As provided under Section
32-6-57,
Code of Ala. 1975, the Department is authorized to
promulgate rules and regulations to adopt plans for tags or plates, and all
decals, slogans, stickers, symbols, characters and other attachments. Section
32-6-64,
Code of Ala. 1975, provides that the design of license
plates, including all emblems, slogans, symbols, or characters appearing on the
plates, shall be by rule as promulgated by the Commissioner of Revenue, and as
otherwise specified by law. The following specifications are provided by law or
have been adopted from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
(AAMVA) License Plate Legibility Testing Guidelines for Reflective Sheeting to
ensure that license plates are manufactured in a uniform manner
(1)
License Plate
Sizes - License plates are manufactured in two (2) sizes.
Passenger license plates are 6" X 12". Motorcycle license plates are 4" X
7".
(2)
License Plate
Design - The design for passenger and motorcycle license plate
categories shall be the same.
(3)
Legibility And Reflectivity - All license plates must
pass testing pursuant to License Plate Legibility Test Form (MV
32-6-57)
conducted by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) to ensure compliance
with visibility and legibility requirements and federal performance
standards.
(4)
License
Plate Numbers - The license plate number area must be free of
graphics that would obscure the readability of the characters on the license
plate. License plate designs must provide room for at least six (6)
alphanumeric characters. Alphanumeric characters on the license plate shall be
no smaller than two and three-fourths inches in height and will be printed in
black to provide a good color contrast with the license plate background
color.
(5)
"Alabama"
Format And Font - "ALABAMA" must clearly be visible and must
appear between the bolt holes at the top of the license plate in URW Basker
Twid or similar font. The font size must be at least 80 points. The character
color must provide a good color contrast with the license plate background
color.
(6)
Decal
Boxes - A space of approximately 2.5" X 2. 5" must appear in the
top corners of the license plate to attach validation decals or other devices
to the license plate.
(7)
Redesign - A license plate design shall be valid for
five (5) years unless authorized by the Commissioner of Revenue, with approval
of the Legislative Oversight Committee (LOC).
(8)
"Heart Of Dixie"
- Except as exempt by statute, license plates shall be imprinted with a
conventionalized representation of a heart and the words "Heart of
Dixie".
(9)
Distinctive
License Plates - Category Name, Logos, And Color - In addition to
the requirements listed in subparagraphs (1) through (8), the license plate
must clearly identify the purpose of the license plate category and must meet
the following requirements:
(a)
For Generic Design Distinctive License Plates.
1. A logo shall appear only on the left side
of the license plate.
2. The
background color shall be white.
(b)
For Full Design Distinctive
License Plates.
1. The font size
of the name of the organization, college or university, military campaign, or
other distinctive plate names must be three-fourths to one inch in height and
must appear at the bottom of the license plate between the bolt
holes.
2. A logo is optional and
shall appear only on the left side of the license plate.
3. Designs are limited to four (4) process
colors. Spot colors will not be used.
(c) Organizations that qualify for a quantity
class 1 distinctive license plate under the LOC shall qualify for the generic
design distinctive license plate. Organizations that qualify for a quantity
class 2 distinctive license plate under the LOC shall qualify for the generic
design or full design distinctive license plate.
(d) The maximum size of the logo for a
passenger license plate is 3.5" X 2.5" (motorcycle plate logo adjusted
accordingly). If the logo or design includes copyright protected elements,
written permission to use the design on a license plate must be provided to the
department.
Notes
Ala. Admin. Code r. 810-5-1-.217
Adopted August 6, 1982.
Repealed: Filed September 30, 2009; effective November 4, 2009. New Rule: Filed
September 7, 2012; effective October 12, 2012.
Adopted by
Alabama
Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIX, Issue No. 11, August 31,
2021, eff. 10/15/2021.
Adopted by
Alabama
Administrative Monthly Volume XXXIX, Issue No. 12, September 30,
2021, eff. 11/14/2021.
Author: David Baxley
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
1975, ยงยง
40-2A-7(a)(5),
32-6-54,
32-6-57,
32-6-62,
32-6-63,
32-6-64,
32-6-67.
