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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
includes every automobile, motorcycle, semitrailer, truck, truck tractor,
trailer and other devices which are self-propelled or drawn upon a public
highway.
EXCLUSIONS: No Alabama certificate of title
shall be obtained for: (a) a vehicle owned by the United States or any
thereof; (b) a vehicle owned by a manufacturer or dealer and held for
resale, 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 regularly
engaged in the interstate transportation of persons or property for which
a currently effective certificate of title has been issued in another
state; (e) a vehicle moved solely by animal power; (f) an implement of
husbandry; (g) special mobile equipment; (h) a pole trailer; (I) ATV's;
(j) snowmobiles: (k) off road vehicles; (l) junked vehicles; (m) boats;
(n) mobile homes, travel trailers, and mobile trailers designated 1989
year models and prior year models; (o) single axle utility trailers not more than 16 feet in length; (p) 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 manufactured certificate of origin and a real property deed issued.
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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 Title Inquiry at (334) 242-9102
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CST (M-F).
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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?
You may apply
for Alabama certificate of title through the County
License Plate Issuing Official
for the county where you reside. In order to
complete a title application, you must provide the County License Plate
Issuing Official with a copy of the out of state title that was issued in
your name for the vehicle and the loan account number. Upon receipt of the title application, the
Department will request that the lienholder surrender the out of state
title to the Department so that an Alabama certificate of title can be
issued. The Alabama certificate of title will then be mailed to the
lienholder to hold until the lien is satisfied.
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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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