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  • When I sell or otherwise dispose of my vehicle, does the license plate remain on the vehicle?
View All General - Registration, Registration FAQs

When I sell or otherwise dispose of my vehicle, does the license plate remain on the vehicle?

License plates are to be removed by the registrant upon the sale or disposal of the vehicle. If another vehicle is acquired, you may be able to transfer your license plate to this newly acquired vehicle. Please contact your license plate issuing offices for further information.

License plates are to be removed by the registrant upon the sale or disposal of the vehicle. If another vehicle is acquired, you may be able to transfer your license plate to this newly acquired vehicle. Please contact your license plate issuing offices for further information.
Related FAQs in General - Registration, Registration

ALDOR maintains fiscal year statistics on the number of license plates issued.

Visit Registrations Statistics to view these statistics.

Registrants may voluntarily surrender license plates prior to cancelling the Alabama insurance policy to avoid any future MLI issues should they return to AL and require registration on the vehicle in the future.

A penalty of $15 plus interest is assessed for anyone who:

  • is delinquent in registering newly acquired vehicles,
  • fails to timely transfer a valid license plate to a newly acquired vehicle,
  • fails to renew in their designated renewal month,
  • moves to Alabama and fails to register their vehicle in Alabama within 30 days from the date they enter the state.
Instructions and documents needed for titling an imported motor vehicle are detailed in Administrative Rule 810-5-75-.03. The cost of an Alabama title is $15, plus a $3 fee due to the licensing official. Once the Alabama title has been issued (if required), you will be able to register the vehicle. The cost of a standard passenger license plate is $23, plus $1.25 issuance fee. Local fees, ad valorem tax, and sales tax may be added to this amount by the licensing official’s office.
The state transfer fee is $1.25. Additionally, a number of Alabama counties have imposed local issuance fees.
License plates are to be removed by the registrant upon the sale or disposal of the vehicle. If another vehicle is acquired, you may be able to transfer your license plate to this newly acquired vehicle. Please contact your license plate issuing offices for further information.