Ala. Admin. Code r. 810-5-1-.240

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 7, April 30, 2024

Section 810-5-1-.240 - Permanent Trailer License Plates

(1) Permanent trailer license plates, in accordance with § 40-12-252, Code of Ala. 1975, may be issued to a truck trailer, tractor trailer, or semitrailer. Permanent trailer license plates cannot be displayed on a utility trailer.

(a) The term "semitrailer" is defined in § 40-12-240 and includes, but is not limited to, trailers commonly referred to as "gooseneck" trailers.

(b) The term "truck trailer" as used in § 40-12-252 refers to a trailer designed to be pulled behind a truck and the gross vehicle weight of the truck, trailer, and load combination exceeds 12,000 pounds.

(c) The term "tractor trailer" is deemed to mean a trailer being towed by a "truck tractor" as defined in § 40-12-240. As § 40-12-252 does not include utility trailers as qualifying vehicles, the law is to be interpreted as not authorizing the issuance of permanent trailer plates to utility trailers.

(d) The term "utility trailer" is defined in § 40-12-240 as "A trailer primarily designed to be drawn by a passenger car, pickup truck, or motorcycle, including luggage trailers, folding or collapsible camping trailers, and other small trailers of similar size and function, but shall not include boat trailers."

(e) The phrase "drawn by" refers to a non-motorized vehicle being pulled or towed by a passenger car, pickup truck or motorcycle by attaching the tongue of the non-motorized vehicle to the trailer hitch located at the rear bumper of the passenger car, pickup truck, or motorcycle.

(f) A pickup truck is defined in § 32-8-2 as "A truck with not more than two axles and a gross weight not exceeding 12,000 pounds."

(2)Permanent Trailer License Plate Fee. The fee for a permanent trailer license plate is a one (1) time, non-proratable registration fee of sixty dollars ($60). A registrant may surrender a current and valid Alabama trailer license plate in order to secure a permanent trailer license plate. Pursuant to § 40-12-23. Code of Ala. 1975, the surrender of the trailer license plate may entitle the registrant to a credit that can be used against the permanent trailer license plate fee. The license issuing official must determine the credit allowed by using monthly declining fees and apply the credit to the fee for the permanent trailer license plate.

(3)Transfer of Ownership. To transfer ownership, the owner must remove and surrender the permanent trailer license plate from the vehicle to the license issuing official. No credit or refund of registration fees will be granted upon surrender. The license plate issuing official will retain the surrendered license plates for audit purposes. The license plate issuing official must revoke the registration in the licensing officials' registration database and must include the revocation record in the data upload to the state registration database upon surrender of the permanent trailer license plate.

(4)Registration Receipt.

(a) Trailer owners are not required to retain within the vehicle a current and valid Alabama Motor Vehicle Registration Tag and Tax Receipt. § 40-12-260, Code of Ala. 1975, specifies that registration receipts must be maintained for "self-propelled" vehicles.

(b) License issuing officials must enter "12/31/9999" on the Alabama Motor Vehicle Registration Tag and Tax Receipt-in the expiration date field to indicate the non-expiration for all permanent trailer license plate registrations. When issuing registrations to lessors, the lessee's address must be shown on the registration receipt.

(5)Illegible Plate or Tag. Pursuant to § 40-12-265, if a license plate or tag is lost or stolen, or becomes so mutilated as to make it illegible, the owner of the vehicle must file with the license issuing official an application setting forth the facts that the plate or tag has been lost, mutilated, or destroyed and upon payment of the fee specified by law, a replacement license plate will be issued. See Rule 810-5-1-.229 titled Replacement License Plates and Decals.

(6)Business Personal Property Tax. Pursuant to § 40-12-252, the owner of any truck trailer, tractor trailer, or semitrailer who chooses to purchase a permanent license plate must annually assess the property between October 1 and prior to January 1 on a Business Personal Property Return (ADV-40) in the county in which the truck trailer, tractor trailer, or semitrailer is based. If the trailer is based in a different county than originally registered and ownership of the vehicle has not changed. See Rule 810-4-1-.03 titled Permanent Trailer Plate Procedures.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 810-5-1-.240

New Rule: Filed December 27, 2006, effective January 31, 2007. Amended: Filed May 4, 2007; effective June 8, 2007. Amended: Filed April 21, 2007; effective May 26, 2007. Amended: Filed May 6, 2011; effective June 10, 2011.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXII, Issue No. 12, September 30, 2014, eff. 10/10/2014.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVIII, Issue No. 10, July 31, 2020, eff. 9/14/2020.

Authors: James Starling, Billy R. Phillips, David Baxley

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 32-8-2, 40-2A-7(a)(5), 40-12-23, 40-12-240, 40-12-252(c), 40-12-260, 40-12-265, and Administrative Rules 810-4-1-.03 and 810-5-1-.229.