To register a vehicle in Alabama, you need to follow these steps:
- Visit your county license plate issuing office.
- Submit your documentation.
- For any motor vehicle requiring a certificate of title, the vehicle owner must first apply for an Alabama certificate of title through a designated agent of the Alabama Department of Revenue.
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)/ Ownership Documentation Inspection – When a certificate of title is not required, only a registration is issued. The licensing official or their appointed deputy is required to inspect the vehicle prior to issuing a registration each time there is a change in ownership of the vehicle along with the ownership documentation (bill of sale, court order, properly assigned certificate of origin, or any other documentation as specified by the Department).
- Mandatory Liability Insurance – The motor vehicle must be covered by an Alabama liability insurance policy prior to registration.
- Provide the following documents:
- Completed title (if required) or bill of sale with itemized sales tax information (if title is not required).
- A VIN/Ownership documentation inspection.
- A valid Alabama drivers license proving residence in the county where you are registering the vehicle.
- Proof of insurance, if the licensing office cannot confirm your insurance online.
- Any license plates you may wish to transfer to the new vehicle.
- An odometer disclosure statement for vehicles less than 10 years old.
- Pay all applicable fees.
It is important to note that the vehicle owner has twenty (20) calendar days from the date of vehicle purchase or acquisition to register the vehicle without penalty or interest charges applying. If the 20th day falls on a Sunday, a legal holiday, or a day on which the licensing official’s office is closed, the next succeeding working day will be considered the 20th day.
