Alabama Administrative Code
Title 810 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
Chapter 810-5-1 - VEHICLE REGISTRATION
Section 810-5-1-.205 - Commitment To Purchase Distinctive License Plates

(1) Under the authority provided by § 32-6-64, Code of Ala. 1975, each person desiring to register a vehicle in a new license plate category shall make application and shall remit, as a commitment to purchase, the additional fee associated with the license plate category in a manner as prescribed by rule of the Commissioner of Revenue. Applications for commitments to purchase a distinctive license plate (i.e. pre-commitment) shall be submitted electronically through a pre-commitment portal that is available on the department's website.

(2) The applicant will be required to pay for the pre-commitment application using a credit card. As provided by § 32-6-64, Code of Ala. 1975, any credit card processing fee associated with the transaction shall be paid by the person making the commitment to purchase the distinctive license plate and shall be nonrefundable. When payment is received, the applicant will receive an email with the pre-commitment payment receipt.

(3) The department shall deduct from the additional fee for distinctive license plates and retain a two and one-half percent commission. The balance shall be forwarded to the Comptroller to be retained in escrow, until such time as the revenue received is equal to or greater than the minimum amount required to issue license plates in that category, or the distinctive license plate fails to receive the required number of pre-commitments during the one-year commitment to purchase period.

(4) If the distinctive license plate sponsoring organization requires the applicant to substantiate qualification eligibility to obtain the distinctive license plate, the applicant will be required to provide proof of eligibility prior to payment. Upon the department's receipt of the application, the applicant will receive an email with instructions for submission of proof of eligibility. Proof of eligibility may be provided to the department, or the sponsoring organization may electronically verify an applicant's eligibility through the department's pre-commitment portal. Proof of eligibility may include the following:

(5) Sponsoring organizations may apply for commitments to purchase the distinctive license plate category on behalf of their supporters. Supporters must complete form MVR 32-6-64 CP and provide the completed form to the sponsoring organization. The sponsoring organization will complete the electronic pre-commitment application and remit payment through the pre-commitment portal. The sponsoring organization will be required to maintain the completed MVR 32-6-64 CP forms for a period of five (5) years for audit purposes.

(6) Upon determination by the department that a sufficient number of applications for a distinctive license plate category has been received (250 for Quantity Class 1, or 1,000 for Quantity Class 2), the department shall initiate the ordering processes for design and manufacture of the approved license plate. The applicant will receive an email with a license plate redemption voucher and redemption instructions.

(7) If, after one year from the date the commitment to purchase period begins, the number of pre-commitments for a distinctive license plate category fails to reach 250 for Quantity Class 1, or fails to reach 1,000 for Quantity Class 2, the Comptroller shall pay the money in escrow to the sponsoring organization and no further consideration for production of the proposed distinctive plate shall be made under this application. In addition, the sponsoring organization may not submit another application for a distinctive license plate for a period of one year from the date the commitment to purchase period ended.

(8) If it is determined that the distinctive license plate category did not meet the required number of commitments to purchase, the applicant will be directed to the sponsoring organization with any questions or refund requests.

(9) If a pre-commitment application is submitted in error, the applicant will be required to submit a refund request, if applicable, to the sponsoring organization. When the refund is approved by the sponsoring organization, the pre-commitment application will be cancelled, and the number of pre-commitment applications received for the plate category will be adjusted.

(10) In order to redeem a pre-commitment, the applicant must present the pre-commitment voucher to the licensing official in the county where the applicant resides. The licensing official will redeem the pre-commitment voucher through the pre-commitment portal and submit a request to manufacture the license plate through the department's Plate Reservation and Ordering System (PROS). The licensing official will issue a temporary registration to the registrant and the license plate will be shipped to the registrant, or the licensing official's office.