MEMORANDUM
TO: Law Enforcement Personnel
SUBJECT: Update on New Print-on-Demand License Plate Validation Decals
Beginning December 2017, some licensing officials started implementing a new print-on-demand (POD) validation decal process to replace the renewal month and year decals displayed on Alabama license plates. The POD validation decal process includes a registration receipt with one validation decal that is embedded on the receipt. The validation decal reflects a two-digit renewal month and two-digit registration expiration year when the registration is issued/printed. The assigned tag number is also printed on the decal to ensure that the decal is attached to the correct license plate. See sample decal on attachment 1 (download .pdf below to view attachments).
All licensing officials are to be converted to the new POD process by January 1, 2019. See attachment 2 (download .pdf below to view attachments) for a list of licensing offices currently on POD. During calendar
year 2018, please accept either the new POD validation decal (black print) or the previous, pre-printed validation decals (white print). After full implementation of the POD validation decal process, the MVD will begin updating license plate designs to eliminate the renewal month validation decal pocket on the upper left-hand side of the license plate.
As a reminder, Act 2017-242 became effective Aug. 1, 2017, and allows registrants to present registration receipts to law enforcement in either a tangible or electronic format (i.e. cell phone or other electronic device) in the same manner that evidence of insurance may be presented under Section 32-7A-6(i), Code of Alabama 1975.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the Motor Vehicle Division at 334-242-9000.
Click here to download a .pdf version of this memo.