What is an Alabama License Plate?
The Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR), through its Motor Vehicle Division, issues all license plates and maintains vehicle registration records statewide. Registrations are processed at the county level by each county’s official licensing agent, who may be a probate judge, license commissioner, or revenue commissioner depending on the county.
The current standard Alabama license plate was launched on October 1, 2022, replacing the previous mountain design. The new plate features a beach image with the inscription “alabama.travel” along the bottom edge.
Types of License Plates in Alabama
- Standard Passenger: automatically assigned upon registration for private cars, motorcycles, and pickup trucks weighing up to 12,000 pounds. A replacement plate costs $2 according to § 40-12-265.
- Alabama offers hundreds of specialty plates for universities, causes, organizations, and professions, each with an additional annual fee of $50 on top of standard registration costs.
- Personalized plates can be reserved through the ALDOR Plate Reservation and Ordering System (PROS). The annual personalization fee is $50 according to § 32-6-64.
- Disabled veteran plates waive the first plate’s registration fees; veterans with a 51% or higher rating pay $5 annually for an additional plate. POW and Medal of Honor plates are permanent and exempt from registration fees according to §§ 32-6-250 and 32-6-250.1.
- Amateur Radio Plate is available for holders of a valid FCC amateur radio license, and the Vintage Vehicle Plate covers collectible vehicles over 30 years old not used for daily driving.
The full catalog is published on the ALDOR Plates page.
What Vehicles Require License Plates in Alabama?
Alabama requires registration within 20 calendar days of purchase or acquisition according to Alabama Code § 32-6-65. The fee schedule below is set in Title 40, Chapter 12, Article 5.
- Passenger cars have one rear plate with a base registration fee of $23. Pickup trucks up to 12,000 pounds have the same plate and cost from $23 to $105 depending on weight. Local property taxes and a $1.25 issuance fee are added locally.
- One rear plate is also required for motorcycles, costing $15 annually.
- Private utility and travel trailers register for $12 annually. Commercial trailers (freight trailers, semitrailers) cost $20, and permanent trailer plates are available for $60 according to § 40-12-252.
- Trucks and tractors over 12,000 pounds register by vehicle gross weight, starting at $23 and reaching $890 for the heaviest class according to § 40-12-248.
- Battery electric vehicles pay an additional annual fee of $203 on top of the standard fee. Plug-in hybrids pay $103. Both amounts took effect on July 1, 2023, according to § 40-12-242(b) and increase by $3 every four years.
License Plate Rules in Alabama
- Alabama is a single-plate state. Each vehicle must have one plate on the rear, attached and clearly visible, according to Alabama Code § 32-6-51. Administrative Rule 810-5-1-.204 allows front plates on tractors and some trucks where the rear plate would be blocked by design or load.
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The plate must remain legible at all times. According to Administrative Rule 810-5-1-.229(2)(a), any unauthorized decal, sticker, patch, cover, or other device that blocks or obscures the plate, revalidation stickers, or state name constitutes mutilation or alteration. A mutilated or altered plate may not be affixed to any vehicle according to § 40-12-265.
- Bicycle racks, hitches, and similar equipment are not specifically exempted by law; if they obscure the plate, the display requirement still applies.
Is Driving Around with No License Plate in Alabama Illegal?
Operating a vehicle on any public road without a rear plate is an offense under Alabama Code § 32-6-51. The statute applies to every vehicle on city streets and state highways.
Attaching a plate from another vehicle or a plate not authorized for use on that vehicle is a separate offense. According to § 32-8-86(e), it is done with the intent to conceal or misrepresent the vehicle’s identity, which is a Class A misdemeanor carrying more severe penalties than the display rule above.
What is the Penalty for Driving Without a License Plate in Alabama?
Penalties for violating Alabama’s plate laws start with a simple fine and escalate to misdemeanor level with possible imprisonment.
- Failure to display: an offense under § 32-6-51, punishable by a fine up to $500 and a driving prohibition from 60 days to six months.
- Operating without current plates (expired registration) carries a fine of no less than $25 according to § 32-6-65. The county’s official licensing agent separately assesses a late registration penalty of $15.
- Driving with an expired temporary plate under § 32-6-219 is an offense carrying a fine up to $500, up to six months imprisonment, or both.
- Attaching an unauthorized plate with intent to conceal vehicle identity is a Class A misdemeanor under § 32-8-86(e), punishable by a fine up to $6,000 and up to one year imprisonment according to §§ 13A-5-12 and 13A-5-7.
- Late registration penalties and interest are addressed separately according to Administrative Rule 810-5-1-.211 and § 32-6-65(b).