ALABAMA VEHICLE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS:The Alabama Department of Revenue sets all vehicle values, all title regulations and all other regulations regarding motor vehicle laws. These laws and regulations get their basis from the laws passed by the Alabama legislature.
IN ORDER TO REGISTER A VEHICLE NEWER THAN 35 YEARS OLD FOR THE FIRST TIME THE FOLLOWING IS REQUIRED:
1. TITLE
- An original title properly executed by the seller to the new owner (new owner must be present) or
- Title application completely filled out to the new owner or
- Manufacturers Certificate of Origin (new owner must be present) or
2. BILL OF SALE FORM
- Cost of vehicle and date of sale
- Full description of the vehicle
- Complete name and address of the new owner
- Trade-in allowance, if any
- A breakdown of the sales tax paid. (This is required when purchased from a dealer. It must show the percent and amount of State, County and City tax paid. If all sales tax has not been paid we collect a percentage based on location of residency)
3. INSURANCE
According to Alabama law a vehicle must have a minimum of liability insurance before it may be registered. The signature placed upon the registration receipt will indicate that the information shown on the receipt is correct and that the vehicle is properly insured. Proof of ALABAMA insurance is required.
4. DRIVER LICENSE NUMBERAlabama law requires the owner as listed on the title/registration to provide his/her drivers license or non-driver identification number. Companies registering vehicles are required to provide their federal employer identification number (FEIN)
ALL VEHICLES THAT ARE 35 YEARS OR OLDER REQUIRE #2, #3 AND #4 AS SHOWN ABOVE
VEHICLE RENEWAL SCHEDULE
The renewal month is determined by the first letter of the last name of the individual in which the vehicle is registered. If the vehicle(s) has two registrants, the renewal month is based on the first person listed on the registration. Vehicles that are registered in business names (or have been classed as commercial) renew in October and November each month.
After the vehicle has been registered the annual renewal month for your tag is as follows:
Renewal Month |
Last Name Begins With: |
January |
A,D |
February |
B |
March |
C & E |
April |
F,G,N |
May |
H & O |
June |
M & I |
July |
P & L |
August |
J,K,R |
September |
Q,S,T |
October |
U,V,W,X,Y,Z |
October and November |
National Guard, Commercial and Fleet Vehicles |
The tax on all vehicles is paid in advance from time of registration until Your renewal month.
PENALTY SCHEDULE
- Failure to renew your tag in your renewal month .$15.00 plus interest
- Failure to transfer a purchased vehicle within 20 calendar days. $15.00
- Failure to register a vehicle within 30 days of an individual moving into the State with a valid out-of state license. $15.00
As of January 1, 2013, license plate issuing officials will attempt to verify liability insurance utilizing the State of Alabama Online Insurance Verification System (OIVS), which will allow licensing officials to immediately verify the insurance status of a vehicle at any point in time. If insurance cannot be verified through the OIVS, vehicle owners must provide evidence of insurance to the license plate issuing official. The insurance card is the most common evidence of current insurance, however electronic proof is also acceptable. To be acceptable, the proof of insurance must display the current effective date, insurer’s NAIC number, vehicle identification number (VIN), and policy number.
In addition to providing evidence of insurance, a valid state issued driver license, non-driver identification card, or national driver license must be provided for each owner reflected on the vehicle title. If the vehicle owner is a company, the federal employer identification number (FEIN) is required.
VIOLATION PENALTIES
An owner or operator convicted of a Mandatory Liability Insurance violation may be fined up to $500 for the first violation and up to $1,000 for the second or subsequent violation and/or a six month driver’s license suspension. In addition to the above violation, if a vehicle is registered or operated without liability insurance, the vehicle registration will be suspended and the vehicle owner will be subject to the following:
- First violation: $200 reinstatement fee.
- Second or subsequent violations: $400 reinstatement fee and a mandatory four month registration suspension.
Evidence of current insurance must also be provided in order to reinstate the vehicle registration. Evidence of current insurance along with the reinstatement fee may be submitted to the county license plate issuing official in the vehicle owner’s county of residence, or any of the Alabama Department of Revenue Taxpayer Service Centers located throughout Alabama. Please visit www.revenue.alabama.gov for Taxpayer Service Center locations.
In order to receive a voucher, one of the following criteria must be met:
- selling of a vehicle
- trading of a vehicle
- total destruction of a vehicle
- theft without recovery or other transfer.
You must provide documents to support the above criteria:
- Casual sale or trade....affidavit if buyer and address
- Sale or trade to license dealer...dealer's bill of sale
- Theft of vehicle...report from law authority
- Lease trade-in...odometer statement