On receipt of an application and written evidence that the applicant is a retired member of the National Guard, the Commissioner shall issue special license plates to National Guard retirees. No fee shall be charged for license plates issued under the provisions of this section to retired members of the Virginia National Guard. The fee for non-Virginia National Guard retirees shall be $10 per year plus the prescribed cost for state license plates, unless the plates bear reserved numbers or letters as provided for in § 46.2-726. In this latter case, such license plates shall be subject to an additional charge of $10 per year for the reserved numbers or letters. Unremarried surviving spouses of persons eligible to receive special license plates under this section may also be issued special license plates under this section.