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License Plates

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Alabama License Plate

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 themselves are processed at the county level by each county’s licensing official, which may be the probate judge, license commissioner, or revenue commissioner depending on the county.

Alabama’s current standard plate launched on October 1, 2022, replacing the prior mountain-scene design. The new plate features a beach scene with “alabama.travel” printed along the bottom edge.

Types of License Plates in Alabama

  • Standard passenger: assigned automatically at registration for private automobiles, motorcycles, and pickup trucks up to 12,000 pounds. A replacement plate costs $2 under § 40-12-265.
  • Alabama offers hundreds of specialty plates for universities, causes, organizations, and professions, each carrying a $50 annual additional fee on top of standard registration costs.
  • Personalized plates can be reserved through ALDOR’s Plate Reservation and Ordering System (PROS). The annual personalization fee is $50 under § 32-6-64.
  • Disabled Veteran plates exempt the first plate from registration fees; veterans rated 51% or higher pay $5 annually per additional plate. Prisoner of War and Medal of Honor plates are permanent and registration-fee-exempt under §§ 32-6-250 and 32-6-250.1.
  • An Amateur Radio plate is available to holders of a valid FCC amateur radio license, and a Vintage Vehicle plate covers collector cars over 30 years old not used for daily driving.

The full catalog is published on the ALDOR license plates page.

What Vehicles Require License Plates in Alabama?

Alabama requires registration within 20 calendar days of purchase or acquisition under Code of Alabama § 32-6-65. The fee schedule below is set in Title 40, Chapter 12, Article 5.

  • Passenger automobiles carry one rear plate at a $23 base registration fee. Pickup trucks up to 12,000 pounds fall on the same plate and run $23 to $105 depending on weight. County ad valorem taxes and a $1.25 issuance fee are added locally.
  • A single rear plate is also required for motorcycles, at $15 per year.
  • Private utility and travel trailers register for $12 annually. Commercial trailers (truck trailers, semitrailers) cost $20, and permanent trailer plates are available for $60 under § 40-12-252.
  • Trucks and truck tractors above 12,000 pounds are registered by gross vehicle weight, starting at $23 and climbing to $890 for the heaviest class under § 40-12-248.
  • Battery electric vehicles pay a $203 annual surcharge on top of the standard fee. Plug-in hybrids owe $103. Both figures took effect July 1, 2023 under § 40-12-242(b) and increase by $3 every four years.

License Plate Rules in Alabama

  • Alabama is a one-plate state. Every motor vehicle must display a single plate on the rear, attached and plainly visible, per Code of Alabama § 32-6-51. Admin Rule 810-5-1-.204 allows front-mounted plates on truck tractors and certain trucks where the rear plate would be blocked by design or cargo.

  • The plate must remain legible at all times. Under Admin Rule 810-5-1-.229(2)(a), any unauthorized decal, sticker, patch, cover, or other device that blocks or obscures the plate number, revalidation decals, or state name constitutes mutilation or alteration. A mutilated or altered plate may not be displayed on any motor vehicle per § 40-12-265.

    • Bike racks, hitches, and similar equipment are not specifically exempted by statute; 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 highway without a rear plate is a misdemeanor under Code of Alabama § 32-6-51. The statute applies to every motor vehicle on city streets and state highways alike.

Affixing a plate from another vehicle, or one not authorized for use on that vehicle, is a separate offense. Under § 32-8-86(e), doing so with intent to conceal or misrepresent the vehicle’s identity is a Class A misdemeanor, which carries sharper penalties than the display rule above.

What is the Penalty for Driving Without a License Plate in Alabama?

Penalties under Alabama’s plate statutes start with a simple fine and escalate into misdemeanor territory with jail exposure.

  • No-display offense: a misdemeanor under § 32-6-51, punishable by a fine up to $500 and a driving prohibition of 60 days to six months.
  • Operating without a current plate (expired registration) draws a fine of not less than $25 under § 32-6-65. The county licensing official separately assesses a $15 late-registration penalty.
  • Driving on an expired temporary tag under § 32-6-219 is a misdemeanor carrying up to $500 in fines, up to six months in jail, or both.
  • Affixing an unauthorized plate with intent to conceal a vehicle’s identity is a Class A misdemeanor under § 32-8-86(e), punishable by up to $6,000 in fines and up to one year in jail per §§ 13A-5-12 and 13A-5-7.
  • Late-registration penalties and interest are addressed separately under Admin Rule 810-5-1-.211 and § 32-6-65(b).