Ala. Admin. Code r. 810-5-1-.200

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

Section 810-5-1-.200 - Fleet Online Registration And Tax (FORT) System

(1) In accordance with § 40-12-305, Code of Ala. 1975, motor vehicles owned by fleet operators may apply to the department for fleet license plates. Effective January 1, 2022, fleet operators may apply for fleet license plates through the Fleet Online Registration and Tax (FORT) system.

(2)Definitions.

(a) As defined in § 40-12-240, Code of Ala. 1975, a "Fleet Vehicle" is a class I or class II utility trailer, or motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight not exceeding 12,000 pounds that is owned or leased by a fleet operator, or a motor vehicle which the department, by rule, deems to be a fleet vehicle.

(b) As defined in § 40-12-240, Code of Ala. 1975, a "Fleet Operator" is a person, owner, lessor, or an authorized designee that maintains or operates a fleet. A "Fleet" is a group of 50 or more vehicles.

(c) "Fleet Vehicle is Based" is based where a vehicle is most frequently dispatched, garaged, serviced, maintained, operated, or otherwise controlled and from which it ordinarily departs and to which it ordinarily returns.

(3)Eligibility. Fleet operators desiring to establish and maintain a FORT account for the registration of fleet vehicles must make application with the department and provide the following documents:

(a) A valid Alabama issued sales and use tax Certificate of Exemption, Direct Pay Permit, or Rental Tax License.

(b) Proof of class I or II property classification(s) for each fleet vehicle.

(c) An established place of business or residency for each fleet vehicle.

(d) Other documents required by the department.

(4)Registration. The department will issue a "Fleet" license plate and registration for each fleet vehicle upon the complete submission of the application and the electronic payment of applicable fees and taxes through the FORT system, as provided under Chapter 12 of Title 40, Code of Ala. 1975. Fees and taxes collected for fleet vehicles registered through FORT will be sent to the local licensing official where a vehicle is based so that the funds can then be distributed by the licensing official to the statutorily designated recipients.

(a) In accordance with § 32-6-65 and § 40-12-260, Code of Ala. 1975, a penalty shall be assessed for the delinquent registration of a motor vehicle.

(b) § 40-1-44, Code of Ala. 1975, requires that interest on delinquent license tax and registration fees levied on motor vehicles be charged beginning after the period allowed for registration or renewal.

(5)Expiration.

(a) Fleet registrations will expire on December 1st each year and may be renewed during the months of October and November.

(b) All registered fleet vehicles must be renewed or deleted from the fleet by December 1^st of each year.

(c) Failure to account for all fleet motor vehicle registrations by the deadline will result in the suspension of the fleet operator's FORT account.

(d) Fleet license plates shall be reissued every five

(5) years.

(6)Evidence of Insurance. Proof of commercial or fleet liability insurance coverage or self-insured certification from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency must be provided annually.

(7)Deletions. When a fleet operator sells, trades, or otherwise disposes of a fleet vehicle, the fleet operator must choose the reason (sold, traded, etc.) the vehicle is being deleted from the fleet through the FORT system. The plate issued for the deleted vehicle must be removed from the vehicle and retained by the fleet operator for audit by the department for three (3) years past the registration expiration.

(8)Transfers. If the fleet operator maintains fleets at different locations, a vehicle may be transferred from one location to another location during the renewal period. Fleet license plates cannot be transferred to different vehicles. FORT accounts are setup for specific legal entities; therefore, vehicles cannot be transferred to a different entity (tradename, etc.).

(9)Replacements. In accordance with § 40-12-265Code of Ala. 1975, in the event a fleet license plate becomes so mutilated as to make it illegible, or has been lost or stolen, the plate must be deleted from the fleet through the FORT system. For mutilated plates, the plate must be retained by the fleet operator for audit by the department for three (3) years past the registration expiration. For lost or stolen plates, upon payment of applicable fees and taxes, the department shall issue a replacement license plate.

(10)Temporary Vehicle Registration. A temporary vehicle registration may be issued to allow a fleet vehicle to operate until a license plate is received.

(a) Temporary registration will not be issued on a renewal fleet vehicle.

(b) The temporary registration is issued to a specific fleet vehicle and cannot be transferred to another fleet vehicle.

(c) Temporary registration is valid only until the date shown on the temporary registration receipt and is in no case valid beyond a date twenty (20) days from date of issuance.

(11) In lieu of retaining a fleet license plate for audit purposes as prescribed in paragraphs 7 and 9, the fleet operator may surrender the license plate to the county licensing official in the county where the vehicle was based. The county licensing official must then denote such surrender utilizing the system provided by the department.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 810-5-1-.200

Adopted June 11, 1976. Amended: July 15, 1982. Repealed: Filed August 22, 2006; effective September 26, 2006.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XL, Issue No. 01, October 29, 2021, eff. 12/13/2021.

Author: Troy Thigpen

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 32-6-65, 40-1-44, 40-2A-7(a)(5); Chapter 8 and Chapter 12 Title 40.