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Vehicle Title
FAQs
Click on a question below to view the answer.
What year model motor vehicles does
the State of Alabama title?
Where do I apply for an Alabama
certificate of title?
What does it cost to make
application for Alabama certificate of
title?
What documents will I need to make
application for Alabama certificate of
title?
How long does it take to receive an
Alabama title?
My lienholder is currently holding
an out of state certificate of title to my vehicle. How can I apply for
Alabama certificate of title when I do not have the outstanding
certificate of title to surrender?
How do I apply for a replacement title?
I satisfied the lien on my vehicle
and received the Alabama certificate of title with the lien released on
the certificate of title. However, I subsequently lost the title. Why do I
need a lien release in order to apply for a replacement Alabama
certificate of title?
My car was totaled by my insurance company, but I was
able to keep it as part of the settlement. I have a salvage
title and I have been told that I cannot get a tag for it. I want to
repair the car so that I can use it again, or maybe sell it. What is
the process?
What year model motor vehicles does
the State of Alabama title?
Every 1975 and subsequent year model motor vehicle which is domiciled in Alabama and is required to be registered in Alabama is required to have an Alabama certificate of title. Travel trailers and mobile homes designated as 1990 and subsequent year models also are required to have an Alabama certificate of title.
DEFINITIONS: The term motor vehicle shall include every automobile, motorcycle, mobile trailer, semitrailer, truck, truck tractor, trailer and other device that is self-propelled or drawn, in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway except such as is moved by animal power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. Every trailer coach and travel trailer manufactured upon a chassis or undercarriage as an integral part thereof drawn by a self-propelled vehicle.
EXCLUSIONS: No Alabama certificate of title shall be obtained for:
(a) A vehicle owned by the United States or any agency thereof.
(b) A vehicle owned by a manufacturer or dealer and held for sale, even though incidentally moved on the highway or used for the purpose of testing or demonstration, or a vehicle used by a manufacturer solely for testing.
(c) A vehicle owned by a non-resident of Alabama and not required by law to be registered in Alabama.
(d) A vehicle moved solely by animal power.
(e) An implement of husbandry.
(f) Special mobile equipment.
(g) A pole trailer.
(h) ATVs.
(i) Snowmobiles.
(j) Off road vehicles.
(k) Junked vehicles.
(l) Boats.
(m)Mobile homes, travel trailers, and mobile trailers designated 1989 year models and prior year models.
(n) Utility trailers, other than folding and collapsible camping trailers designated 1990 and subsequent year models. A utility trailer is defined as “A vehicle without motive power designed to be drawn by a passenger car or pickup truck including folding or collapsible camping trailers.”
(o) Manufactured homes sold as new on or after 01/01/2004 and placed on the owner's land and classified as real property through the surrender of the manufacturer’s certificate of origin and a real property deed is issued.
(p) A vehicle for which the Alabama license plate issuing official has verified that the current owner or operator is recorded as the owner or operator on a currently effective certificate of title issued by another state and the certificate of title is being held by the recorded lienholder.
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Where do I apply for an Alabama
certificate of title?
Applications
for Alabama certificate of title must be made through a Designated Agent
of the Alabama Department of Revenue. Designated Agents include: County License Plate Issuing Officials,
all licensed Alabama
motor vehicle dealers, and some financial institutions located in Alabama
such as banks and credit unions. An application for replacement title can be submitted directly to the Alabama Department of Revenue by the recorded owner(s) or lienholder.
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What does it cost to make
application for Alabama certificate of
title?
The title
application fee is $15.00 for each application for Alabama certificate of
title. Designated agents shall add the sum of $1.50 as the commission for
each document processed. County License Plate Issuing Officials may also
collect an additional $1.50 commission for each application processed to
defray the cost of processing and mailing title applications. Certain counties may also have local fees which are due when an application for title is processed by that County License Plate Issuing Official. Please contact the County License Plate Issuing Official to determine if any local fees apply.
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What documents will I need to make
application for Alabama certificate of
title?
An applicant for
Alabama certificate of title must surrender the following documents to the
designated agent in order to complete an application for Alabama
certificate of title: (a) the outstanding manufacturer's certificate of
origin or certificate of title that is either in the applicant's name or
assigned to the applicant and any documents which support the transfer of
the vehicle to the applicant; (b) if the vehicle is currently registered
in a jurisdiction which does not title such vehicles, the applicant must
surrender the outstanding registration documents which substantiate
ownership of the vehicle. Additional documentation may be required if it cannot be determined whether the vehicle meets federal and state safety, emmissions and anti-theft standards.
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How long does it take to receive an
Alabama title?
Processing times
may vary. If you have not received your Alabama title within a
reasonable time period, please contact the Designated Agent that completed
your title application for assistance. If the Designated Agent cannot
provide assistance, you may contact the Title Section at titles@revenue.alabama.gov.
