Alabama Administrative Code › Title 810 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE › Chapter 810-5-1 - VEHICLE REGISTRATION › Section 810-5-1-.217 - License Plate Design Specifications

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
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.