Alabama
Vehicle Resource Center
Alabama is home to some of the most successful agriculture in the country, a beautiful strand of beaches, and stunning natural beauty. The state is a charming place to call home, but deciding to live in Alabama requires residents to understand the state's driving laws and to meet all the maintenance requirements that come with owning and driving a vehicle. Alabama vehicle ownership can be complicated, but things are easier with the right information.
Ownership and Maintenance
Part of being a vehicle owner and driver in Alabama is completing regular paperwork, maintaining insurance coverage, and renewing your license and registration. All these tasks must be completed regularly to legally own and operate a vehicle in Alabama, but handling them can be overwhelming. The Ownership and Maintenance section of this guide explains how to handle most of the administrative tasks of being a vehicle owner.
Many states require annual safety or emissions inspections on vehicles. Alabama does not require any regular vehicle inspections regardless of the model year or type of the vehicle. The state can still force anyone to get their vehicle checked if necessary, however.
All drivers who own vehicles in Alabama must have liability insurance coverage for their vehicles. This insurance is meant to cover any damage caused by the vehicle's driver if they get into an accident. Alabama is an at-fault state, which means the driver determined to be at-fault during a car accident is responsible for paying for all the property and medical expenses.
Minimum Liability Coverage
Alabama car owners must have the following liability coverage amounts:
Any vehicle owner who has at least the amount of liability protection listed above is legally able to drive without risking any tickets. Many drivers choose to purchase higher liability coverage limits for additional protection. Some drivers also purchase collision insurance to cover the costs of repairing their vehicle if they cause an accident. Get more details about Alabama's car insurance laws using this Alabama insurance information page from the Alabama Department of Insurance.
In Alabama, residents must renew their vehicle registration once a year. Registrations expire in the months between January and November based on the last name of the vehicle owner. The current expiration date listed on the vehicle's registration is the same month that it will always have.
If a vehicle owner's registration is about to expire, they must visit an Alabama Vehicle Licensing office or complete the registration renewal online. Only select locations allow residents to renew their registration online, so it's essential to call and ask the local office if this is possible.
While visiting the office, residents should bring enough money to cover their registration renewal fee, which can be as high as $105. The fee is likely to be close to the amount paid the year before, and it may be listed on a registration renewal notice if one was sent out. Alabama residents must renew their vehicle registrations once a year, and if they fail to do so, they cannot legally drive the vehicle. Get more information on Alabama vehicle registration rules and regulations via the government information hub.
Understanding a vehicle's history is vital before purchasing it and also for the vehicle's future maintenance. That's why it's helpful to rely on the GoodCar VIN lookup tool or the GoodCar Plate lookup tool to learn about previous vehicle owners, potential accidents, recalls, and more.
There are several vehicle types that require special title brands. Owners with vehicles that fit these descriptions must inform the Alabama DMV so the vehicle title can be updated with the proper brand. This is to inform future potential buyers about the unique status of the vehicle.
Every driver who resides in Alabama must have a valid and current driver's license. These licenses expire every four years, and residents must go through the renewal process to keep them current. When keeping the license the same, residents can renew their Alabama license online.
When making changes to a driver's license, residents must travel to the local Alabama Vehicle Licensing office to complete this change.
Upgrading to a STAR ID
Any Alabama citizens who wish to travel on domestic flights must hold a STAR ID to prove their identity. Drivers who only have standard licenses must go through an identification process in person to upgrade to a STAR ID. To verify identity/date of birth, Social Security number, and address of principal residence, Alabama drivers must show one document to prove their date of birth, another for Social Security number, one for home address, and one for their identity.
Documents for Identity and Birth Date
Documents for Social Security Number
Documents for Address
With a few of the above documents, Alabama residents can upgrade to a STAR ID while renewing their driver's license. For more information about the STAR ID program, visit the state's STAR ID information page.
Buyers Need To
Car owners in Alabama should expect to pay between $23 and $105 annually to renew their vehicles. The rate varies based on the age and type of the vehicle. Get more specific details by visiting a local Alabama Vehicle Licensing office or by using this Alabama Department of Revenue resource.
Driver's License Renewal
An Alabama driver's license costs approximately $36.25 to renew every four years. The fee can be paid via check, credit card, or with cash at a local office.
It's important to note that making changes to an Alabama driver's license requires a license duplication fee of $31.25. This is the same rate that's required to get another copy of the license if the original is lost.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling a car in Alabama, there are some rules to know and paperwork to complete. It isn't as simple as handing cash to the seller and walking away with the vehicle and title. Instead, buyers must carefully research a potential purchase and file all the required documents to make things legal.
Each seller must go through the steps listed here to legally protect themselves and ensure their buyer has the information they need:
Create A Bill of Sale
While it isn't essential, it's good practice to create a Bill of Sale to use for any auto deal. The seller should have Bill of Sale documents prepared before the buyer arrives so that both buyer and seller have an official record of the deal. The document should contain all the following information.
- Vehicle make, model, and year
- Purchase price and purchase date
- Odometer reading at time of sale
- VIN
- Signature and address of buyer and seller
Remove the License Plates
Before allowing the buyer to leave with the vehicle, remove both license plates. Take the plates to the nearest vehicle licensing office along with a Bill of Sale to prove the vehicle has been passed on to a new owner. Interested sellers can pay a small fee of $1.25 to transfer their plate to a different vehicle if they are changing vehicles.
