Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024
(1)
License plate issuing officials may issue undercover license plates to law
enforcement agencies to carry out investigations and surveillances (Attorney
General Opinion 86-00271). Prior to the issuance of an undercover license
plate, the license plate issuing official must ensure that the requesting
Alabama law enforcement agency has obtained the appropriate state, county or
municipal license plate from the Department of Revenue as provided under §
40-12-250,
Code of Ala. 1975. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
(ALEA) is responsible for issuing state license plates to vehicles owned and
operated by the ALEA.
(2) Requests
for Undercover License Plates.
(a) The request
must be provided on the Department of Revenue Application for Undercover
License Plates (Form MV UC).
(b)
The United States General Services Administration (GSA) requires that federal
law enforcement agencies provide a copy of the Manufacturer's Statement of
Origin (MSO) with the Application for Undercover License Plates (form MV UC).
If the MSO cannot be provided, the agency must submit documentation from GSA to
allow exemption from this requirement.
(c) The ALEA requires their employees to
return a copy of the completed Application for Undercover License Plates (from
MV UC) to the Secretary of the ALEA.
(3)
Undercover License Plate
Record.
(a) If the undercover license
plate record is to be reflected in the state registration database, the
applicant must provide the name and address as it is to appear in the database
(this may be a fictitious name and address).
(b) If the undercover license plate record is
not to be reflected in the state registration database, the county license
plate issuing officials must not upload the undercover license plate
information to the database so that anyone performing a license plate query
would receive a "no record" response.
(4)
Undercover License Plate
Issued.
(a) A pre-numbered standard
license plates shall be issued free of charge for use on undercover motor
vehicles, including automobiles, trucks, truck-tractors, trailers and
recreational vehicles and is not subject to the payment of license taxes levied
on motor vehicles.
(b) God Bless
America pre-numbered license plates may be obtained for undercover vehicles
without payment of any additional fee. For any other distinctive or collegiate
license plate, additional fees must be collected.
(c) Undercover license plates may not be
issued to vehicles owned/used by non-law enforcement agencies, even if law
enforcement officials work part-time security for these non-law enforcement
agencies.
(5)
Documentation Security. Information involving undercover vehicles
must be kept confidential. Accordingly, license plate issuing officials must
retain any documentation involved with the issuance of undercover license
plates in a locked secure location. Information may be provided to Examiners of
Public Accounts in conjunction with an audit that is otherwise authorized by
law.
Author: Sherry Helms
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
1975, §
40-2A-7(a)(5),
40-12-250.
1986 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 86-00271
