HB217 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Alan Boothe

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Motor vehicles, farm tags for truck tractors, provision limiting a farmer to one farm tag for truck tractors deleted, Sec. 40-12-248 am'd.

Summary

HB217 lets farmers license up to four truck tractors at reduced taxes for transporting farm products, instead of only one.

What This Bill Does

It expands the farm tag program so a farmer can obtain reduced license tax and registration fees for up to four truck tractors used to transport farm products or the farmer's personal property on the farm. For any truck tractor beyond four, the standard base and additional weight-based fees apply. Reduced farm-tag caps are $30 for trucks up to 30,000 pounds, $85 for 30,001–42,000 pounds, and $250 for 80,001 pounds and over; forest product trucks have separate caps of $40 and $65. The reduced tag is not available for trucks used on a for-hire basis. Owners must file a weight affidavit, licensing is limited to the declared gross vehicle weight, and weight can be increased by a new affidavit with a fee difference but cannot be decreased except once per year; the act also adds a 300-dollar flat fee for certain short-haul carrier operations and sets enforcement tolerances.

Who It Affects

• Farmers or farming entities (as defined by the bill) who own and operate truck tractors to transport farm products or personal property on the farm, allowing up to four tractors to receive reduced tax/registration fees.
• Truck owners not using the reduced farm tag for farm use (e.g., for-hire operators or non-farm use) who must pay standard weight-based fees; forest-product transporters have separate caps under the act.

Key Provisions

• Expands reduced farm-tag eligibility from one truck tractor to four truck tractors.
• Keeps reduced caps for farm use at $30 (≤30,000 lbs), $85 (>30,000 to ≤42,000 lbs), and $250 (up to 80,001 lbs or more).
• For each additional truck tractor beyond four, fees follow the standard base and additional amounts based on gross vehicle weight.
• Requires an affidavit of gross vehicle weight; license is limited to the declared weight and can be increased by filing a new affidavit and paying the difference, but weight cannot be decreased except once per year.
• Reductions not available for trucks used on a for-hire basis.
• Includes separate caps for forest products trucks: $40 (≤30,000 lbs) and $65 (≤42,000 lbs).
• Imposes a 10 percent tolerance on weight for enforcement purposes for farm and forest product tags, to account for conditions.
• Creates a $300 total annual license tax for certain certificated motor carriers operating within 15 miles of a municipality's core limits (not limited to farm-use trucks).
• Effective date: immediately upon governor’s signature.

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