Ala. Admin. Code r. 810-5-1-.442

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 810-5-1-.442 - Farm and Forest Products License Plates

(1) Section 40-12-248, Code of Ala. 1975, provides for reduced annual license fees for certain trucks or truck tractors.

(2) The term "farmer" is defined in § 40-12-240, Code of Ala. 1975.

(3)Farm License Plates. Trucks or truck tractors owned and used by a farmer for transporting farm products or the personal property of the farmer for use on his or her farm shall be issued a farm license plate for the proper weight classification declared by the vehicle owner.

(a) Farm license plates may be issued to pickup trucks. The term "pickup truck" is defined in § 32-8-2.

(b) Farm license plates may not be issued to Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), since SUVs are primarily designed to transport passengers and are not considered to be a truck as defined in § 40-12-240, Code of Ala. 1975.

(c) The phrase "for use on his or her farm" limits the use of farm license plates; therefore, pickup trucks, trucks and truck tractors displaying farm license plates may not be used to tow travel trailers, boats, ATVs, etc. for personal or recreational purposes and may not be used for hire.

(4)Forest Products License Plate. Trucks owned and used by any person for transporting forest products from the point of severance to a sawmill, to a papermill, or to a concentration yard shall be issued a forest products license plate for the proper weight classification declared by the vehicle owner. Truck tractors used for transporting forest products may be used for hire.

(5)Registration Fees Based on Gross Vehicle Weight. The registration fees charged for farm or forest products license plates shall be based on the gross vehicle weight of the truck or truck tractor.

(a) Gross vehicle weight is the empty weight of the truck or truck tractor plus the heaviest load to be carried and, in the case of combinations, shall include the empty weight of the heaviest trailer in which the truck or truck tractor shall be placed in combination, plus the heaviest load to be carried.

(b) For a pickup truck used for agricultural purposes and not operated for commercial purposes, the gross weight is the weight of the pickup truck only without regard to the heaviest load to be carried including the heaviest load to be truck.

(6)Tolerance for Gross Vehicle Weight. All scaled weights for trucks or truck tractors properly displaying farm or forest products license plates shall be allowed a tolerance or a margin of error of 10 percent of the true gross axle weights to allow for any climatic conditions.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 810-5-1-.442

Repealed and New Rule: Filed May 6, 2011; effective June 10, 2011.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIV, Issue No. 04, January 29, 2016, eff. 2/10/2016.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIX, Issue No. 12, September 30, 2021, eff. 11/14/2021.

Authors: Sherry Helms, James Starling

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, 40-2A-7(a)(5).