Fill out the Title
While selling the vehicle, it's essential to provide the original title and fill out the back. Both the buyer and seller must sign the title, and additional information must be provided about the sale and about the vehicle itself.
Research the Selected Vehicle
Before purchasing a vehicle, it's important to verify it is a good purchase. The best way to do this is by investing in a license plate search report or a VIN check. These simple services from GoodCar provide data about previous vehicle owners, odometer readings, title brands, vehicle specifications and features, open recalls, and more. All the data provided in an Alabama car history report makes it easy to avoid low-quality vehicles in favor of better options.
Title and Register the Vehicle
Once the vehicle purchase is complete, the buyer must bring the original title, the Bill of Sale, and proof of insurance to a vehicle licensing office. At the office, the buyer can register the vehicle and transfer the title into their name. Once this step is complete, the vehicle is legally the buyer's property.
There are fees for titling and registering a vehicle in Alabama after purchasing a vehicle. These fees must be paid whether buyers work with a car dealership or purchase from a third-party seller.
Certificate of Title
Obtaining a new Certificate of Title in Alabama costs $15 per vehicle. This fee must be paid at the time of titling and registering a purchased vehicle.
Registration and Tax
Registering a new vehicle costs a similar amount to renewing a vehicle's registration; only sales tax is included. Registering a vehicle in Alabama costs between $23 and $105, and there is a 2% sales tax on the purchase price of the vehicle. Once the registration fee and sales taxes are paid, the vehicle can be registered in Alabama.
Laws and Regulations
Alabama residents who ride in or operate vehicles must be aware of common road laws. There are rules about intoxicated driving, seat belt use, and much more.
Alabama has straightforward seatbelt laws for its residents to follow. The state makes seat belt laws primary for front-seat riders and secondary for those in the rear seats of the vehicle. That means police officers can stop a vehicle if anyone in front is not properly buckled, even if no other crime is committed. Individuals over the age of 15 can be ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt, and the driver is held personally responsible for any unrestrained passenger under the age of 15.
Car Seat Rules and Guidelines
Under state laws, every passenger under five years of age must be in an approved booster seat or car seat for their height and weight. It's recommended that children remain in a rear-seat car seat until they outgrow the listed height or weight. Then, they should be upgraded to a front-facing car seat with a five-point harness. Finally, the child can be moved to a booster seat when they outgrow the front-facing car seat and should remain in the booster until they reach the recommended height listed on the seat.
To learn more about Alabama state seat belt laws, visit the restraint use guidelines page from the CDC.
Alabama drivers must be careful to avoid breaking the DUI (driving under the influence) laws throughout the state. These laws require drivers over 21 to maintain a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of less than 0.08 if given a breathalyzer. Minors under 21 must be under a BAC of 0.02 to avoid DUI charges.
If charged with a DUI, drivers can face prison time, a suspended license, and significant fines. The penalties increase for offenders who break the rules repeatedly.
Get all the details about the state's DUI laws and possible charges via this legal write-up done by Forbes.
Tinting windows is a powerful way to protect a vehicle's interior while creating privacy and reducing heat from the sun. There are restrictions on the type of tint that can be used on vehicles registered in Alabama, however.
Drivers are free to apply tint to the top six inches of their windshield. Every other window in the vehicle must allow at least 32% of visible light to pass through. Vehicles with a tint too dark on any of their windows can lead to fines and tickets.
See the Alabama government's tint guidelines page for more data.
Alabama has a Lemon law that protects consumers who purchase new vehicles and end up with a serious manufacturer defect. In instances where a vehicle meant for personal use suffers from a defect that's dangerous or seriously detrimental to the vehicle's value and is covered by the warranty, the Lemon law offers protection.
The Alabama Lemon law provides the opportunity to take legal action against automotive manufacturers who fail to fix serious issues in a reasonable number of repair attempts. Once the automaker is notified via certified mail, they must repair the issues in three or fewer attempts. If the manufacturer fails to repair the issue after three attempts, the vehicle can be declared a lemon. It's also important to note that vehicles that have been in a garage for repairs for 30 or more days can be labeled as lemons as well.
Consumers who know the terms of the Alabama Lemon law can protect themselves more effectively and will understand when they have a reasonable legal case available.
Useful Things to Know
Anyone attempting to become a licensed driver in Alabama or looking to increase their knowledge about commercial or standard driving should look at one of the state's many online driving manuals: Alabama Driving Manuals.
While Alabama does not have a huge concentration of EV (electric vehicle) owners, there are some residents in the state who drive EVs on a daily basis. With electric vehicles traveling the roads throughout the state, it's important to know where local charging stations are located. Use this charging station search tool to find nearby stations to use: Alabama EV Charging Station Search Tool
Learn About Alabama Car Crash Statistics:
In 2021, 986 people died in 887 car accidents throughout Alabama. The state is known for being dangerous for drivers, and many of the fatal accidents included drivers texting or passengers who were not properly restrained. There are clear patterns behind many of the accidents occurring in Alabama. For a complete understanding, see Alabama car crash statistics on GoodCar.
Look Up Local Vehicle Licensing Offices:
When dealing with most paperwork and legal issues that relate to motor vehicles in Alabama, it is beneficial to contact or visit a nearby vehicle licensing office. Use the directory below to find a nearby location: Alabama Vehicle Licensing Office Directory
Get the Latest Alabama Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Alabama vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN Check and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.