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My lienholder is currently holding
an out of state certificate of title to my vehicle. How can I apply for
Alabama certificate of title when I do not have the outstanding
certificate of title to surrender?
No certificate of title shall be issued for a vehicle for which the Alabama license plate issuing official has verified that the current owner or operator is listed on a currently effective certificate of title issued by another state and the certificate of title is held by a recorded lienholder. A vehicle normally subject to the Alabama title law would be required to registered without obtaining an Alabama certificate of title first if all of the following requirements are met:
- The registrant is listed as the owner or operator on the out-of-state title.
- There is a lien recorded on the out-of-state certificate of title.
- The title is being physically held by the lienholder and the title was not issued by one of the states listed below.
The vehicle’s owner must provide to the county licensing official a copy of the certificate of title or a print out of the title record from the state if it issues the title in electronic format.
The following is a list of states that sends the valid original title to the owner and not to the lienholder. Applicants from these states must surrender the out-of-state title to the license plate issuing official and their vehicles will be required to be titled in the State of Alabama:
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Michigan (unless owner authorizes title to be mailed to lienholder)
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana (unless owner authorizes the mailing with signature)
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota (unless owner indicates that title is to be mailed to lienholder)
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming (title may be mailed to either the owner or lienholder as requested)
If the owner has requested that a Michigan, Montana, South Dakota or Wyoming title be mailed to the lienholder, the owner must provide documentation from that state that title was mailed to the lienholder in order to be exempt from titling the vehicle in the State of Alabama.
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How do I apply for a replacement title?
An application for replacement title can be submitted directly to the Alabama Department of Revenue by the recorded owner(s) or lienholder. The application fee is $15.00, non-refundable.
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I satisfied the lien on my vehicle
and received the Alabama certificate of title with the lien released on
the certificate of title. However, I subsequently lost the title. Why do I
need a lien release in order to apply for a replacement Alabama
certificate of title?
At the time that the lien was released the
Department was not notified of this fact. Therefore, when the Alabama
certificate of title was lost so was the lien release.
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My car was totaled by my insurance company, but I was
able to keep it as part of the settlement. I have a salvage
title and I have been told that I cannot get a tag for it. I want to
repair the car so that I can use it again, or maybe sell it. What is
the process?
A vehicle deemed a total loss ("totaled") by an insurance
company results in the issuance of a salvage title for the vehicle.
It becomes a "salvage vehicle" and CANNOT be driven on the highways or
have a valid license plate. It can be sold ("AS IS") to an
automobile rebuilder to be used either for parts or to be restored
("rebuilt"). If restored, it must be inspected and ultimately a
"rebuilt title" will be issued for the vehicle. A rebuilt vehicle
with a rebuilt title CAN be driven on the highways.
If a salvage vehicle is retained by the
owner, the owner must: (1) obtain a rebuilder's license so that he/she can
legally restore the vehicle; (2) restore/rebuild the salvage vehicle "to
the condition that existed before" the damage that totaled it; and (3)
have it inspected by the Department of Revenue Automobile Inspection
Section to make sure that the salvage vehicle is completely restored and
that it contains no stolen parts. Under Alabama law, only an Alabama
licensed rebuilder may apply for an inspection of a rebuilt vehicle.
Additionally, the vehicle must be restored in Alabama and not in another
state.
To apply for a rebuilder's license, contact
the Alabama Department of Revenue License Tax Section, P.O. Box 327550,
Montgomery, AL 36132-7550 - Telephone: (334) 353-7827. A license
application with instructions can be obtained which explains the licensing
requirements and fees. Among other things, state law requires that a
$10,000 surety bond be posted to become licensed as a rebuilder. Also, a
rebuilder must have proof of garage liability insurance coverage to obtain
a rebuilder license.
Once the owner meets the rebuilder's
license requirements, the following documents must be included with an
application for a salvage vehicle inspection:
- INV 26-15 Form (Application for
Inspection of a Salvage Vehicle)
-
INV 31-1 Form (Remittance
Advice).
-
The original salvage title
properly assigned to the owner (Licensed
Rebuilder)
-
Parts
Bills-Of-Sale:
-
Notarized bills of sale of all major component parts (listing the
manufacturer's vehicle identification number of the vehicle from which
the parts were removed).
-
Bills of sale of all
minor component parts (notarization shall not be required). If a
minor component part contains or should contain the manufacturer's
vehicle identification number, notarization is required.
-
Copy of Rebuilder's License
- $90.00 Fee, payable by certified
funds (Application fee of $75.00 plus title fee of
$15.00)
The above
listed documentation should be mailed to: Department of Revenue Automobile
Inspection Unit, P.O. Box 327641, Montgomery, Alabama 36132-7641 - Telephone (334) 242-3012.
Upon satisfactory completion of the
inspection, a "rebuilt" identification plate will be permanently affixed
to the vehicle and a "rebuilt title" will be issued. Until then,
the salvage vehicle cannot be used on the highways, except for
repairs/restoration or to take it for the
inspection.
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