Does Alabama require a front license plate?

No. Cars display one tag, on the rear.

What does an Alabama plate number look like?

It starts with a one- or two-digit county code followed by letters and numbers, like 1A2345B for Jefferson County.

How long is an Alabama dealer temporary tag good for?

Twenty days from the date it is issued. It cannot be renewed.

Does my Alabama tag stay with the car when I sell it?

No. Remove it when you sell. You may be able to move it to your next vehicle at your county issuing office, and late transfers can carry a penalty.

Can I get a VIN from an Alabama tag?

Yes. Enter the tag number with Alabama selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.

Can I find the owner of an Alabama tag?

Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Alabama vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.

Alabama License Plate & Tag Lookup

Enter an Alabama tag number to get the vehicle’s VIN, year, make, model and trim.

In Alabama, tags are sold by county offices on behalf of the Department of Revenue. The first one or two numbers on a standard plate are a county code. The state’s own law and website use tag and plate side by side.

Alabama tag to VIN

An Alabama tagnumber points to one current registration, and the registration records the vehicle’s 17-character VIN. Enter the tag above to get the VIN with the year, make, model, trim, body and engine. It is the quickest way to get the VIN of a car you are not standing next to: one in a listing, one you are quoting a repair for, or your own when the title is in a drawer somewhere.

Alabama license plate formats

Standard passenger plates use these formats. Personalized, specialty, commercial and motorcycle plates follow their own rules, and every format works in the lookup.

Format	What it is
1A2345B	Starts with a county code, such as 1 for Jefferson, 2 for Mobile or 3 for Montgomery, followed by letters and numbers. Issued on the current standard plate since 2022.
1AB1234	County code, two letters and four numbers, used on the standard plate issued from 2014 to 2022.

Alabama issues one plate, for the rear of the vehicle.

Who issues plates in Alabama

Plates and registrations in Alabama come from the Alabama Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division, and people go in person to county license plate issuing offices, run by the probate judge, license commissioner or revenue commissioner depending on the county. Plate Decoder is an independent service and is not affiliated with the ALDOR or any other government agency.

Temporary tags in Alabama

Alabama dealers issue temporary tags that are valid for 20 days from the date of issuance, and they cannot be renewed.

Personalized and specialty plates

Alabama calls them personalized tags. You can search for and reserve a combination online through MyDMV, then finish the order at your county issuing office. How many characters are allowed depends on the plate design.

Your last name sets your renewal month

Alabama staggers renewals from January to November by the first letter of the owner’s last name, and registration expires on the last day of that month. A last name starting with F, G or N, for example, renews in April.

What an Alabamaplate lookup can and can’t show

You get the vehicle: VIN, year, make, model, trim, body and engine. You do not get the person. See what a plate lookup shows for the full list.

What we don’t show, and why

No owner names, addresses, phone numbers or photos. Owner details in DMV records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, and looking someone up out of curiosity is not a purpose it allows. Any site that promises the owner of a plate for a few dollars is either breaking that law or not going to deliver.

Who can get owner records, and what to do instead

FAQ

Alabama plate lookup questions

Does Alabama require a front license plate?: No. Cars display one tag, on the rear.
What does an Alabama plate number look like?: It starts with a one- or two-digit county code followed by letters and numbers, like 1A2345B for Jefferson County.
How long is an Alabama dealer temporary tag good for?: Twenty days from the date it is issued. It cannot be renewed.
Does my Alabama tag stay with the car when I sell it?: No. Remove it when you sell. You may be able to move it to your next vehicle at your county issuing office, and late transfers can carry a penalty.
Can I get a VIN from an Alabama tag?: Yes. Enter the tag number with Alabama selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.
Can I find the owner of an Alabama tag?: Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Alabama vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.