HB215 Alabama 2013 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Paul DeMarco
Republican
Co-Sponsors: Mary Sue McClurkin Barry Mask
Session: Regular Session 2013
Title: Motor vehicles, license tags and distinctive license tags, issuance further provided for through Revenue Department, commitments, National Guard tags, distribution of money to foundation, motorcycle tags, out-of-state college tags, retired volunteer firefighters tags, tags honoring law enforcement officers killed in line of duty, heavy truck tags, renewal procedures for license tags, driver's license required for only one party, Secs. 32-6-58, 32-6-64, 32-6-67, 32-6-68, 32-6-111.2, 32-6-270, 32-6-272, 32-7A-17 am'd; Sec. 40-12-267 repealed
Summary: HB215 rewrites Alabama's specialty license plate system by changing funding, design rules, and eligibility, including National Guard plates, minimum commitment requirements, motorcycle and out-of-state college plates, and new fee distributions, while repealing old license expiration dates.
What This Bill Does
HB215 directs net proceeds from National Guard license plates to the National Guard Foundation for education programs and museum artifacts; it creates an oversight framework for new plate categories with minimum purchase commitments and separate applications for passenger cars and motorcycles. It allows distinctive plates for out-of-state colleges and universities with funds distributed to the General Fund when applicable, expands eligibility for retired volunteer firefighters (including those from other states), and creates a law enforcement memorial plate with specified fee distributions. It also requires proof of federal heavy vehicle taxes for heavy vehicles, updates renewal data practices, and repeals an old expiration-date provision for certain commercial licenses.

Who It Affects
Group 1: Alabama vehicle owners who purchase distinctive license plates; they will pay an additional $50 annual fee per new distinctive plate, with funds distributed to sponsoring organizations and state programs, and renewal records updated to include only one registrant's ID in state/county databases.
Group 2: Organizations that sponsor new plate categories (and out-of-state colleges) seeking to create distinctive plates; they must obtain minimum commitments (250 for some plates, 1,000 for others), file separate applications for passenger car and motorcycle categories, and may face a one-year wait if commitments are not met, with oversight and design approval by the Legislative Oversight Committee.

Key Provisions
Net proceeds from National Guard license plates are directed to the National Guard Historical Society Foundation for education programs and museum artifacts.
License plate design rules require reflective surfaces, numeric county codes, and a numbering system; the Department of Revenue will number distinctive plates and minimize duplication.
To create a new distinctive plate, sponsoring organizations must obtain minimum commitments: 250 for Quantity Class 1 or 1,000 for Quantity Class 2, with separate applications for passenger cars and motorcycles and no combining of commitments.
The Legislative Oversight Committee on License Plates will approve or postpone new plate categories, meet at least every six months, and exclude certain types of organizations (with allowances for out-of-state colleges under conditions).
Out-of-state colleges/universities may receive distinctive plates after approval, with fees distributed to the General Fund in some cases; the design and funding process is managed through the committee and Department of Revenue.
An additional annual fee of $50 is charged for each new distinctive plate, with fee distributions: 2.5% to the commission, $1.50 to the Department of Corrections for manufacturing, $1 to the Revenue Department, $5 to the Penny Trust Fund, and the remainder to the sponsoring organization or General Fund if the plate is for an out-of-state college.
Retired volunteer firefighters (including those from other states) may obtain distinctive firefighter plates; no $3 fee, and widows/widowers of fallen firefighters may request plates.
A distinctive law enforcement memorial plate can be issued, with design approval required; additional revenues from such plates are split as $25 to the State Law Enforcement Memorial and $25 to the State General Fund.
Provisions require proof of payment of federal heavy vehicle excise tax before issuing, transferring, or renewing licenses for heavy vehicles (33,000 pounds or more).
Renewal records for multi-registrant vehicles will include the ID number of only one registrant; the department may assign an identifying number for compliance and data management.
Section 40-12-267, which provided expiration dates for licenses, is repealed.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Motor Vehicles