that the motor vehicle is owned by such a public safety officer.

(2) An applicant for a special motor vehicle license plate shall provide proof of one of the following:

(a) If the applicant is an emergency medical technician or paramedic, that he or she is certified in accordance with the provisions of chapter 401 and is actively serving with an emergency medical service or rescue service licensed in accordance with the provisions of chapter 401 or with a hospital emergency department.

(b) If the applicant is a firefighter, that he or she is actively engaged in firefighting activities in the employ of a fire department or is a member of a volunteer fire department.

(c) If the applicant is a law enforcement officer, that he or she is actively engaged as a law enforcement officer as specified in chapter 943.

(3) Upon application by a qualified person who provides the proof required in subsection (2) together with a fee of $5, the department shall issue an emergency service registration plate. The plate shall remain in force only for the period of time that the applicant is actively engaged in service described in subsection (2). The recipient of a special motor vehicle license plate issued pursuant to this section shall be required to return the plate within 10 days of the date that he or she becomes disassociated from the service or organization on account of service in which the plate was issued.

(4) Special motor vehicle license plates issued pursuant to this section for the front of motor vehicles shall be designed as follows:

(a) With respect to emergency medical technicians and paramedics, the plates shall contain a white background with orange letters and, in addition to whatever else the department may require, the designation “EMS.”

(b) With respect to firefighters, the plates shall contain a white background with red letters and, in addition to whatever else the department may require, the designation “F.D.” and a Maltese cross.

(c) With respect to law enforcement officers, the plates shall contain a white background with blue letters and, in addition to whatever else the department may require, the designation “P.O.”

(d) With respect to emergency management personnel, the plates shall contain a white background with red letters and, in addition to whatever else the department may require, the designation “CD” and the logo for civil defense.

(5) Any person who violates the provisions of this act by willfully or fraudulently obtaining a special motor vehicle license plate pursuant to this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.